Research
ATR promotes genome instability via CENP-A eviction from centromeres after prolonged exposure to genotoxic stress
Nature · By Denis Ostapenko ·
The Brief
- A Nature Communications paper reports that DNA damage activates the ATR kinase, which drives eviction of the centromeric protein CENP-A from centromeres.
- The authors state that interphase DNA damage can lead to genome instability by promoting missegregation of chromosomes lacking centromeres.
- The effect is described as occurring after prolonged exposure to genotoxic stress.
Why it matters
It identifies a mechanism by which DNA damage in interphase could disrupt centromere identity and chromosome segregation, a possible route to genome instability relevant to cancer biology.
Who’s affected
- cell and cancer biologists studying genome stability
- researchers working on centromeres and chromosome segregation
- #centromeres
- #genome instability
- #ATR
- #CENP-A
- #DNA damage
Nature Communications, Published online: 11 November 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-79517-2 Interphase DNA damage can lead to genome instability by promoting missegregation of chromosomes lacking centromeres. Here the authors show that DNA damage activates ATR and driving…
Timeline
Paper published online in Nature Communications (doi:10.1038/s41467-026-79517-2)
nature.com
ATR promotes genome instability via CENP-A eviction from centromeres after prolonged exposure to genotoxic stress