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Hofstetter J, Ogunleye A, Kutschke A, Buchholz LM, Wolf E, Raabe T, Gallant P. Spt5 interacts genetically with Myc and is limiting for brain tumor growth in Drosophila. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302130. [PMID: 37935464 PMCID: PMC10629571 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor SPT5 physically interacts with MYC oncoproteins and is essential for efficient transcriptional activation of MYC targets in cultured cells. Here, we use Drosophila to address the relevance of this interaction in a living organism. Spt5 displays moderate synergy with Myc in fast proliferating young imaginal disc cells. During later development, Spt5-knockdown has no detectable consequences on its own, but strongly enhances eye defects caused by Myc overexpression. Similarly, Spt5-knockdown in larval type 2 neuroblasts has only mild effects on brain development and survival of control flies, but dramatically shrinks the volumes of experimentally induced neuroblast tumors and significantly extends the lifespan of tumor-bearing animals. This beneficial effect is still observed when Spt5 is knocked down systemically and after tumor initiation, highlighting SPT5 as a potential drug target in human oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Hofstetter
- https://ror.org/00fbnyb24 Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ayoola Ogunleye
- https://ror.org/00fbnyb24 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - André Kutschke
- https://ror.org/00fbnyb24 Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Marie Buchholz
- https://ror.org/00fbnyb24 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Elmar Wolf
- https://ror.org/00fbnyb24 Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Raabe
- https://ror.org/00fbnyb24 Molecular Genetics, Biocenter, Am Hubland, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Peter Gallant
- https://ror.org/00fbnyb24 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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2
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Gallardo A, Dutagaci B. Binding of small molecule inhibitors to RNA polymerase-Spt5 complex impacts RNA and DNA stability. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2023; 38:1. [PMID: 37987925 PMCID: PMC10663202 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-023-00543-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Spt5 is an elongation factor that associates with RNA polymerase II (Pol II) during transcription and has important functions in promoter-proximal pausing and elongation processivity. Spt5 was also recognized for its roles in the transcription of expanded-repeat genes that are related to neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, a set of Spt5-Pol II small molecule inhibitors (SPIs) were reported, which selectively inhibit mutant huntingtin gene transcription. Inhibition mechanisms as well as interaction sites of these SPIs with Pol II and Spt5 are not entirely known. In this study, we predicted the binding sites of three selected SPIs at the Pol II-Spt5 interface by docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Two molecules out of three demonstrated strong binding with Spt5 and Pol II, while the other molecule was more loosely bound and sampled multiple binding sites. Strongly bound SPIs indirectly affected RNA and DNA dynamics at the exit site as DNA became more flexible while RNA was stabilized by increased interactions with Spt5. Our results suggest that the transcription inhibition mechanism induced by SPIs can be related to Spt5-nucleic acid interactions, which were altered to some extent with strong binding of SPIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adan Gallardo
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd, Merced, CA, 95343, USA
| | - Bercem Dutagaci
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd, Merced, CA, 95343, USA.
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3
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Aoi Y, Shilatifard A. Transcriptional elongation control in developmental gene expression, aging, and disease. Mol Cell 2023; 83:3972-3999. [PMID: 37922911 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The elongation stage of transcription by RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) is central to the regulation of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental cues in metazoan. Dysregulated transcriptional elongation has been associated with developmental defects as well as disease and aging processes. Decades of genetic and biochemical studies have painstakingly identified and characterized an ensemble of factors that regulate RNA Pol II elongation. This review summarizes recent findings taking advantage of genetic engineering techniques that probe functions of elongation factors in vivo. We propose a revised model of elongation control in this accelerating field by reconciling contradictory results from the earlier biochemical evidence and the recent in vivo studies. We discuss how elongation factors regulate promoter-proximal RNA Pol II pause release, transcriptional elongation rate and processivity, RNA Pol II stability and RNA processing, and how perturbation of these processes is associated with developmental disorders, neurodegenerative disease, cancer, and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Aoi
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Ali Shilatifard
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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4
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MacKinnon S, Pagé V, Chen JJ, Shariat-Panahi A, Martin RD, Hébert TE, Tanny JC. Spt5 C-terminal repeat domain phosphorylation and length negatively regulate heterochromatin through distinct mechanisms. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010492. [PMID: 37939109 PMCID: PMC10659198 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Heterochromatin is a condensed chromatin structure that represses transcription of repetitive DNA elements and developmental genes, and is required for genome stability. Paradoxically, transcription of heterochromatic sequences is required for establishment of heterochromatin in diverse eukaryotic species. As such, components of the transcriptional machinery can play important roles in establishing heterochromatin. How these factors coordinate with heterochromatin proteins at nascent heterochromatic transcripts remains poorly understood. In the model eukaryote Schizosaccharomyces pombe (S. pombe), heterochromatin nucleation can be coupled to processing of nascent transcripts by the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway, or to other post-transcriptional mechanisms that are RNAi-independent. Here we show that the RNA polymerase II processivity factor Spt5 negatively regulates heterochromatin in S. pombe through its C-terminal domain (CTD). The Spt5 CTD is analogous to the CTD of the RNA polymerase II large subunit, and is comprised of multiple repeats of an amino acid motif that is phosphorylated by Cdk9. We provide evidence that genetic ablation of Spt5 CTD phosphorylation results in aberrant RNAi-dependent nucleation of heterochromatin at an ectopic location, as well as inappropriate spread of heterochromatin proximal to centromeres. In contrast, truncation of Spt5 CTD repeat number enhanced RNAi-independent heterochromatin formation and bypassed the requirement for RNAi. We relate these phenotypes to the known Spt5 CTD-binding factor Prf1/Rtf1. This separation of function argues that Spt5 CTD phosphorylation and CTD length restrict heterochromatin through unique mechanisms. More broadly, our findings argue that length and phosphorylation of the Spt5 CTD repeat array have distinct regulatory effects on transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah MacKinnon
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Viviane Pagé
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jennifer J. Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Ali Shariat-Panahi
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Ryan D. Martin
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Terence E. Hébert
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jason C. Tanny
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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5
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Martell DJ, Merens HE, Caulier A, Fiorini C, Ulirsch JC, Ietswaart R, Choquet K, Graziadei G, Brancaleoni V, Cappellini MD, Scott C, Roberts N, Proven M, Roy NBA, Babbs C, Higgs DR, Sankaran VG, Churchman LS. RNA polymerase II pausing temporally coordinates cell cycle progression and erythroid differentiation. Dev Cell 2023; 58:2112-2127.e4. [PMID: 37586368 PMCID: PMC10615711 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Controlled release of promoter-proximal paused RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) is crucial for gene regulation. However, studying RNA Pol II pausing is challenging, as pause-release factors are almost all essential. In this study, we identified heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in SUPT5H, which encodes SPT5, in individuals with β-thalassemia. During erythropoiesis in healthy human cells, cell cycle genes were highly paused as cells transition from progenitors to precursors. When the pathogenic mutations were recapitulated by SUPT5H editing, RNA Pol II pause release was globally disrupted, and as cells began transitioning from progenitors to precursors, differentiation was delayed, accompanied by a transient lag in erythroid-specific gene expression and cell cycle kinetics. Despite this delay, cells terminally differentiate, and cell cycle phase distributions normalize. Therefore, hindering pause release perturbs proliferation and differentiation dynamics at a key transition during erythropoiesis, identifying a role for RNA Pol II pausing in temporally coordinating the cell cycle and erythroid differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danya J Martell
- Department of Genetics, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hope E Merens
- Department of Genetics, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexis Caulier
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Claudia Fiorini
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jacob C Ulirsch
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Karine Choquet
- Department of Genetics, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Giovanna Graziadei
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community, University of Milan, IRCCS Ca'Granda Foundation Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Brancaleoni
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community, University of Milan, IRCCS Ca'Granda Foundation Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Domenica Cappellini
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community, University of Milan, IRCCS Ca'Granda Foundation Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Caroline Scott
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nigel Roberts
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Melanie Proven
- Oxford Genetics Laboratories, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Noémi B A Roy
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre and BRC/NHS Translational Molecular Diagnostics Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK; Department of Haematology, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Christian Babbs
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Douglas R Higgs
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Vijay G Sankaran
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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6
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Sun Z, Lin Y, Islam MT, Koche R, Hedehus L, Liu D, Huang C, Vierbuchen T, Sawyers CL, Helin K. Chromatin regulation of transcriptional enhancers and cell fate by the Sotos syndrome gene NSD1. Mol Cell 2023; 83:2398-2416.e12. [PMID: 37402365 PMCID: PMC10529604 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear receptor-binding SET-domain protein 1 (NSD1), a methyltransferase that catalyzes H3K36me2, is essential for mammalian development and is frequently dysregulated in diseases, including Sotos syndrome. Despite the impacts of H3K36me2 on H3K27me3 and DNA methylation, the direct role of NSD1 in transcriptional regulation remains largely unknown. Here, we show that NSD1 and H3K36me2 are enriched at cis-regulatory elements, particularly enhancers. NSD1 enhancer association is conferred by a tandem quadruple PHD (qPHD)-PWWP module, which recognizes p300-catalyzed H3K18ac. By combining acute NSD1 depletion with time-resolved epigenomic and nascent transcriptomic analyses, we demonstrate that NSD1 promotes enhancer-dependent gene transcription by facilitating RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) pause release. Notably, NSD1 can act as a transcriptional coactivator independent of its catalytic activity. Moreover, NSD1 enables the activation of developmental transcriptional programs associated with Sotos syndrome pathophysiology and controls embryonic stem cell (ESC) multilineage differentiation. Collectively, we have identified NSD1 as an enhancer-acting transcriptional coactivator that contributes to cell fate transition and Sotos syndrome development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Sun
- Cell Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Yuan Lin
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Mohammed T Islam
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Richard Koche
- Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lin Hedehus
- Cell Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Dingyu Liu
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Chang Huang
- Cell Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Division of Cancer Biology, Institute of Cancer Research, London SW7 3RP, UK
| | - Thomas Vierbuchen
- Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Charles L Sawyers
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Kristian Helin
- Cell Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark; Division of Cancer Biology, Institute of Cancer Research, London SW7 3RP, UK.
