1
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Sun R, Fisher RP. The CDK9-SPT5 axis in control of transcription elongation by RNAPII. J Mol Biol 2024:168746. [PMID: 39147127 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
The RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) transcription cycle is regulated at every stage by a network of cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) and protein phosphatases. Progression of RNAPII from initiation to termination is marked by changing patterns of phosphorylation on the highly repetitive carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) of RPB1, its largest subunit, suggesting the existence of a CTD code. In parallel, the conserved transcription elongation factor SPT5, large subunit of the DRB sensitivity-inducing factor (DSIF), undergoes spatiotemporally regulated changes in phosphorylation state that may be directly linked to the transitions between transcription-cycle phases. Here we review insights gained from recent structural, biochemical, and genetic analyses of human SPT5, which suggest that two of its phosphorylated regions perform distinct functions at different points in transcription. Phosphorylation within a flexible, RNA-binding linker promotes release from the promoter-proximal pause-frequently a rate-limiting step in gene expression-whereas modifications in a repetitive carboxy-terminal region are thought to favor processive elongation, and are removed just prior to termination. Phosphorylations in both motifs depend on CDK9, catalytic subunit of positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb); their different timing of accumulation on chromatin and function during the transcription cycle might reflect their removal by different phosphatases, different kinetics of phosphorylation by CDK9, or both. Perturbations of SPT5 regulation have profound impacts on viability and development in model organisms through largely unknown mechanisms, while enzymes that modify SPT5 have emerged as potential therapeutic targets in cancer; elucidating a putative SPT5 code is therefore a high priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Sun
- 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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2
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Bentley DL. Multiple Forms and Functions of Premature Termination by RNA Polymerase II. J Mol Biol 2024:168743. [PMID: 39127140 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Eukaryotic genomes are widely transcribed by RNA polymerase II (pol II) both within genes and in intergenic regions. POL II elongation complexes comprising the polymerase, the DNA template and nascent RNA transcript must be extremely processive in order to transcribe the longest genes which are over 1 megabase long and take many hours to traverse. Dedicated termination mechanisms are required to disrupt these highly stable complexes. Transcription termination occurs not only at the 3' ends of genes once a full length transcript has been made, but also within genes and in promiscuously transcribed intergenic regions. Termination at these latter positions is termed "premature" because it is not triggered in response to a specific signal that marks the 3' end of a gene, like a polyA site. One purpose of premature termination is to remove polymerases from intergenic regions where they are "not wanted" because they may interfere with transcription of overlapping genes or the progress of replication forks. Premature termination has recently been appreciated to occur at surprisingly high rates within genes where it is speculated to serve regulatory or quality control functions. In this review I summarize current understanding of the different mechanisms of premature termination and its potential functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Bentley
- Dept. Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, PO Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
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3
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Mo C, Wei N, Li T, Ahmed Bhat M, Mohammadi M, Kuang C. CDK9 inhibitors for the treatment of solid tumors. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 229:116470. [PMID: 39127153 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 08/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) regulates mRNA transcription by promoting RNA Pol II elongation. CDK9 is now emerging as a potential therapeutic target for cancer, since its overexpression has been found to correlate with cancer development and worse clinical outcomes. While much work on CDK9 inhibition has focused on hematologic malignancies, the role of this cancer driver in solid tumors is starting to come into focus. Many solid cancers also overexpress CDK9 and depend on its activity to promote downstream oncogenic signaling pathways. In this review, we summarize the latest knowledge of CDK9 biology in solid tumors and the studies of small molecule CDK9 inhibitors. We discuss the results of the latest clinical trials of CDK9 inhibitors in solid tumors, with a focus on key issues to consider for improving the therapeutic impact of this drug class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiana Mo
- Department of Oncology, Montefiore Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA; Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Ning Wei
- Department of Oncology, Montefiore Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA; Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Montefiore Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Terence Li
- Department of Oncology, Montefiore Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA; Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Montefiore Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Muzaffer Ahmed Bhat
- Department of Oncology, Montefiore Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA; Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Montefiore Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Mahshid Mohammadi
- Department of Oncology, Montefiore Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA; Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Montefiore Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Chaoyuan Kuang
- Department of Oncology, Montefiore Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA; Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bronx, NY, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Montefiore Einstein, Bronx, NY, USA.
