Cryo-EM structure of the human CST–Polα/primase complex in a recruitment state

Abstract

The CST–Polα/primase complex is essential for telomere maintenance and functions to counteract resection at double-strand breaks. We report a 4.6-Å resolution cryo-EM structure of human CST–Polα/primase, captured prior to catalysis in a recruitment state stabilized by chemical cross-linking. Our structure reveals an evolutionarily conserved interaction between the C-terminal domain of the catalytic POLA1 subunit and an N-terminal expansion in metazoan CTC1. Cross-linking mass spectrometry and negative-stain EM analysis provide insight into CST binding by the flexible POLA1 N-terminus. Finally, Coats plus syndrome disease mutations previously characterized to disrupt formation of the CST–Polα/primase complex map to protein–protein interfaces observed in the recruitment state. Together, our results shed light on the architecture and stoichiometry of the metazoan fill-in machinery.