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7
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Martell DJ, Merens HE, Fiorini C, Caulier A, Ulirsch JC, Ietswaart R, Choquet K, Graziadei G, Brancaleoni V, Cappellini MD, Scott C, Roberts N, Proven M, Roy NB, Babbs C, Higgs DR, Sankaran VG, Churchman LS. RNA Polymerase II pausing temporally coordinates cell cycle progression and erythroid differentiation. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.03.03.23286760. [PMID: 36945604 PMCID: PMC10029049 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.03.23286760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The controlled release of promoter-proximal paused RNA polymerase II (Pol II) into productive elongation is a major step in gene regulation. However, functional analysis of Pol II pausing is difficult because factors that regulate pause release are almost all essential. In this study, we identified heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in SUPT5H , which encodes SPT5, in individuals with β-thalassemia unlinked to HBB mutations. During erythropoiesis in healthy human cells, cell cycle genes were highly paused at the transition from progenitors to precursors. When the pathogenic mutations were recapitulated by SUPT5H editing, Pol II pause release was globally disrupted, and the transition from progenitors to precursors was delayed, marked by a transient lag in erythroid-specific gene expression and cell cycle kinetics. Despite this delay, cells terminally differentiate, and cell cycle phase distributions normalize. Therefore, hindering pause release perturbs proliferation and differentiation dynamics at a key transition during erythropoiesis, revealing a role for Pol II pausing in the temporal coordination between the cell cycle and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danya J Martell
- Harvard University, Department of Genetics, Boston, MA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
| | - Hope E Merens
- Harvard University, Department of Genetics, Boston, MA
| | - Claudia Fiorini
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
| | - Alexis Caulier
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
| | - Jacob C Ulirsch
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
| | | | | | - Giovanna Graziadei
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community, University of Milan, IRCCS Ca'Granda Foundation Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Brancaleoni
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community, University of Milan, IRCCS Ca'Granda Foundation Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Domenica Cappellini
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community, University of Milan, IRCCS Ca'Granda Foundation Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Caroline Scott
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel Roberts
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Melanie Proven
- Oxford Genetics Laboratories, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Noémi Ba Roy
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre and BRC/NHS Translational Molecular Diagnostics Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
- Department of Haematology, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Christian Babbs
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Douglas R Higgs
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Vijay G Sankaran
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
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8
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Wu X, Xie Y, Zhao K, Lu J. Targeting the super elongation complex for oncogenic transcription driven tumor malignancies: Progress in structure, mechanisms and small molecular inhibitor discovery. Adv Cancer Res 2023; 158:387-421. [PMID: 36990537 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Oncogenic transcription activation is associated with tumor development and resistance derived from chemotherapy or target therapy. The super elongation complex (SEC) is an important complex regulating gene transcription and expression in metazoans closely related to physiological activities. In normal transcriptional regulation, SEC can trigger promoter escape, limit proteolytic degradation of transcription elongation factors and increase the synthesis of RNA polymerase II (POL II), and regulate many normal human genes to stimulate RNA elongation. Dysregulation of SEC accompanied by multiple transcription factors in cancer promotes rapid transcription of oncogenes and induce cancer development. In this review, we summarized recent progress in understanding the mechanisms of SEC in regulating normal transcription, and importantly its roles in cancer development. We also highlighted the discovery of SEC complex target related inhibitors and their potential applications in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China; Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanqiu Xie
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China; Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Kehao Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China.
| | - Jing Lu
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China.
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9
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Proteome effects of genome-wide single gene perturbations. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6153. [PMID: 36257942 PMCID: PMC9579165 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33814-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein abundance is controlled at the transcriptional, translational and post-translational levels, and its regulatory principles are starting to emerge. Investigating these principles requires large-scale proteomics data and cannot just be done with transcriptional outcomes that are commonly used as a proxy for protein abundance. Here, we determine proteome changes resulting from the individual knockout of 3308 nonessential genes in the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We use similarity clustering of global proteome changes to infer gene functionality that can be extended to other species, such as humans or baker's yeast. Furthermore, we analyze a selected set of deletion mutants by paired transcriptome and proteome measurements and show that upregulation of proteins under stable transcript expression utilizes optimal codons.
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10
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Fong N, Sheridan RM, Ramachandran S, Bentley DL. The pausing zone and control of RNA polymerase II elongation by Spt5: Implications for the pause-release model. Mol Cell 2022; 82:3632-3645.e4. [PMID: 36206739 PMCID: PMC9555879 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The pause-release model of transcription proposes that 40-100 bases from the start site RNA Pol II pauses, followed by release into productive elongation. Pause release is facilitated by the PTEFb phosphorylation of the RNA Pol II elongation factor, Spt5. We mapped paused polymerases by eNET-seq and found frequent pausing in zones that extend ∼0.3-3 kb into genes even when PTEFb is inhibited. The fraction of paused polymerases or pausing propensity declines gradually over several kb and not abruptly as predicted for a discrete pause-release event. Spt5 depletion extends pausing zones, suggesting that it promotes the maturation of elongation complexes to a low-pausing state. The expression of mutants after Spt5 depletion showed that phosphomimetic substitutions in the CTR1 domain diminished pausing throughout genes. By contrast, mutants that prevent the phosphorylation of the Spt5 RNA-binding domain strengthened pausing. Thus, distinct Spt5 phospho-isoforms set the balance between pausing and elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nova Fong
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, PO Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Ryan M Sheridan
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, PO Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Srinivas Ramachandran
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, PO Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - David L Bentley
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, PO Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
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11
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RNA Polymerase II “Pause” Prepares Promoters for Upcoming Transcription during Drosophila Development. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810662. [PMID: 36142573 PMCID: PMC9503990 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
According to previous studies, during Drosophila embryogenesis, the recruitment of RNA polymerase II precedes active gene transcription. This work is aimed at exploring whether this mechanism is used during Drosophila metamorphosis. In addition, the composition of the RNA polymerase II “paused” complexes associated with promoters at different developmental stages are described in detail. For this purpose, we performed ChIP-Seq analysis using antibodies for various modifications of RNA polymerase II (total, Pol II CTD Ser5P, and Pol II CTD Ser2P) as well as for subunits of the NELF, DSIF, and PAF complexes and Brd4/Fs(1)h that control transcription elongation. We found that during metamorphosis, similar to mid-embryogenesis, the promoters were bound by RNA polymerase II in the “paused” state, preparing for activation at later stages of development. During mid-embryogenesis, RNA polymerase II in a “pause” state was phosphorylated at Ser5 and Ser2 of Pol II CTD and bound the NELF, DSIF, and PAF complexes, but not Brd4/Fs(1)h. During metamorphosis, the “paused” RNA polymerase II complex included Brd4/Fs(1)h in addition to NELF, DSIF, and PAF. The RNA polymerase II in this complex was phosphorylated at Ser5 of Pol II CTD, but not at Ser2. These results indicate that, during mid-embryogenesis, RNA polymerase II stalls in the “post-pause” state, being phosphorylated at Ser2 of Pol II CTD (after the stage of p-TEFb action). During metamorphosis, the “pause” mechanism is closer to classical promoter-proximal pausing and is characterized by a low level of Pol II CTD Ser2P.
