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Dejure FR, Royla N, Herold S, Kalb J, Walz S, Ade CP, Mastrobuoni G, Vanselow JT, Schlosser A, Wolf E, Kempa S, Eilers M. The MYC mRNA 3'-UTR couples RNA polymerase II function to glutamine and ribonucleotide levels. EMBO J 2017; 36:1854-1868. [PMID: 28408437 PMCID: PMC5494468 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201796662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Revised: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Deregulated expression of MYC enhances glutamine utilization and renders cell survival dependent on glutamine, inducing "glutamine addiction". Surprisingly, colon cancer cells that express high levels of MYC due to WNT pathway mutations are not glutamine-addicted but undergo a reversible cell cycle arrest upon glutamine deprivation. We show here that glutamine deprivation suppresses translation of endogenous MYC via the 3'-UTR of the MYC mRNA, enabling escape from apoptosis. This regulation is mediated by glutamine-dependent changes in adenosine-nucleotide levels. Glutamine deprivation causes a global reduction in promoter association of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) and slows transcriptional elongation. While activation of MYC restores binding of MYC and RNAPII function on most promoters, restoration of elongation is imperfect and activation of MYC in the absence of glutamine causes stalling of RNAPII on multiple genes, correlating with R-loop formation. Stalling of RNAPII and R-loop formation can cause DNA damage, arguing that the MYC 3'-UTR is critical for maintaining genome stability when ribonucleotide levels are low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca R Dejure
- Theodor Boveri Institute and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nadine Royla
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Steffi Herold
- Theodor Boveri Institute and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jacqueline Kalb
- Theodor Boveri Institute and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Walz
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Core Unit Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Carsten P Ade
- Theodor Boveri Institute and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Guido Mastrobuoni
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jens T Vanselow
- Mass Spectrometry and Proteome Research, Rudolf-Virchow-Center, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Schlosser
- Mass Spectrometry and Proteome Research, Rudolf-Virchow-Center, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Elmar Wolf
- Cancer Systems Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Kempa
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Eilers
- Theodor Boveri Institute and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi V Dang
- Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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