SUMO4 promotes SUMO deconjugation required for DNA double-strand-break repair

The amplitudes of small-modifier protein signaling through ubiquitin and the small ubiquitin-like modifiers, SUMO1-3, are critical to the correct phasing of DNA repair protein accumulation, activity, and clearance and for the completion of mammalian DNA double-strand-break (DSB) repair. However, how SUMO-conjugate signaling in the response is delineated is poorly understood. At the same time, the role of the non-conjugated SUMO protein, SUMO4, has remained enigmatic. Here, we reveal that human SUMO4 is required to prevent excessive DNA-damage-induced SUMOylation and deleterious over-accumulation of RAP80. Mechanistically we show that SUMO4 acts independently of its conjugation and potentiates SENP1 catalytic activity. These data identify SUMO4 as a SUMO deconjugation component and show that SUMO4:SENP1 are critical regulators of DNA-damage-induced SUMO signaling.