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12
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Song A, Chen FX. The pleiotropic roles of SPT5 in transcription. Transcription 2022; 13:53-69. [PMID: 35876486 PMCID: PMC9467590 DOI: 10.1080/21541264.2022.2103366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Initially discovered by genetic screens in budding yeast, SPT5 and its partner SPT4 form a stable complex known as DSIF in metazoa, which plays pleiotropic roles in multiple steps of transcription. SPT5 is the most conserved transcription elongation factor, being found in all three domains of life; however, its structure has evolved to include new domains and associated posttranslational modifications. These gained features have expanded transcriptional functions of SPT5, likely to meet the demand for increasingly complex regulation of transcription in higher organisms. This review discusses the pleiotropic roles of SPT5 in transcription, including RNA polymerase II (Pol II) stabilization, enhancer activation, Pol II pausing and its release, elongation, and termination, with a focus on the most recent progress of SPT5 functions in regulating metazoan transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aixia Song
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, Province 200032, China
| | - Fei Xavier Chen
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, Province 200032, China
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13
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Park K, Zhong J, Jang JS, Kim J, Kim HJ, Lee JH, Kim J. ZWC complex-mediated SPT5 phosphorylation suppresses divergent antisense RNA transcription at active gene promoters. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:3835-3851. [PMID: 35325203 PMCID: PMC9023261 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The human genome encodes large numbers of non-coding RNAs, including divergent antisense transcripts at transcription start sites (TSSs). However, molecular mechanisms by which divergent antisense transcription is regulated have not been detailed. Here, we report a novel ZWC complex composed of ZC3H4, WDR82 and CK2 that suppresses divergent antisense transcription. The ZWC complex preferentially localizes at TSSs of active genes through direct interactions of ZC3H4 and WDR82 subunits with the S5p RNAPII C-terminal domain. ZC3H4 depletion leads to increased divergent antisense transcription, especially at genes that naturally produce divergent antisense transcripts. We further demonstrate that the ZWC complex phosphorylates the previously uncharacterized N-terminal acidic domain of SPT5, a subunit of the transcription-elongation factor DSIF, and that this phosphorylation is responsible for suppressing divergent antisense transcription. Our study provides evidence that the newly identified ZWC-DSIF axis regulates the direction of transcription during the transition from early to productive elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kihyun Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Jian Zhong
- Epigenomics Program, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Jin Sung Jang
- Medical Genome Facility, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Division of Experimental Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Jihyun Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Hye-Jung Kim
- New Drug Development Center, OSONG Medical Innovation Foundation, Cheongju 28160, South Korea
| | - Jeong-Heon Lee
- Epigenomics Program, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Division of Experimental Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Jaehoon Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
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Evrin C, Serra‐Cardona A, Duan S, Mukherjee PP, Zhang Z, Labib KPM. Spt5 histone binding activity preserves chromatin during transcription by RNA polymerase II. EMBO J 2022; 41:e109783. [PMID: 35102600 PMCID: PMC8886531 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021109783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleosomes are disrupted transiently during eukaryotic transcription, yet the displaced histones must be retained and redeposited onto DNA, to preserve nucleosome density and associated histone modifications. Here, we show that the essential Spt5 processivity factor of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) plays a direct role in this process in budding yeast. Functional orthologues of eukaryotic Spt5 are present in archaea and bacteria, reflecting its universal role in RNA polymerase processivity. However, eukaryotic Spt5 is unique in having an acidic amino terminal tail (Spt5N) that is sandwiched between the downstream nucleosome and the upstream DNA that emerges from Pol II. We show that Spt5N contains a histone-binding motif that is required for viability in yeast cells and prevents loss of nucleosomal histones within actively transcribed regions. These findings indicate that eukaryotic Spt5 combines two essential activities, which together couple processive transcription to the efficient capture and re-deposition of nucleosomal histones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecile Evrin
- The MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation UnitSchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeUK
| | - Albert Serra‐Cardona
- Institute for Cancer GeneticsDepartment of Pediatrics and Department of Genetics and DevelopmentColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Shoufu Duan
- Institute for Cancer GeneticsDepartment of Pediatrics and Department of Genetics and DevelopmentColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Progya P Mukherjee
- The MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation UnitSchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeUK
| | - Zhiguo Zhang
- Institute for Cancer GeneticsDepartment of Pediatrics and Department of Genetics and DevelopmentColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Karim P M Labib
- The MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation UnitSchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeUK
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15
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Owsian D, Gruchota J, Arnaiz O, Nowak JK. The transient Spt4-Spt5 complex as an upstream regulator of non-coding RNAs during development. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:2603-2620. [PMID: 35188560 PMCID: PMC8934623 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The Spt4-Spt5 complex is conserved and essential RNA polymerase elongation factor. To investigate the role of the Spt4-Spt5 complex in non-coding transcription during development, we used the unicellular model Paramecium tetraurelia. In this organism harboring both germline and somatic nuclei, massive transcription of the entire germline genome takes place during meiosis. This phenomenon starts a series of events mediated by different classes of non-coding RNAs that control developmentally programmed DNA elimination. We focused our study on Spt4, a small zinc-finger protein encoded in P. tetraurelia by two genes expressed constitutively and two genes expressed during meiosis. SPT4 genes are not essential in vegetative growth, but they are indispensable for sexual reproduction, even though genes from both expression families show functional redundancy. Silencing of the SPT4 genes resulted in the absence of double-stranded ncRNAs and reduced levels of scnRNAs – 25 nt-long sRNAs produced from these double-stranded precursors in the germline nucleus. Moreover, we observed that the presence of a germline-specific Spt4-Spt5m complex is necessary for transfer of the scnRNA-binding PIWI protein between the germline and somatic nucleus. Our study establishes that Spt4, together with Spt5m, is essential for expression of the germline genome and necessary for developmental genome rearrangements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawid Owsian
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Julita Gruchota
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Olivier Arnaiz
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Jacek K Nowak
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
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16
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Zou W, Wang Z, Zhang X, Xu S, Wang F, Li L, Deng Z, Wang J, Pan K, Ge X, Li C, Liu R, Hu M. PIWIL4 and SUPT5H combine to predict prognosis and immune landscape in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:657. [PMID: 34876138 PMCID: PMC8649993 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02310-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a fatal primary liver cancer, and its long-term survival rate remains poor. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play an important role in critical cellular processes, failure of any one or more processes can lead to the development of multiple cancers. This study aimed to explore pivotal biomarkers and corresponding mechanisms to predict the prognosis of patients with ICC. Methods The transcriptomic and clinical information of patients were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. Bioinformatic methods were used to identify survival-related and differentially-expressed biomarkers. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression levels of key biomarkers in independent real-world cohorts. Subsequently, a prognostic signature was constructed that effectively distinguished patients in the high- and low-risk groups. Independent prognosis analysis was used to verify the signature’s independent predictive capabilities, and two nomograms were developed to predict survival. Results PIWIL4 and SUPT5H were identified and considered as pivotal biomarkers, and the same expression trends of upregulation in ICC were also validated via qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry in the separate real-world sample cohorts. The prognostic signature showed good predictive capabilities according to the area under the curve. The correlation of the biomarkers with the tumour microenvironment suggested that the high riskScore was positively related to the enrichment of resting natural killer cells and activated memory CD4 + T cells. Conclusion In the present study, we demonstrated that PIWIL4 and SUPT5H could be used as novel prognostic biomarkers to develop a prognostic signature. This study provides potential biomarkers of prognostic value for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02310-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Zou
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China.,Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Zizheng Wang
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Xiuping Zhang
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Shuai Xu
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China.,School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Lincheng Li
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China.,Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Zhaoda Deng
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China.,Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Chinese PLA, Key Laboratory of Digital Hepetobiliary Surgery, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Pan
- Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Chinese PLA, Key Laboratory of Digital Hepetobiliary Surgery, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Xinlan Ge
- Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Chinese PLA, Key Laboratory of Digital Hepetobiliary Surgery, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Chonghui Li
- Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Chinese PLA, Key Laboratory of Digital Hepetobiliary Surgery, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Rong Liu
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China.
| | - Minggen Hu
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China.
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17
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Aoi Y, Takahashi YH, Shah AP, Iwanaszko M, Rendleman EJ, Khan NH, Cho BK, Goo YA, Ganesan S, Kelleher NL, Shilatifard A. SPT5 stabilization of promoter-proximal RNA polymerase II. Mol Cell 2021; 81:4413-4424.e5. [PMID: 34480849 PMCID: PMC8687145 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Based on in vitro studies, it has been demonstrated that the DSIF complex, composed of SPT4 and SPT5, regulates the elongation stage of transcription catalyzed by RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II). The precise cellular function of SPT5 is not clear, because conventional gene depletion strategies for SPT5 result in loss of cellular viability. Using an acute inducible protein depletion strategy to circumvent this issue, we report that SPT5 loss triggers the ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of the core RNA Pol II subunit RPB1, a process that we show to be evolutionarily conserved from yeast to human cells. RPB1 degradation requires the E3 ligase Cullin 3, the unfoldase VCP/p97, and a novel form of CDK9 kinase complex. Our study demonstrates that SPT5 stabilizes RNA Pol II specifically at promoter-proximal regions, permitting RNA Pol II release from promoters into gene bodies and providing mechanistic insight into the cellular function of SPT5 in safeguarding accurate gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Aoi
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Yoh-Hei Takahashi
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Avani P Shah
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Marta Iwanaszko
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Emily J Rendleman
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Nabiha H Khan
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Byoung-Kyu Cho
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Proteomics Center of Excellence, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60611, USA
| | - Young Ah Goo
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Proteomics Center of Excellence, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60611, USA
| | - Sheetal Ganesan
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Neil L Kelleher
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Proteomics Center of Excellence, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60611, USA
| | - Ali Shilatifard
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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18
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Hu S, Peng L, Xu C, Wang Z, Song A, Chen FX. SPT5 stabilizes RNA polymerase II, orchestrates transcription cycles, and maintains the enhancer landscape. Mol Cell 2021; 81:4425-4439.e6. [PMID: 34534457 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Transcription progression is governed by multitasking regulators including SPT5, an evolutionarily conserved factor implicated in virtually all transcriptional steps from enhancer activation to termination. Here we utilize a rapid degradation system and reveal crucial functions of SPT5 in maintaining cellular and chromatin RNA polymerase II (Pol II) levels. Rapid SPT5 depletion causes a pronounced reduction of paused Pol II at promoters and enhancers, distinct from negative elongation factor (NELF) degradation resulting in short-distance paused Pol II redistribution. Most genes exhibit downregulation, but not upregulation, accompanied by greatly impaired transcription activation, altered chromatin landscape at enhancers, and severe Pol II processivity defects at gene bodies. Phosphorylation of an SPT5 linker at serine 666 potentiates pause release and is antagonized by Integrator-PP2A (INTAC) targeting SPT5 and Pol II, while phosphorylation of the SPT5 C-terminal region links to 3' end termination. Our findings position SPT5 as an essential positive regulator of global transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shibin Hu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Linna Peng
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Congling Xu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenning Wang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Aixia Song
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Xavier Chen
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai, China.