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4
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Versluis P, Graham TGW, Eng V, Ebenezer J, Darzacq X, Zipfel WR, Lis JT. Live-cell imaging of RNA Pol II and elongation factors distinguishes competing mechanisms of transcription regulation. Mol Cell 2024; 84:2856-2869.e9. [PMID: 39121843 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.07.009] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II)-mediated transcription is a critical, highly regulated process aided by protein complexes at distinct steps. Here, to investigate RNA Pol II and transcription-factor-binding and dissociation dynamics, we generated endogenous photoactivatable-GFP (PA-GFP) and HaloTag knockins using CRISPR-Cas9, allowing us to track a population of molecules at the induced Hsp70 loci in Drosophila melanogaster polytene chromosomes. We found that early in the heat-shock response, little RNA Pol II and DRB sensitivity-inducing factor (DSIF) are reused for iterative rounds of transcription. Surprisingly, although PAF1 and Spt6 are found throughout the gene body by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays, they show markedly different binding behaviors. Additionally, we found that PAF1 and Spt6 are only recruited after positive transcription elongation factor (P-TEFb)-mediated phosphorylation and RNA Pol II promoter-proximal pause escape. Finally, we observed that PAF1 may be expendable for transcription of highly expressed genes where nucleosome density is low. Thus, our live-cell imaging data provide key constraints to mechanistic models of transcription regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Versluis
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Thomas G W Graham
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Vincent Eng
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Jonathan Ebenezer
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Xavier Darzacq
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Warren R Zipfel
- Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - John T Lis
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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5
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Mevissen TE, Kümmecke M, Schmid EW, Farnung L, Walter JC. STK19 positions TFIIH for cell-free transcription-coupled DNA repair. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.22.604623. [PMID: 39091863 PMCID: PMC11291053 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.22.604623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
In transcription-coupled repair, stalled RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is recognized by CSB and CRL4CSA, which co-operate with UVSSSA and ELOF1 to recruit TFIIH for nucleotide excision repair (TC-NER). To explore the mechanism of TC-NER, we recapitulated this reaction in vitro. When a plasmid containing a site-specific lesion is transcribed in frog egg extract, error-free repair is observed that depends on CSB, CRL4CSA, UVSSA, and ELOF1. Repair also depends on STK19, a factor previously implicated in transcription recovery after UV exposure. A 1.9 Å cryo-electron microscopy structure shows that STK19 joins the TC-NER complex by binding CSA and the RPB1 subunit of Pol II. Furthermore, AlphaFold predicts that STK19 interacts with the XPD subunit of TFIIH, and disrupting this interface impairs cell-free repair. Molecular modeling suggests that STK19 positions TFIIH ahead of Pol II for lesion verification. In summary, our analysis of cell-free TC-NER suggests that STK19 couples RNA polymerase II stalling to downstream repair events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tycho E.T. Mevissen
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
| | - Maximilian Kümmecke
- Department of Cell Biology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ernst W. Schmid
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Lucas Farnung
- Department of Cell Biology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Johannes C. Walter
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
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6
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Hyder U, Challa A, Thornton M, Nandu T, Kraus WL, D'Orso I. KAP1 negatively regulates RNA polymerase II elongation kinetics to activate signal-induced transcription. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5859. [PMID: 38997286 PMCID: PMC11245487 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49905-7] [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: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Signal-induced transcriptional programs regulate critical biological processes through the precise spatiotemporal activation of Immediate Early Genes (IEGs); however, the mechanisms of transcription induction remain poorly understood. By combining an acute depletion system with several genomics approaches to interrogate synchronized, temporal transcription, we reveal that KAP1/TRIM28 is a first responder that fulfills the temporal and heightened transcriptional demand of IEGs. Acute KAP1 loss triggers an increase in RNA polymerase II elongation kinetics during early stimulation time points. This elongation defect derails the normal progression through the transcriptional cycle during late stimulation time points, ultimately leading to decreased recruitment of the transcription apparatus for re-initiation thereby dampening IEGs transcriptional output. Collectively, KAP1 plays a counterintuitive role by negatively regulating transcription elongation to support full activation across multiple transcription cycles of genes critical for cell physiology and organismal functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Usman Hyder
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Ashwini Challa
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Micah Thornton
- Laboratory of Signaling and Gene Regulation, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Tulip Nandu
- Laboratory of Signaling and Gene Regulation, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - W Lee Kraus
- Laboratory of Signaling and Gene Regulation, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Iván D'Orso
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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7
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Razew M, Fraudeau A, Pfleiderer MM, Linares R, Galej WP. Structural basis of the Integrator complex assembly and association with transcription factors. Mol Cell 2024; 84:2542-2552.e5. [PMID: 38823386 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.05.009] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Integrator is a multi-subunit protein complex responsible for premature transcription termination of coding and non-coding RNAs. This is achieved via two enzymatic activities, RNA endonuclease and protein phosphatase, acting on the promoter-proximally paused RNA polymerase Ⅱ (RNAPⅡ). Yet, it remains unclear how Integrator assembly and recruitment are regulated and what the functions of many of its core subunits are. Here, we report the structures of two human Integrator sub-complexes: INTS10/13/14/15 and INTS5/8/10/15, and an integrative model of the fully assembled Integrator bound to the RNAPⅡ paused elongating complex (PEC). An in silico protein-protein interaction screen of over 1,500 human transcription factors (TFs) identified ZNF655 as a direct interacting partner of INTS13 within the fully assembled Integrator. We propose a model wherein INTS13 acts as a platform for the recruitment of TFs that could modulate the stability of the Integrator's association at specific loci and regulate transcription attenuation of the target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Razew
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Grenoble, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, France
| | - Angelique Fraudeau
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Grenoble, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, France
| | - Moritz M Pfleiderer
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Grenoble, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, France
| | - Romain Linares
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Grenoble, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, France
| | - Wojciech P Galej
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Grenoble, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38042 Grenoble, France.
