Abstract

Tankyrase (TANK1) is a human telomere-associated poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) that binds the telomere-binding protein TRF1 and increases telomere length when overexpressed. Here we report characterization of a second human tankyrase, tankyrase 2 (TANK2), which can also interact with TRF1 but has properties distinct from those of TANK1. TANK2 is encoded by a 66-kilobase pair gene (TNKS2) containing 28 exons, which express a 6.7-kilobase pair mRNA and a 1166-amino acid protein. The protein shares 85% amino acid identity with TANK1 in the ankyrin repeat, sterile alpha-motif, and PARP catalytic domains but has a unique N-terminal domain, which is conserved in the murine TNKS2 gene. TANK2 interacted with TRF1 in yeast and in vitro and localized predominantly to a perinuclear region, similar to the properties of TANK1. In contrast to TANK1, however, TANK2 caused rapid cell death when highly overexpressed. TANK2-induced death featured loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, but not PARP1 cleavage, suggesting that TANK2 kills cells by necrosis. The cell death was prevented by the PARP inhibitor 3-aminobenzamide. In vivo, TANK2 may differ from TANK1 in its intrinsic or regulated PARP activity or its substrate specificity.

Highlights

  • From the ‡Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 and §Geron Corporation, Menlo Park, California 94025

  • The protein shares 85% amino acid identity with TANK1 in the ankyrin repeat, sterile ␣-motif, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) catalytic domains but has a unique N-terminal domain, which is conserved in the murine TNKS2 gene

  • Because telomeres are DNA ends that are anchored to the nuclear matrix [19, 22], and appear to elicit a DNA damage response when dysfunctional, PARPs are thought to participate in telomere maintenance and/or transmitting signals generated by dysfunctional telomeres

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Summary

THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY

Vol 276, No 38, Issue of September 21, pp. 35891–35899, 2001 Printed in U.S.A. TANK2, a New TRF1-associated Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase, Causes Rapid Induction of Cell Death upon Overexpression*. The recent discovery of a telomere-associated poly(ADPribose) polymerase (PARP) [12] provides a potential mechanism by which telomeres transmit signals to cellular proteins that regulate the senescence and apoptotic responses. Because telomeres are DNA ends that are anchored to the nuclear matrix [19, 22], and appear to elicit a DNA damage response when dysfunctional, PARPs are thought to participate in telomere maintenance and/or transmitting signals generated by dysfunctional telomeres Consistent with this view, cells from knockout mice that lack PARP1, a classic PARP encoded by the ADPRT1 gene, have somewhat shorter (30%) telomeres than wild-type cells [15]. TANK1 (encoded by the TNKS gene on human chromosome 8) [12, 24] is a non-classic PARP that interacts with and ADPribosylates the telomere-binding protein TRF1 [12].

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