Rif1 binds to G-quadruplexes and suppresses replication over a long distances

Rif1 regulates replication timing and repair of double-stranded DNA breaks. Using Chromatin-immunoprecipitation-Sequencing method, we have identified 35 high-affinity Rif1 binding sites in fission yeast chromosomes. Binding sites, preferentially located to the vicinity of dormant origins, tended to contain at least two copies of a conserved motif, CNWWGTGGGGG, and base substitution within these motifs resulted in complete loss of Rif1 binding and activation of late-firing or dormant origins located as far as 50 kb away. We show that Rif1 binding sites adopt G-quadruplex-like structures in vitro in a manner dependent on the conserved sequence as well as on other G-tracts, and that the purified Rif1 preferentially binds to this structure. These results suggest that Rif1 recognizes and binds to G-quadruplex-like structures at selected intergenic regions to generate local chromatin structures that may exert a long-range suppressive effects on origin firing.