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8
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Fisher MJ, Luse DS. Defining a chromatin architecture that supports transcription at RNA polymerase II promoters. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107515. [PMID: 38945447 PMCID: PMC11298586 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Mammalian RNA polymerase II preinitiation complexes assemble adjacent to a nucleosome whose proximal edge (NPE) is typically 40 to 50 bp downstream of the transcription start site. At active promoters, that +1 nucleosome is universally modified by trimethylation on lysine 4 of histone H3 (H3K4me3). The Pol II preinitiation complex only extends 35 bp beyond the transcription start site, but nucleosomal templates with an NPE at +51 are nearly inactive in vitro with promoters that lack a TATA element and thus depend on TFIID for promoter recognition. Significantly, this inhibition is relieved when the +1 nucleosome contains H3K4me3, which can interact with TFIID subunits. Here, we show that H3K4me3 templates with both TATA and TATA-less promoters are active with +35 NPEs when transcription is driven by TFIID. Templates with +20 NPE are also active but at reduced levels compared to +35 and +51 NPEs, consistent with a general inhibition of promoter function when the proximal nucleosome encroaches on the preinitiation complex. Remarkably, dinucleosome templates support transcription when H3K4me3 is only present in the distal nucleosome, suggesting that TFIID-H3K4me3 interaction does not require modification of the +1 nucleosome. Transcription reactions performed with an alternative protocol retaining most nuclear factors results primarily in early termination, with a minority of complexes successfully traversing the first nucleosome. In such reactions, the +1 nucleosome does not substantially affect the level of termination even with an NPE of +20, indicating that a nucleosome barrier is not a major driver of early termination by Pol II.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Fisher
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Donal S Luse
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
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9
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D'Orso I. The HIV-1 Transcriptional Program: From Initiation to Elongation Control. J Mol Biol 2024:168690. [PMID: 38936695 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
A large body of work in the last four decades has revealed the key pillars of HIV-1 transcription control at the initiation and elongation steps. Here, I provide a recount of this collective knowledge starting with the genomic elements (DNA and nascent TAR RNA stem-loop) and transcription factors (cellular and the viral transactivator Tat), and later transitioning to the assembly and regulation of transcription initiation and elongation complexes, and the role of chromatin structure. Compelling evidence support a core HIV-1 transcriptional program regulated by the sequential and concerted action of cellular transcription factors and Tat to promote initiation and sustain elongation, highlighting the efficiency of a small virus to take over its host to produce the high levels of transcription required for viral replication. I summarize new advances including the use of CRISPR-Cas9, genetic tools for acute factor depletion, and imaging to study transcriptional dynamics, bursting and the progression through the multiple phases of the transcriptional cycle. Finally, I describe current challenges to future major advances and discuss areas that deserve more attention to both bolster our basic knowledge of the core HIV-1 transcriptional program and open up new therapeutic opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván D'Orso
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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10
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Velychko T, Mohammad E, Ferrer-Vicens I, Parfentev I, Werner M, Studniarek C, Schwalb B, Urlaub H, Murphy S, Cramer P, Lidschreiber M. CDK7 kinase activity promotes RNA polymerase II promoter escape by facilitating initiation factor release. Mol Cell 2024; 84:2287-2303.e10. [PMID: 38821049 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.05.007] [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: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7), part of the general transcription factor TFIIH, promotes gene transcription by phosphorylating the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II). Here, we combine rapid CDK7 kinase inhibition with multi-omics analysis to unravel the direct functions of CDK7 in human cells. CDK7 inhibition causes RNA Pol II retention at promoters, leading to decreased RNA Pol II initiation and immediate global downregulation of transcript synthesis. Elongation, termination, and recruitment of co-transcriptional factors are not directly affected. Although RNA Pol II, initiation factors, and Mediator accumulate at promoters, RNA Pol II complexes can also proceed into gene bodies without promoter-proximal pausing while retaining initiation factors and Mediator. Further downstream, RNA Pol II phosphorylation increases and initiation factors and Mediator are released, allowing recruitment of elongation factors and an increase in RNA Pol II elongation velocity. Collectively, CDK7 kinase activity promotes the release of initiation factors and Mediator from RNA Pol II, facilitating RNA Pol II escape from the promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taras Velychko
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eusra Mohammad