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19
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Uzun Ü, Brown T, Fischl H, Angel A, Mellor J. Spt4 facilitates the movement of RNA polymerase II through the +2 nucleosomal barrier. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109755. [PMID: 34592154 PMCID: PMC8492961 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Spt4 is a transcription elongation factor with homologs in organisms with nucleosomes. Structural and in vitro studies implicate Spt4 in transcription through nucleosomes, and yet the in vivo function of Spt4 is unclear. Here, we assess the precise position of Spt4 during transcription and the consequences of the loss of Spt4 on RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) dynamics and nucleosome positioning in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the absence of Spt4, the spacing between gene-body nucleosomes increases and RNAPII accumulates upstream of the nucleosomal dyad, most dramatically at nucleosome +2. Spt4 associates with elongating RNAPII early in transcription, and its association dynamically changes depending on nucleosome positions. Together, our data show that Spt4 regulates early elongation dynamics, participates in co-transcriptional nucleosome positioning, and promotes RNAPII movement through the gene-body nucleosomes, especially the +2 nucleosome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ülkü Uzun
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Thomas Brown
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Harry Fischl
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Andrew Angel
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Jane Mellor
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK.
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20
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Transcription and chromatin-based surveillance mechanism controls suppression of cryptic antisense transcription. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109671. [PMID: 34496258 PMCID: PMC8441049 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Phosphorylation of the RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain Y1S2P3T4S5P6S7 consensus sequence coordinates key events during transcription, and its deregulation leads to defects in transcription and RNA processing. Here, we report that the histone deacetylase activity of the fission yeast Hos2/Set3 complex plays an important role in suppressing cryptic initiation of antisense transcription when RNA polymerase II phosphorylation is dysregulated due to the loss of Ssu72 phosphatase. Interestingly, although single Hos2 and Set3 mutants have little effect, loss of Hos2 or Set3 combined with ssu72Δ results in a synergistic increase in antisense transcription globally and correlates with elevated sensitivity to genotoxic agents. We demonstrate a key role for the Ssu72/Hos2/Set3 mechanism in the suppression of cryptic antisense transcription at the 3' end of convergent genes that are most susceptible to these defects, ensuring the fidelity of gene expression within dense genomes of simple eukaryotes.
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21
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Jeronimo C, Angel A, Nguyen VQ, Kim JM, Poitras C, Lambert E, Collin P, Mellor J, Wu C, Robert F. FACT is recruited to the +1 nucleosome of transcribed genes and spreads in a Chd1-dependent manner. Mol Cell 2021; 81:3542-3559.e11. [PMID: 34380014 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The histone chaperone FACT occupies transcribed regions where it plays prominent roles in maintaining chromatin integrity and preserving epigenetic information. How it is targeted to transcribed regions, however, remains unclear. Proposed models include docking on the RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) C-terminal domain (CTD), recruitment by elongation factors, recognition of modified histone tails, and binding partially disassembled nucleosomes. Here, we systematically test these and other scenarios in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and find that FACT binds transcribed chromatin, not RNAPII. Through a combination of high-resolution genome-wide mapping, single-molecule tracking, and mathematical modeling, we propose that FACT recognizes the +1 nucleosome, as it is partially unwrapped by the engaging RNAPII, and spreads to downstream nucleosomes aided by the chromatin remodeler Chd1. Our work clarifies how FACT interacts with genes, suggests a processive mechanism for FACT function, and provides a framework to further dissect the molecular mechanisms of transcription-coupled histone chaperoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Célia Jeronimo
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, 110 Avenue des Pins Ouest, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Andrew Angel
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Vu Q Nguyen
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Jee Min Kim
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Christian Poitras
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, 110 Avenue des Pins Ouest, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Elie Lambert
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, 110 Avenue des Pins Ouest, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Pierre Collin
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, 110 Avenue des Pins Ouest, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Jane Mellor
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Carl Wu
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - François Robert
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal, 110 Avenue des Pins Ouest, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada; Département de Médecine, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, 2900 Boulevard Édouard-Montpetit, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada.
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22
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Vorobyeva NE, Mazina MY. The Elongation Regulators and Architectural Proteins as New Participants of Eukaryotic Gene Transcription. RUSS J GENET+ 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795421060144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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23
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CDK9 keeps RNA polymerase II on track. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:5543-5567. [PMID: 34146121 PMCID: PMC8257543 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03878-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), the kinase component of positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb), is essential for transcription of most protein-coding genes by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII). By releasing promoter-proximally paused RNAPII into gene bodies, CDK9 controls the entry of RNAPII into productive elongation and is, therefore, critical for efficient synthesis of full-length messenger (m)RNAs. In recent years, new players involved in P-TEFb-dependent processes have been identified and an important function of CDK9 in coordinating elongation with transcription initiation and termination has been unveiled. As the regulatory functions of CDK9 in gene expression continue to expand, a number of human pathologies, including cancers, have been associated with aberrant CDK9 activity, underscoring the need to properly regulate CDK9. Here, I provide an overview of CDK9 function and regulation, with an emphasis on CDK9 dysregulation in human diseases.
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24
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Donczew R, Hahn S. BET family members Bdf1/2 modulate global transcription initiation and elongation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. eLife 2021; 10:e69619. [PMID: 34137374 PMCID: PMC8266393 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Human bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) family members are promising targets for therapy of cancer and immunoinflammatory diseases, but their mechanisms of action and functional redundancies are poorly understood. Bdf1/2, yeast homologues of the human BET factors, were previously proposed to target transcription factor TFIID to acetylated histone H4, analogous to bromodomains that are present within the largest subunit of metazoan TFIID. We investigated the genome-wide roles of Bdf1/2 and found that their important contributions to transcription extend beyond TFIID function as transcription of many genes is more sensitive to Bdf1/2 than to TFIID depletion. Bdf1/2 co-occupy the majority of yeast promoters and affect preinitiation complex formation through recruitment of TFIID, Mediator, and basal transcription factors to chromatin. Surprisingly, we discovered that hypersensitivity of genes to Bdf1/2 depletion results from combined defects in transcription initiation and early elongation, a striking functional similarity to human BET proteins, most notably Brd4. Our results establish Bdf1/2 as critical for yeast transcription and provide important mechanistic insights into the function of BET proteins in all eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafal Donczew
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Division of Basic SciencesSeattleUnited States
| | - Steven Hahn
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Division of Basic SciencesSeattleUnited States
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25
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Viktorovskaya O, Chuang J, Jain D, Reim NI, López-Rivera F, Murawska M, Spatt D, Churchman LS, Park PJ, Winston F. Essential histone chaperones collaborate to regulate transcription and chromatin integrity. Genes Dev 2021; 35:698-712. [PMID: 33888559 PMCID: PMC8091981 DOI: 10.1101/gad.348431.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Histone chaperones are critical for controlling chromatin integrity during transcription, DNA replication, and DNA repair. Three conserved and essential chaperones, Spt6, Spn1/Iws1, and FACT, associate with elongating RNA polymerase II and interact with each other physically and/or functionally; however, there is little understanding of their individual functions or their relationships with each other. In this study, we selected for suppressors of a temperature-sensitive spt6 mutation that disrupts the Spt6-Spn1 physical interaction and that also causes both transcription and chromatin defects. This selection identified novel mutations in FACT. Surprisingly, suppression by FACT did not restore the Spt6-Spn1 interaction, based on coimmunoprecipitation, ChIP, and mass spectrometry experiments. Furthermore, suppression by FACT bypassed the complete loss of Spn1. Interestingly, the FACT suppressor mutations cluster along the FACT-nucleosome interface, suggesting that they alter FACT-nucleosome interactions. In agreement with this observation, we showed that the spt6 mutation that disrupts the Spt6-Spn1 interaction caused an elevated level of FACT association with chromatin, while the FACT suppressors reduced the level of FACT-chromatin association, thereby restoring a normal Spt6-FACT balance on chromatin. Taken together, these studies reveal previously unknown regulation between histone chaperones that is critical for their essential in vivo functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Viktorovskaya
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - James Chuang
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Dhawal Jain
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Natalia I Reim
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Francheska López-Rivera
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Magdalena Murawska
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Dan Spatt
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - L Stirling Churchman
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Peter J Park
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Fred Winston
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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26
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Cossa G, Parua PK, Eilers M, Fisher RP. Protein phosphatases in the RNAPII transcription cycle: erasers, sculptors, gatekeepers, and potential drug targets. Genes Dev 2021; 35:658-676. [PMID: 33888562 PMCID: PMC8091971 DOI: 10.1101/gad.348315.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In this review, Cossa et al. discuss the current knowledge and outstanding questions about phosphatases in the context of the RNAPII transcription cycle. The transcription cycle of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is governed at multiple points by opposing actions of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and protein phosphatases, in a process with similarities to the cell division cycle. While important roles of the kinases have been established, phosphatases have emerged more slowly as key players in transcription, and large gaps remain in understanding of their precise functions and targets. Much of the earlier work focused on the roles and regulation of sui generis and often atypical phosphatases—FCP1, Rtr1/RPAP2, and SSU72—with seemingly dedicated functions in RNAPII transcription. Decisive roles in the transcription cycle have now been uncovered for members of the major phosphoprotein phosphatase (PPP) family, including PP1, PP2A, and PP4—abundant enzymes with pleiotropic roles in cellular signaling pathways. These phosphatases appear to act principally at the transitions between transcription cycle phases, ensuring fine control of elongation and termination. Much is still unknown, however, about the division of labor among the PPP family members, and their possible regulation by or of the transcriptional kinases. CDKs active in transcription have recently drawn attention as potential therapeutic targets in cancer and other diseases, raising the prospect that the phosphatases might also present opportunities for new drug development. Here we review the current knowledge and outstanding questions about phosphatases in the context of the RNAPII transcription cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Cossa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Pabitra K Parua
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Martin Eilers
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Robert P Fisher
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
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27
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Role of promoters in regulating alternative splicing. Gene 2021; 782:145523. [PMID: 33667606 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.145523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) plays a critical role in enhancing proteome complexity in higher eukaryotes. Almost all the multi intron-containing genes undergo AS in humans. Splicing mainly occurs co-transcriptionally, where RNA polymerase II (RNA pol II) plays a crucial role in coordinating transcription and pre-mRNA splicing. Aberrant AS leads to non-functional proteins causative in various pathophysiological conditions such as cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, and muscular dystrophies. Transcription and pre-mRNA splicing are deeply interconnected and can influence each other's functions. Several studies evinced that specific promoters employed by RNA pol II dictate the RNA processing decisions. Promoter-specific recruitment of certain transcriptional factors or transcriptional coactivators influences splicing, and the extent to which these factors affect splicing has not been discussed in detail. Here, in this review, various DNA-binding proteins and their influence on promoter-specific AS are extensively discussed. Besides, this review highlights how the promoter-specific epigenetic changes might regulate AS.
