A novel family of TRF (DNA topoisomerase l-related function) genes required for proper nuclear segregation

We recently reported the identification of a gene, TRF4 (far DNA topoisomerase related function), in a screen for mutations that are synthetically lethal with mutations in DNA topoisomerase 1 (top1), Here we describe the isolation of a second member of the TRF4 gene family, TRF5, Overexpression of TRF5 complements the inviability of top1 trf4 double mutants, the predicted Trf5 protein is 55% identical and 72% similar to Trf4p. As with Trf4p, a region of Trf5p is homologous to the catalytically dispensable N-terminus of Top1p, The TRF4/5 function is essential as trf4 trf5 double mutants are inviable, A trf4 (ts) trf5 double mutant is hypersensitive to the anti-microtubule agent thiabendazole at a semi-permissive temperature, suggesting that TRF4/5 function is required at the time of mitosis. Examination of nuclear morphology in a trf4 (ts) trf5 mutant at a restrictive temperature reveals the presence of many cells undergoing aberrant nuclear division, as well as many anucleate cells, demonstrating that the TRF4/5 function is required for proper mitosis, Database searches reveal the existence of probable Schizosaccharomyces pombe and human homologs of Trf4p, indicating that TRF4 is the canonical member of a gene family that is highly conserved evolutionarily.