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Ferritin, the major intracellular iron-storage protein, is made of 24 subunits of two types, H and L. Besides regulating intracellular iron homeostasis, it has been found that ferritin, in particular the H subunit (FHC), is involved in different biological events such as cell differentiation and pathologic states (i.e., neurodegeneration and cancer). This study is aimed at investigating the whole-cell proteome of FHC-expressing and sh-RNA-silenced human metastatic melanoma cells (MM07(m)) in the attempt to identify and classify the highest number of proteins directly or indirectly controlled by the FHC. We identified about 200 differentially expressed proteins and classified them in clusters on the basis of their functions, as proteins involved in metabolic processes, cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation processes. Some of them have captured our attention because of their involvement in metabolic pathways related to tumor progression and metastasis. In vitro assays confirmed that the FHC-silenced MM07(m) cells are characterized by a decreased growth activity, a reduced invasiveness, and a reduced cell adhesion capability. Moreover, nude mice (CD1 nu/nu), subcutaneously injected with FHC-silenced MM07(m) cells, showed a remarkable 4-fold reduction of their tumor growth capacity compared to those who received the FHC-unsilenced MM07(m) counterpart. In conclusion, these data indicate that gene silencing technology, coupled to proteomic analysis, is a powerful tool for a better understanding of H ferritin signaling pathways and lend support to the hypothesis that specific targeting of this gene might be an attractive and potentially effective strategy for the management of metastatic melanoma.

In several metazoans, the number of active replication origins in embryonic nuclei is higher than in somatic ones, ensuring rapid genome duplication during synchronous embryonic cell divisions. High replication origin density can be restored by somatic nuclear reprogramming. However, mechanisms underlying high replication origin density formation coupled to rapid cell cycles are poorly understood. Here, using Xenopus laevis, we show that SSRP1 stimulates replication origin assembly on somatic chromatin by promoting eviction of histone H1 through its N-terminal domain. Histone H1 removal derepresses ORC and MCM chromatin binding, allowing efficient replication origin assembly. SSRP1 protein decays at mid-blastula transition (MBT) when asynchronous somatic cell cycles start. Increasing levels of SSRP1 delay MBT and, surprisingly, accelerate post-MBT cell cycle speed and embryo development. These findings identify a major epigenetic mechanism regulating DNA replication and directly linking replication origin assembly, cell cycle duration and embryo development in vertebrates.

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