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28
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Badjatia N, Rossi MJ, Bataille AR, Mittal C, Lai WKM, Pugh BF. Acute stress drives global repression through two independent RNA polymerase II stalling events in Saccharomyces. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108640. [PMID: 33472084 PMCID: PMC7879390 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In multicellular eukaryotes, RNA polymerase (Pol) II pauses transcription ~30-50 bp after initiation. While the budding yeast Saccharomyces has its transcription mechanisms mostly conserved with other eukaryotes, it appears to lack this fundamental promoter-proximal pausing. However, we now report that nearly all yeast genes, including constitutive and inducible genes, manifest two distinct transcriptional stall sites that are brought on by acute environmental signaling (e.g., peroxide stress). Pol II first stalls at the pre-initiation stage before promoter clearance, but after DNA melting and factor acquisition, and may involve inhibited dephosphorylation. The second stall occurs at the +2 nucleosome. It acquires most, but not all, elongation factor interactions. Its regulation may include Bur1/Spt4/5. Our results suggest that a double Pol II stall is a mechanism to downregulate essentially all genes in concert.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitika Badjatia
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Matthew J Rossi
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Alain R Bataille
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Chitvan Mittal
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - William K M Lai
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - B Franklin Pugh
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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29
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Noe Gonzalez M, Blears D, Svejstrup JQ. Causes and consequences of RNA polymerase II stalling during transcript elongation. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2021; 22:3-21. [PMID: 33208928 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-020-00308-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The journey of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) as it transcribes a gene is anything but a smooth ride. Transcript elongation is discontinuous and can be perturbed by intrinsic regulatory barriers, such as promoter-proximal pausing, nucleosomes, RNA secondary structures and the underlying DNA sequence. More substantial blocking of Pol II translocation can be caused by other physiological circumstances and extrinsic obstacles, including other transcribing polymerases, the replication machinery and several types of DNA damage, such as bulky lesions and DNA double-strand breaks. Although numerous different obstacles cause Pol II stalling or arrest, the cell somehow distinguishes between them and invokes different mechanisms to resolve each roadblock. Resolution of Pol II blocking can be as straightforward as temporary backtracking and transcription elongation factor S-II (TFIIS)-dependent RNA cleavage, or as drastic as premature transcription termination or degradation of polyubiquitylated Pol II and its associated nascent RNA. In this Review, we discuss the current knowledge of how these different Pol II stalling contexts are distinguished by the cell, how they overlap with each other, how they are resolved and how, when unresolved, they can cause genome instability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melvin Noe Gonzalez
- Mechanisms of Transcription Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daniel Blears
- Mechanisms of Transcription Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jesper Q Svejstrup
- Mechanisms of Transcription Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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30
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Zhu Y, Denholtz M, Lu H, Murre C. Calcium signaling instructs NIPBL recruitment at active enhancers and promoters via distinct mechanisms to reconstruct genome compartmentalization. Genes Dev 2020; 35:65-81. [PMID: 33334824 PMCID: PMC7778268 DOI: 10.1101/gad.343475.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In this study, Zhu et al. sought to understand the signaling pathways and epigenetic control of nuclear architecture during developmental progression of immune cells. They found that in activated neutrophils calcium influx rapidly recruited the cohesin-loading factor NIPBL to thousands of active enhancers and promoters to dictate widespread changes in compartment segregation. During developmental progression the genomes of immune cells undergo large-scale changes in chromatin folding. However, insights into signaling pathways and epigenetic control of nuclear architecture remain rudimentary. Here, we found that in activated neutrophils calcium influx rapidly recruited the cohesin-loading factor NIPBL to thousands of active enhancers and promoters to dictate widespread changes in compartment segregation. NIPBL recruitment to enhancers and promoters occurred with distinct kinetics. The induction of NIPBL-binding was coordinate with increased P300, BRG1 and RNA polymerase II occupancy. NIPBL-bound enhancers were associated with NFAT, PU.1, and CEBP cis elements, whereas NIPBL-bound promoters were enriched for GC-rich DNA sequences. Using an acute degradation system, we found that the histone acetyltransferases P300 and CBP maintained H3K27ac abundance and facilitated NIPBL occupancy at enhancers and that active transcriptional elongation is essential to maintain H3K27ac abundance. Chromatin remodelers, containing either of the mutually exclusive BRG1 and BRM ATPases, promoted NIPBL recruitment at active enhancers. Conversely, at active promoters, depletion of BRG1 and BRM showed minimal effect on NIPBL occupancy. Finally, we found that calcium signaling in both primary innate and adaptive immune cells swiftly induced NIPBL occupancy. Collectively, these data reveal how transcriptional regulators, histone acetyltransferases, chromatin remodelers, and transcription elongation promote NIPBL occupancy at active enhancers while the induction of NIPLB occupancy at promoters is primarily associated with GC-rich DNA sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yina Zhu
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Matthew Denholtz
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Hanbin Lu
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Cornelis Murre
- Division of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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31
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Krasnopolsky S, Novikov A, Kuzmina A, Taube R. CRISPRi-mediated depletion of Spt4 and Spt5 reveals a role for DSIF in the control of HIV latency. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2020; 1864:194656. [PMID: 33333262 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2020.194656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Pivotal studies on the control of HIV transcription has laid the foundations for our understanding of how metazoan transcription is executed, and what are the factors that control this step. Part of this work established a role for DRB Sensitivity Inducing Factor (DSIF), consisting of Spt4 and Spt5, in promoting pause-release of RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) for optimal elongation. However, while there has been substantial progress in understanding the role of DSIF in mediating HIV gene transcription, its involvement in establishing viral latency has not been explored. Moreover, the effects of depleting Spt4 or Spt5, or simultaneously knocking down both subunits of DSIF have not been examined. In this study, we employed CRISPR interference (CRIPSRi) to knockdown the expression of Spt4, Spt5 or the entire DSIF complex, and monitored effects on HIV transcription and viral latency. Knocking down DSIF, or each of its subunits, inhibited HIV transcription, primarily at the step of Tat transactivation. This was accompanied by a decrease in promoter occupancy of Pol II and Cdk9, and to a lesser extent, AFF4. Interestingly, targeting the expression of one subunit of DSIF, reduced the protein stability of its counterpart partner. Moreover, depletion of Spt4, Spt5 or DSIF complex impaired cell growth, but did not cause cell death. Finally, knockdown of Spt4, Spt5 or DSIF, facilitated entry of HIV into latency. We conclude that each DSIF subunit plays a role in maintaining the stability of its other partner, achieving optimal function of the DSIF to enhance viral gene transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Krasnopolsky
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology Immunology and Genetics Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
| | - Alex Novikov
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology Immunology and Genetics Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
| | - Alona Kuzmina
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology Immunology and Genetics Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
| | - Ran Taube
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology Immunology and Genetics Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.
