1 0 1 1 Keywords: SMC5/6 complex; Nse4 klesin linker; Nse1/Nse3 KITE subunits; ATP binding; 1 2 protein-protein interaction, fission yeast 1 3 1 4 2 ABSTRACT 1 5 The SMC (Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes) complexes are composed of 1 6 SMC dimers, kleisin and kleisin-interacting subunits. Mutual interactions of these subunits 1 7 constitute the basal architecture of the SMC complexes. Particularly, terminal domains of the 1 8 kleisin subunit bridge the SMC head domains of the SMC molecules. Binding of ATP 1 9molecules to the heads and their hydrolysis alter the shape of long SMC molecules (from rod-2 0 3 1 upon ATP binding. This mechanism suggests an important role of the KITE subunits in the 3 2 dynamics of the SMC5/6 complexes. 3 3 3 4 AUTHOR SUMMARY 3 5The SMC5/6 complex is member of the Structural maintenance of chromosomes 3 6 (SMC) family, key organizers of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. Their architecture 3 7 and dynamics (driven by ATP binding and hydrolysis) are essential for cellular processes, like 3 8 3 chromatin segregation, condensation, replication and repair. In this paper, we described 3 9 conserved mode of the Nse4 kleisin subunit binding to the SMC6 (similar to cohesin and 4 0 condensin) and its bridging role. Furthermore, we showed different impact of the binding of 4 1 the Nse1-Nse3 KITE subunits to the Nse4 kleisin bridge. Our study suggested that the KITE 4 2 proteins modulate the stability of the SMC5/6 complex, depending on its binding and 4 3 hydrolysis of ATP. Our findings uncover molecular mechanisms underlying dynamics of the 4 4 SMC5/6 complexes.4 5 4 6 INTRODUCTION 4 7 The SMC (Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes) complexes are key organizers of 4 8 prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. They organize chromatin domains (cohesins; [1]), 4 9 condense mitotic chromosomes (condensins; [2]), assist in DNA repair (SMC5/6; [3, 4]) and 5 0 replication (SMC/ScpAB; [5]). These circular complexes use the energy of ATP hydrolysis to 5 1 drive DNA topology changes. In prokaryotes, SMC/ScpAB drives extrusion of loops forming 5 2 behind the replication fork. In eukaryotes, condensins extrude loops laterally and axially to 5 3 shape chromatin to the typical mitotic chromosomes. Cohesins assist in formation of 5 4 topologically associating domains during interphase. Cohesin rings can also hold newly 5 5 replicated sister chromatids together and release them in highly controlled manner. The 5 6 SMC5/6 complexes have been implicated in the repair of DNA damage by homologous 5 7 recombination, stabilization and restart of stressed replication forks. The SMC5/6 instability 5 8 leads to the chromosome breakage syndrome in human [6], however, the molecular 5 9mechanism of the SMC5/6 action is largely unclear. 6 0 All the SMC complexes are composed of three common categories of subunits: SMC, 6 1 kleisin and kleisin-interacting proteins [7, 8]. The SMC proteins are primarily build of long 6 2 anti-parallel coiled-coil arms, a globular hinge (situated in the middle of their peptide chain) 6 3 4...