Somatic copy number amplification and gene overexpression are common features of many cancers. To determine the role of gene overexpression on chromosome instability (CIN), we performed genome-wide screens in the budding yeast for yeast genes that cause CIN when overexpressed, a phenotype we refer to as dosage CIN (dCIN), and identified 245 dCIN genes. This catalog of genes reveals human orthologs known to be recurrently overexpressed and/or amplified in tumors. We show that two genes, TDP1, a tyrosyl-DNA-phosphdiesterase, and TAF12, an RNA polymerase II TATA-box binding factor, cause CIN when overexpressed in human cells. Rhabdomyosarcoma lines with elevated human Tdp1 levels also exhibit CIN that can be partially rescued by siRNA-mediated knockdown of TDP1. Overexpression of dCIN genes represents a genetic vulnerability that could be leveraged for selective killing of cancer cells through targeting of an unlinked synthetic dosage lethal (SDL) partner. Using SDL screens in yeast, we identified a set of genes that when deleted specifically kill cells with high levels of Tdp1. One gene was the histone deacetylase RPD3, for which there are known inhibitors. Both HT1080 cells overexpressing hTDP1 and rhabdomyosarcoma cells with elevated levels of hTdp1 were more sensitive to histone deacetylase inhibitors valproic acid (VPA) and trichostatin A (TSA), recapitulating the SDL interaction in human cells and suggesting VPA and TSA as potential therapeutic agents for tumors with elevated levels of hTdp1. The catalog of dCIN genes presented here provides a candidate list to identify genes that cause CIN when overexpressed in cancer, which can then be leveraged through SDL to selectively target tumors.dosage chromosome instability | overexpression | synthetic dosage lethality | TDP1 | rhabdomyosarcoma

FBW7 (F-box and WD repeat domain containing 7), also known as FBXW7 or hCDC4, is a tumor suppressor gene mutated in a broad spectrum of cancer cell types. As a component of the SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase, FBW7 is responsible for specifically recognizing phosphorylated substrates, many important for tumor progression, and targeting them for ubiquitin-mediated degradation. Although the role of FBW7 as a tumor suppressor is well established, less well studied is how FBW7-mutated cancer cells might be targeted for selective killing. To explore this further, we undertook a genome-wide RNAi screen using WT and FBW7 knockout colorectal cell lines and identified the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) protein BUBR1, as a candidate synthetic lethal target. We show here that asynchronous FBW7 knockout cells have increased levels of mitotic APC/C substrates and are sensitive to knockdown of not just BUBR1 but BUB1 and MPS1, other known SAC components, suggesting a dependence of these cells on the mitotic checkpoint. Consistent with this dependence, knockdown of BUBR1 in cells lacking FBW7 results in significant cell aneuploidy and increases in p53 levels. The FBW7 substrate cyclin E was necessary for the genetic interaction with BUBR1. In contrast, the establishment of this dependence on the SAC requires the deregulation of multiple substrates of FBW7. Our work suggests that FBW7 knockout cells are vulnerable in their dependence on the mitotic checkpoint and that this may be a good potential target to exploit in FBW7-mutated cancer cells.

New anticancer therapeutics require extensive in vivo characterization to identify endogenous and exogenous factors affecting efficacy, to measure toxicity and mutagenicity, and to determine genotypes that result in therapeutic sensitivity or resistance. We used Caenorhabditis elegans as a platform with which to characterize properties of the anticancer therapeutic CX-5461. To understand the processes that respond to CX-5461-induced damage, we generated pharmacogenetic profiles for a panel of C. elegans DNA replication and repair mutants with common DNA-damaging agents for comparison with the profile of CX-5461. We found that multiple repair pathways, including homology-directed repair, microhomology-mediated end joining, nucleotide excision repair, and translesion synthesis, were needed for CX-5461 tolerance. To determine the frequency and spectrum of CX-5461-induced mutations, we used a genetic balancer to capture CX-5461-induced mutations. We found that CX-5461 is mutagenic, resulting in both large copy number variations and a high frequency of single-nucleotide variations (SNVs), which are consistent with the pharmacogenetic profile for CX-5461. Whole-genome sequencing of CX-5461-exposed animals found that CX-5461-induced SNVs exhibited a distinct mutational signature. We also phenocopied the CX-5461 photoreactivity observed in clinical trials and demonstrated that CX-5461 generates reactive oxygen species when exposed to UVA radiation. Together, the data from C. elegans demonstrate that CX-5461 is a multimodal DNA-damaging anticancer agent.

16New anti-cancer therapeutics require extensive in vivo characterization to identify endogenous 17 and exogenous factors affecting efficacy, to measure toxicity and mutagenicity, and to determine 18 genotypes resulting in therapeutic sensitivity or resistance. We used Caenorhabditis elegans as a 19 platform with which to characterize properties of anti-cancer therapeutic agents in vivo. We 20 generated a map of chemigenetic interactions between DNA damage response mutants and 21 common DNA damaging agents. We used this map to investigate the properties of the new anti-22 cancer therapeutic CX-5461. We phenocopied the photoreactivity observed in CX-5461 clinical 23 trials and found that CX-5461 generates reactive oxygen species when exposed to UVA 24 radiation. We demonstrated that CX-5461 is a mutator, resulting in both large copy number 25 variations and a high frequency of single nucleotide variations (SNVs). CX-5461-induced SNVs 26 exhibited a distinct mutational signature. Consistent with the wide range of CX-5461-induced 27 mutation types, we found that multiple repair pathways were needed for CX-5461 tolerance.

Somatic copy number amplifications (SCNAs) and gene over-expression are common features of many cancers. To determine the role of gene over-expression on genome stability, we performed functional genomic screens in the budding yeast for chromosome instability, a defining characteristic of cancer that can be targeted by therapeutics. Over-expression of 245 yeast genes increases chromosome instability by influencing processes such as chromosome segregation and DNA damage repair. Testing candidate human homologs, which were highly recurrently altered in tumors lead to the identification of 2 genes, Tdp1 and Taf12 that contribute to CIN in human cells when over-expressed.Rhabdomyosarcoma lines with higher levels of Tdp1 also show chromosome instability and can be partially rescued by siRNA-mediated knockdown of Tdp1. Using synthetic dosage lethality screens in yeast, we identified candidate target genes that will specifically target tumors with high levels of Tdp1.We demonstrate the utility of functional genetic screens in model organisms to broaden the spectrum of CIN genes, to identify novel genes relevant to chromosome instability in humans and to identify candidate gene targets that can be leveraged to selectively kill tumors over-expressing specific genes.

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