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32
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Abstract
Gene transcription by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is the first step in the expression of the eukaryotic genome and a focal point for cellular regulation during development, differentiation, and responses to the environment. Two decades after the determination of the structure of Pol II, the mechanisms of transcription have been elucidated with studies of Pol II complexes with nucleic acids and associated proteins. Here we provide an overview of the nearly 200 available Pol II complex structures and summarize how these structures have elucidated promoter-dependent transcription initiation, promoter-proximal pausing and release of Pol II into active elongation, and the mechanisms that Pol II uses to navigate obstacles such as nucleosomes and DNA lesions. We predict that future studies will focus on how Pol II transcription is interconnected with chromatin transitions, RNA processing, and DNA repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Osman
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;,
| | - Patrick Cramer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany;,
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33
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Decker TM. Mechanisms of Transcription Elongation Factor DSIF (Spt4-Spt5). J Mol Biol 2020; 433:166657. [PMID: 32987031 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The transcription elongation factor Spt5 is conserved from bacteria to humans. In eukaryotes, Spt5 forms a complex with Spt4 and regulates processive transcription elongation. Recent studies on transcription elongation suggest different mechanistic roles in yeast versus mammals. Higher eukaryotes utilize Spt4-Spt5 (DSIF) to regulate promoter-proximal pausing, a transcription-regulatory mechanism that connects initiation to productive elongation. DSIF is a versatile transcription factor and has been implicated in both gene-specific regulation and transcription through nucleosomes. Future studies will further elucidate the role of DSIF in transcriptional dynamics and disentangle its inhibitory and enhancing activities in transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim-Michael Decker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, 3415 Colorado Ave, Boulder, CO 80303, USA.
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34
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Sansó M, Parua PK, Pinto D, Svensson JP, Pagé V, Bitton DA, MacKinnon S, Garcia P, Hidalgo E, Bähler J, Tanny JC, Fisher RP. Cdk9 and H2Bub1 signal to Clr6-CII/Rpd3S to suppress aberrant antisense transcription. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:7154-7168. [PMID: 32496538 PMCID: PMC7367204 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mono-ubiquitylation of histone H2B (H2Bub1) and phosphorylation of elongation factor Spt5 by cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (Cdk9) occur during transcription by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII), and are mutually dependent in fission yeast. It remained unclear whether Cdk9 and H2Bub1 cooperate to regulate the expression of individual genes. Here, we show that Cdk9 inhibition or H2Bub1 loss induces intragenic antisense transcription of ∼10% of fission yeast genes, with each perturbation affecting largely distinct subsets; ablation of both pathways de-represses antisense transcription of over half the genome. H2Bub1 and phospho-Spt5 have similar genome-wide distributions; both modifications are enriched, and directly proportional to each other, in coding regions, and decrease abruptly around the cleavage and polyadenylation signal (CPS). Cdk9-dependence of antisense suppression at specific genes correlates with high H2Bub1 occupancy, and with promoter-proximal RNAPII pausing. Genetic interactions link Cdk9, H2Bub1 and the histone deacetylase Clr6-CII, while combined Cdk9 inhibition and H2Bub1 loss impair Clr6-CII recruitment to chromatin and lead to decreased occupancy and increased acetylation of histones within gene coding regions. These results uncover novel interactions between co-transcriptional histone modification pathways, which link regulation of RNAPII transcription elongation to suppression of aberrant initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Sansó
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,Cancer Genomics Group, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pabitra K Parua
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel Pinto
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - J Peter Svensson
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Viviane Pagé
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Danny A Bitton
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College, London, UK
| | - Sarah MacKinnon
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Patricia Garcia
- Departament de Ciènces Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Hidalgo
- Departament de Ciènces Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jürg Bähler
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College, London, UK
| | - Jason C Tanny
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Robert P Fisher
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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35
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Tellier M, Maudlin I, Murphy S. Transcription and splicing: A two-way street. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2020; 11:e1593. [PMID: 32128990 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
RNA synthesis by RNA polymerase II and RNA processing are closely coupled during the transcription cycle of protein-coding genes. This coupling affords opportunities for quality control and regulation of gene expression and the effects can go in both directions. For example, polymerase speed can affect splice site selection and splicing can increase transcription and affect the chromatin landscape. Here we review the many ways that transcription and splicing influence one another, including how splicing "talks back" to transcription. We will also place the connections between transcription and splicing in the context of other RNA processing events that define the exons that will make up the final mRNA. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > Splicing Mechanisms RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Tellier
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Isabella Maudlin
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Shona Murphy
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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36
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Parua PK, Kalan S, Benjamin B, Sansó M, Fisher RP. Distinct Cdk9-phosphatase switches act at the beginning and end of elongation by RNA polymerase II. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4338. [PMID: 32859893 PMCID: PMC7455706 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18173-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Reversible phosphorylation of Pol II and accessory factors helps order the transcription cycle. Here, we define two kinase-phosphatase switches that operate at different points in human transcription. Cdk9/cyclin T1 (P-TEFb) catalyzes inhibitory phosphorylation of PP1 and PP4 complexes that localize to 3′ and 5′ ends of genes, respectively, and have overlapping but distinct specificities for Cdk9-dependent phosphorylations of Spt5, a factor instrumental in promoter-proximal pausing and elongation-rate control. PP1 dephosphorylates an Spt5 carboxy-terminal repeat (CTR), but not Spt5-Ser666, a site between Kyrpides-Ouzounis-Woese (KOW) motifs 4 and 5, whereas PP4 can target both sites. In vivo, Spt5-CTR phosphorylation decreases as transcription complexes pass the cleavage and polyadenylation signal (CPS) and increases upon PP1 depletion, consistent with a PP1 function in termination first uncovered in yeast. Depletion of PP4-complex subunits increases phosphorylation of both Ser666 and the CTR, and promotes redistribution of promoter-proximally paused Pol II into gene bodies. These results suggest that switches comprising Cdk9 and either PP4 or PP1 govern pause release and the elongation-termination transition, respectively. Cdk9 (P-TEFb) and its substrate Spt5 influence events throughout the transcription cycle. Here, the authors define two switches with the potential to regulate promoter-proximal pause release and termination, respectively containing phosphatases PP4 and PP1, which are both inhibited by Cdk9, but have different specificities for sites on Spt5 and occupy opposite ends of genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pabitra K Parua
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029-6574, USA
| | - Sampada Kalan
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029-6574, USA
| | - Bradley Benjamin
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029-6574, USA
| | - Miriam Sansó
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029-6574, USA
| | - Robert P Fisher
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029-6574, USA.
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37
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Thieffry A, Vigh ML, Bornholdt J, Ivanov M, Brodersen P, Sandelin A. Characterization of Arabidopsis thaliana Promoter Bidirectionality and Antisense RNAs by Inactivation of Nuclear RNA Decay Pathways. THE PLANT CELL 2020; 32:1845-1867. [PMID: 32213639 PMCID: PMC7268790 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.19.00815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
In animals, RNA polymerase II initiates transcription bidirectionally from gene promoters to produce pre-mRNAs on the forward strand and promoter upstream transcripts (PROMPTs) on the reverse strand. PROMPTs are degraded by the nuclear exosome. Previous studies based on nascent RNA approaches concluded that Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) does not produce PROMPTs. Here, we used steady-state RNA sequencing in mutants defective in nuclear RNA decay including the exosome to reassess the existence of Arabidopsis PROMPTs. While they are rare, we identified ∼100 cases of exosome-sensitive PROMPTs in Arabidopsis. Such PROMPTs are sources of small interfering RNAs in exosome-deficient mutants, perhaps explaining why plants have evolved mechanisms to suppress PROMPTs. In addition, we found ∼200 long, unspliced and exosome-sensitive antisense RNAs that arise from transcription start sites within parts of the genome encoding 3'-untranslated regions on the sense strand. The previously characterized noncoding RNA that regulates expression of the key seed dormancy regulator, DELAY OF GERMINATION1, is a typical representative of this class of RNAs. Transcription factor genes are overrepresented among loci with exosome-sensitive antisense RNAs, suggesting a potential for widespread control of gene expression via this class of noncoding RNAs. Lastly, we assess the use of alternative promoters in Arabidopsis and compare the accuracy of existing TSS annotations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Thieffry
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Maria Louisa Vigh
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Jette Bornholdt
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Maxim Ivanov
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Peter Brodersen
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Albin Sandelin
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
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38
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Abstract
RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcribes all protein-coding genes and many noncoding RNAs in eukaryotic genomes. Although Pol II is a complex, 12-subunit enzyme, it lacks the ability to initiate transcription and cannot consistently transcribe through long DNA sequences. To execute these essential functions, an array of proteins and protein complexes interact with Pol II to regulate its activity. In this review, we detail the structure and mechanism of over a dozen factors that govern Pol II initiation (e.g., TFIID, TFIIH, and Mediator), pausing, and elongation (e.g., DSIF, NELF, PAF, and P-TEFb). The structural basis for Pol II transcription regulation has advanced rapidly in the past decade, largely due to technological innovations in cryoelectron microscopy. Here, we summarize a wealth of structural and functional data that have enabled a deeper understanding of Pol II transcription mechanisms; we also highlight mechanistic questions that remain unanswered or controversial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison C Schier
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA
| | - Dylan J Taatjes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA
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Naguib A, Sandmann T, Yi F, Watts RJ, Lewcock JW, Dowdle WE. SUPT4H1 Depletion Leads to a Global Reduction in RNA. Cell Rep 2020; 26:45-53.e4. [PMID: 30605685 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
SUPT4H1 is a transcription elongation factor that makes up part of the RNA polymerase II complex. Recent studies propose a selective role for SUPT4H1 in the transcription of repeat-containing DNA, the translated products of which contribute to neurodegenerative disorders such as C9orf72-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. To investigate the potential of SUPT4H1 as a therapeutic target in repeat-associated neurodegeneration, we depleted SUPT4H1 by RNA interference to inhibit the function of the SUPT4H1/SUPT5H transcription elongation complex. Depletion of SUPT4H1 leads to a global reduction in all cellular RNA, highlighting the significant challenges that are associated with targeting this molecule for the treatment of human disease. Any requirement of SUPT4H1 for transcription of specific transcripts should be interpreted in the context of global modulatory effects on the transcriptome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Naguib
- Denali Therapeutics, 151 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Thomas Sandmann
- Denali Therapeutics, 151 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
| | - Fei Yi
- Denali Therapeutics, 151 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Ryan J Watts
- Denali Therapeutics, 151 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Joseph W Lewcock
- Denali Therapeutics, 151 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - William E Dowdle
- Denali Therapeutics, 151 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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40
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Pilarova K, Herudek J, Blazek D. CDK12: cellular functions and therapeutic potential of versatile player in cancer. NAR Cancer 2020; 2:zcaa003. [PMID: 34316683 PMCID: PMC8210036 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcaa003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) phosphorylates the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II and is needed for the optimal transcription elongation and translation of a subset of human protein-coding genes. The kinase has a pleiotropic effect on the maintenance of genome stability, and its inactivation in prostate and ovarian tumours results in focal tandem duplications, a CDK12-unique genome instability phenotype. CDK12 aberrations were found in many other malignancies and have the potential to be used as biomarkers for therapeutic intervention. Moreover, the inhibition of CDK12 emerges as a promising strategy for treatment in several types of cancers. In this review, we summarize mechanisms that CDK12 utilizes for the regulation of gene expression and discuss how the perturbation of CDK12-sensitive genes contributes to the disruption of cell cycle progression and the onset of genome instability. Furthermore, we describe tumour-suppressive and oncogenic functions of CDK12 and its potential as a biomarker and inhibition target in anti-tumour treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kveta Pilarova
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Herudek
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Dalibor Blazek
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
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41
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Kieft R, Zhang Y, Marand AP, Moran JD, Bridger R, Wells L, Schmitz RJ, Sabatini R. Identification of a novel base J binding protein complex involved in RNA polymerase II transcription termination in trypanosomes. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008390. [PMID: 32084124 PMCID: PMC7055916 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Base J, β-D-glucosyl-hydroxymethyluracil, is a modification of thymine DNA base involved in RNA Polymerase (Pol) II transcription termination in kinetoplastid protozoa. Little is understood regarding how specific thymine residues are targeted for J-modification or the mechanism of J regulated transcription termination. To identify proteins involved in J-synthesis, we expressed a tagged version of the J-glucosyltransferase (JGT) in Leishmania tarentolae, and identified four co-purified proteins by mass spectrometry: protein phosphatase (PP1), a homolog of Wdr82, a potential PP1 regulatory protein (PNUTS) and a protein containing a J-DNA binding domain (named JBP3). Gel shift studies indicate JBP3 is a J-DNA binding protein. Reciprocal tagging, co-IP and sucrose gradient analyses indicate PP1, JGT, JBP3, Wdr82 and PNUTS form a multimeric complex in kinetoplastids, similar to the mammalian PTW/PP1 complex involved in transcription termination via PP1 mediated dephosphorylation of Pol II. Using RNAi and analysis of Pol II termination by RNA-seq and RT-PCR, we demonstrate that ablation of PNUTS, JBP3 and Wdr82 lead to defects in Pol II termination at the 3'-end of polycistronic gene arrays in Trypanosoma brucei. Mutants also contain increased antisense RNA levels upstream of transcription start sites, suggesting an additional role of the complex in regulating termination of bi-directional transcription. In addition, PNUTS loss causes derepression of silent Variant Surface Glycoprotein genes involved in host immune evasion. Our results suggest a novel mechanistic link between base J and Pol II polycistronic transcription termination in kinetoplastids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudo Kieft
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Alexandre P. Marand
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jose Dagoberto Moran
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Robert Bridger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Lance Wells
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Robert J. Schmitz
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Robert Sabatini
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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42
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Control of RNA Pol II Speed by PNUTS-PP1 and Spt5 Dephosphorylation Facilitates Termination by a "Sitting Duck Torpedo" Mechanism. Mol Cell 2019; 76:896-908.e4. [PMID: 31677974 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2019.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Control of transcription speed, which influences many co-transcriptional processes, is poorly understood. We report that PNUTS-PP1 phosphatase is a negative regulator of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) elongation rate. The PNUTS W401A mutation, which disrupts PP1 binding, causes genome-wide acceleration of transcription associated with hyper-phosphorylation of the Spt5 elongation factor. Immediately downstream of poly(A) sites, Pol II decelerates from >2 kb/min to <1 kb/min, which correlates with Spt5 dephosphorylation. Pol II deceleration and Spt5 dephosphorylation require poly(A) site recognition and the PNUTS-PP1 complex, which is in turn necessary for transcription termination. These results lead to a model for termination, the "sitting duck torpedo" mechanism, where poly(A) site-dependent deceleration caused by PNUTS-PP1 and Spt5 dephosphorylation is required to convert Pol II into a viable target for the Xrn2 terminator exonuclease. Spt5 and its bacterial homolog NusG therefore have related functions controlling kinetic competition between RNA polymerases and the termination factors that pursue them.
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43
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Maudlin IE, Beggs JD. Spt5 modulates cotranscriptional spliceosome assembly in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2019; 25:1298-1310. [PMID: 31289129 PMCID: PMC6800482 DOI: 10.1261/rna.070425.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence from yeast to humans that pre-mRNA splicing occurs mainly cotranscriptionally, such that splicing and transcription are functionally coupled. Currently, there is little insight into the contribution of the core transcription elongation machinery to cotranscriptional spliceosome assembly and pre-mRNA splicing. Spt5 is a member of the core transcription elongation machinery and an essential protein, whose absence in budding yeast causes defects in pre-mRNA splicing. To determine how Spt5 affects pre-mRNA splicing, we used the auxin-inducible degron system to conditionally deplete Spt5 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and assayed effects on cotranscriptional spliceosome assembly and splicing. We show that Spt5 is needed for efficient splicing and for the accumulation of U5 snRNPs at intron-containing genes, and therefore for stable cotranscriptional assembly of spliceosomes. The defect in cotranscriptional spliceosome assembly can explain the relatively mild splicing defect as being a consequence of the failure of cotranscriptional splicing. Coimmunoprecipitation of Spt5 with core spliceosomal proteins and all spliceosomal snRNAs suggests a model whereby Spt5 promotes cotranscriptional pre-mRNA splicing by stabilizing the association of U5 snRNP with spliceosome complexes as they assemble on the nascent transcript. If this phenomenon is conserved in higher eukaryotes, it has the potential to be important for cotranscriptional regulation of alternative splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella E Maudlin
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, United Kingdom
| | - Jean D Beggs
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, United Kingdom
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44
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Bahat A, Lahav O, Plotnikov A, Leshkowitz D, Dikstein R. Targeting Spt5-Pol II by Small-Molecule Inhibitors Uncouples Distinct Activities and Reveals Additional Regulatory Roles. Mol Cell 2019; 76:617-631.e4. [PMID: 31564557 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2019.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Spt5 is a conserved and essential transcription elongation factor that promotes promoter-proximal pausing, promoter escape, elongation, and mRNA processing. Spt5 plays specific roles in the transcription of inflammation and stress-induced genes and tri-nucleotide expanded-repeat genes involved in inherited neurological pathologies. Here, we report the identification of Spt5-Pol II small-molecule inhibitors (SPIs). SPIs faithfully reproduced Spt5 knockdown effects on promoter-proximal pausing, NF-κB activation, and expanded-repeat huntingtin gene transcription. Using SPIs, we identified Spt5 target genes that responded with profoundly diverse kinetics. SPIs uncovered the regulatory role of Spt5 in metabolism via GDF15, a food intake- and body weight-inhibitory hormone. SPIs further unveiled a role for Spt5 in promoting the 3' end processing of histone genes. While several SPIs affect all Spt5 functions, a few inhibit a single one, implying uncoupling and selective targeting of Spt5 activities. SPIs expand the understanding of Spt5-Pol II functions and are potential drugs against metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anat Bahat
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Or Lahav
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Alexander Plotnikov
- The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Dena Leshkowitz
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Rivka Dikstein
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
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45
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Shetty A, Reim NI, Winston F. Auxin-Inducible Degron System for Depletion of Proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 128:e104. [PMID: 31503416 PMCID: PMC6741457 DOI: 10.1002/cpmb.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The auxin-inducible degron (AID) is a powerful tool that is used for depletion of proteins to study their function in vivo. This method can conditionally induce the degradation of any protein by the proteasome simply by the addition of the plant hormone auxin. This approach is particularly valuable to study the function of essential proteins. The protocols provided here describe the steps to construct the necessary strains and to optimize auxin-inducible depletion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Basic Protocol 1: Construction of TIR1-expressing strains by transformation Basic Protocol 2: Tagging a yeast protein of interest with an auxin-inducible degron Support Protocol: Construction of depletion strains by genetic crosses Basic Protocol 3: Optimization for depletion of the auxin-inducible-degron-tagged protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ameet Shetty
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Natalia I. Reim
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Fred Winston
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115 USA
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46
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Chen FX, Smith ER, Shilatifard A. Born to run: control of transcription elongation by RNA polymerase II. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2019; 19:464-478. [PMID: 29740129 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-018-0010-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 253] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The dynamic regulation of transcription elongation by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is an integral part of the implementation of gene expression programmes during development. In most metazoans, the majority of transcribed genes exhibit transient pausing of Pol II at promoter-proximal regions, and the release of Pol II into gene bodies is controlled by many regulatory factors that respond to environmental and developmental cues. Misregulation of the elongation stage of transcription is implicated in cancer and other human diseases, suggesting that mechanistic understanding of transcription elongation control is therapeutically relevant. In this Review, we discuss the features, establishment and maintenance of Pol II pausing, the transition into productive elongation, the control of transcription elongation by enhancers and by factors of other cellular processes, such as topoisomerases and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs), and the potential of therapeutic targeting of the elongation stage of transcription by Pol II.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Xavier Chen
- Simpson Querrey Center for Epigenetics and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Edwin R Smith
- Simpson Querrey Center for Epigenetics and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ali Shilatifard
- Simpson Querrey Center for Epigenetics and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
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47
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Gouot E, Bhat W, Rufiange A, Fournier E, Paquet E, Nourani A. Casein kinase 2 mediated phosphorylation of Spt6 modulates histone dynamics and regulates spurious transcription. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:7612-7630. [PMID: 29905868 PMCID: PMC6125631 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
CK2 is an essential protein kinase implicated in various cellular processes. In this study, we address a potential role of this kinase in chromatin modulations associated with transcription. We found that CK2 depletion from yeast cells leads to replication-independent increase of histone H3K56 acetylation and global activation of H3 turnover in coding regions. This suggests a positive role of CK2 in maintenance/recycling of the histone H3/H4 tetramers during transcription. Interestingly, strand-specific RNA-seq analyses show that CK2 inhibits global cryptic promoters driving both sense and antisense transcription. This further indicates a role of CK2 in the modulation of chromatin during transcription. Next, we showed that CK2 interacts with the major histone chaperone Spt6, and phosphorylates it in vivo and in vitro. CK2 phosphorylation of Spt6 is required for its cellular levels, for the suppression of histone H3 turnover and for the inhibition of spurious transcription. Finally, we showed that CK2 and Spt6 phosphorylation sites are important to various transcriptional responses suggesting that cryptic intragenic and antisense transcript production are associated with a defective adaptation to environmental cues. Altogether, our data indicate that CK2 mediated phosphorylation of Spt6 regulates chromatin dynamics associated with transcription, and prevents aberrant transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Gouot
- Laval University Cancer Research Center, St-Patrick Research Group in Basic Oncology, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Wajid Bhat
- Laval University Cancer Research Center, St-Patrick Research Group in Basic Oncology, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Anne Rufiange
- Laval University Cancer Research Center, St-Patrick Research Group in Basic Oncology, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Eric Fournier
- Laval University Cancer Research Center, St-Patrick Research Group in Basic Oncology, Québec, Québec, Canada.,CHU de Quebec Research Center - Laval University, Endocrinology and Nephrology CHUL, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Eric Paquet
- Laval University Cancer Research Center, St-Patrick Research Group in Basic Oncology, Québec, Québec, Canada.,CHU de Quebec Research Center - Laval University, Endocrinology and Nephrology CHUL, Québec, Québec, Canada.,The Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Amine Nourani
- Laval University Cancer Research Center, St-Patrick Research Group in Basic Oncology, Québec, Québec, Canada
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48
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Abstract
Elongation factor Paf1C regulates several stages of the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription cycle, although it is unclear how it modulates Pol II distribution and progression in mammalian cells. We found that conditional ablation of Paf1 resulted in the accumulation of unphosphorylated and Ser5 phosphorylated Pol II around promoter-proximal regions and within the first 20 to 30 kb of gene bodies, respectively. Paf1 ablation did not impact the recruitment of other key elongation factors, namely, Spt5, Spt6, and the FACT complex, suggesting that Paf1 function may be mechanistically distinguishable from each of these factors. Moreover, loss of Paf1 triggered an increase in TSS-proximal nucleosome occupancy, which could impose a considerable barrier to Pol II elongation past TSS-proximal regions. Remarkably, accumulation of Ser5P in the first 20 to 30 kb coincided with reductions in histone H2B ubiquitylation within this region. Furthermore, we show that nascent RNA species accumulate within this window, suggesting a mechanism whereby Paf1 loss leads to aberrant, prematurely terminated transcripts and diminution of full-length transcripts. Importantly, we found that loss of Paf1 results in Pol II elongation rate defects with significant rate compression. Our findings suggest that Paf1C is critical for modulating Pol II elongation rates by functioning beyond the pause-release step as an "accelerator" over specific early gene body regions.
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49
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Abstract
In this review, Core et al. discuss the recent advances in our understanding of the early steps in Pol II transcription, highlighting the events and factors involved in the establishment and release of paused Pol II. They also discuss a number of unanswered questions about the regulation and function of Pol II pausing. Precise spatio–temporal control of gene activity is essential for organismal development, growth, and survival in a changing environment. Decisive steps in gene regulation involve the pausing of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) in early elongation, and the controlled release of paused polymerase into productive RNA synthesis. Here we describe the factors that enable pausing and the events that trigger Pol II release into the gene. We also discuss open questions in the field concerning the stability of paused Pol II, nucleosomes as obstacles to elongation, and potential roles of pausing in defining the precision and dynamics of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leighton Core
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute of Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA
| | - Karen Adelman
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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50
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Baluapuri A, Hofstetter J, Dudvarski Stankovic N, Endres T, Bhandare P, Vos SM, Adhikari B, Schwarz JD, Narain A, Vogt M, Wang SY, Düster R, Jung LA, Vanselow JT, Wiegering A, Geyer M, Maric HM, Gallant P, Walz S, Schlosser A, Cramer P, Eilers M, Wolf E. MYC Recruits SPT5 to RNA Polymerase II to Promote Processive Transcription Elongation. Mol Cell 2019; 74:674-687.e11. [PMID: 30928206 PMCID: PMC6527870 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2019.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The MYC oncoprotein binds to promoter-proximal regions of virtually all transcribed genes and enhances RNA polymerase II (Pol II) function, but its precise mode of action is poorly understood. Using mass spectrometry of both MYC and Pol II complexes, we show here that MYC controls the assembly of Pol II with a small set of transcription elongation factors that includes SPT5, a subunit of the elongation factor DSIF. MYC directly binds SPT5, recruits SPT5 to promoters, and enables the CDK7-dependent transfer of SPT5 onto Pol II. Consistent with known functions of SPT5, MYC is required for fast and processive transcription elongation. Intriguingly, the high levels of MYC that are expressed in tumors sequester SPT5 into non-functional complexes, thereby decreasing the expression of growth-suppressive genes. Altogether, these results argue that MYC controls the productive assembly of processive Pol II elongation complexes and provide insight into how oncogenic levels of MYC permit uncontrolled cellular growth. MYC enhances productive transcription by defining the protein composition of Pol II MYC directly binds SPT5 and hands it over to Pol II in a CDK7-dependent manner Transfer of SPT5 increases speed and processivity of Pol II MYC’s effects on Pol II function shape its tumor-specific gene expression profile
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Affiliation(s)
- Apoorva Baluapuri
- Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Julia Hofstetter
- Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nevenka Dudvarski Stankovic
- Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Theresa Endres
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Pranjali Bhandare
- Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Seychelle Monique Vos
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Bikash Adhikari
- Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jessica Denise Schwarz
- Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ashwin Narain
- Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Vogt
- Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Shuang-Yan Wang
- Rudolf Virchow Center for Experimental Biomedicine, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Robert Düster
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Lisa Anna Jung
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Hälsovägen 7C, 14157 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Jens Thorsten Vanselow
- Rudolf Virchow Center for Experimental Biomedicine, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Armin Wiegering
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany; Department of General, Visceral, Transplant, Vascular and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Geyer
- Institute of Structural Biology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Hans Michael Maric
- Rudolf Virchow Center for Experimental Biomedicine, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Peter Gallant
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Walz
- Core Unit Bioinformatics, Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Schlosser
- Rudolf Virchow Center for Experimental Biomedicine, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Patrick Cramer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Karolinska Institutet, Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Hälsovägen 7C, 14157 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Martin Eilers
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Elmar Wolf
- Cancer Systems Biology Group, Theodor Boveri Institute, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
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