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ivan Ferrer-Vicens
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Iwan Parfentev
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marcel Werner
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Cecilia Studniarek
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Björn Schwalb
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Shona Murphy
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Patrick Cramer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Michael Lidschreiber
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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11
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Liu Y, Flamier A, Bell GW, Diao AJ, Whitfield TW, Wang HC, Wu Y, Schulte F, Friesen M, Guo R, Mitalipova M, Liu XS, Vos SM, Young RA, Jaenisch R. MECP2 directly interacts with RNA polymerase II to modulate transcription in human neurons. Neuron 2024; 112:1943-1958.e10. [PMID: 38697112 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.04.007] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Mutations in the methyl-DNA-binding protein MECP2 cause the neurodevelopmental disorder Rett syndrome (RTT). How MECP2 contributes to transcriptional regulation in normal and disease states is unresolved; it has been reported to be an activator and a repressor. We describe here the first integrated CUT&Tag, transcriptome, and proteome analyses using human neurons with wild-type (WT) and mutant MECP2 molecules. MECP2 occupies CpG-rich promoter-proximal regions in over four thousand genes in human neurons, including a plethora of autism risk genes, together with RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II). MECP2 directly interacts with RNA Pol II, and genes occupied by both proteins showed reduced expression in neurons with MECP2 patient mutations. We conclude that MECP2 acts as a positive cofactor for RNA Pol II gene expression at many neuronal genes that harbor CpG islands in promoter-proximal regions and that RTT is due, in part, to the loss of gene activity of these genes in neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liu
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Anthony Flamier
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - George W Bell
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Annette Jun Diao
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Troy W Whitfield
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Hao-Che Wang
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Yizhe Wu
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Fabian Schulte
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Max Friesen
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Ruisi Guo
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Maisam Mitalipova
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - X Shawn Liu
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Seychelle M Vos
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Richard A Young
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Rudolf Jaenisch
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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12
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Birkenheuer CH, Baines JD. Aberrant RNA polymerase initiation and processivity on the genome of a herpes simplex virus 1 mutant lacking ICP27. J Virol 2024; 98:e0071224. [PMID: 38780246 PMCID: PMC11237563 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00712-24] [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: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Within the first 15 minutes of infection, herpes simplex virus 1 immediate early proteins repurpose cellular RNA polymerase (Pol II) for viral transcription. An important role of the viral-infected cell protein 27 (ICP27) is to facilitate viral pre-mRNA processing and export viral mRNA to the cytoplasm. Here, we use precision nuclear run-on followed by deep sequencing (PRO-seq) to characterize transcription of a viral ICP27 null mutant. At 1.5 and 3 hours post infection (hpi), we observed increased total levels of Pol II on the mutant viral genome and accumulation of Pol II downstream of poly A sites indicating increased levels of initiation and processivity. By 6 hpi, Pol II accumulation on specific mutant viral genes was higher than that on wild-type virus either at or upstream of poly A signals, depending on the gene. The PRO-seq profile of the ICP27 mutant on late genes at 6 hpi was similar but not identical to that caused by treatment with flavopiridol, a known inhibitor of RNA processivity. This pattern was different from PRO-seq profiles of other α gene mutants and upon inhibition of viral DNA replication with PAA. Together, these results indicate that ICP27 contributes to the repression of aberrant viral transcription at 1.5 and 3 hpi by inhibiting initiation and decreasing RNA processivity. However, ICP27 is needed to enhance processivity on most late genes by 6 hpi in a mechanism distinguishable from its role in viral DNA replication.IMPORTANCEWe developed and validated the use of a processivity index for precision nuclear run-on followed by deep sequencing data. The processivity index calculations confirm infected cell protein 27 (ICP27) induces downstream of transcription termination on certain host genes. The processivity indices and whole gene probe data implicate ICP27 in transient immediate early gene-mediated repression, a process that also requires ICP4, ICP22, and ICP0. The data indicate that ICP27 directly or indirectly regulates RNA polymerase (Pol II) initiation and processivity on specific genes at specific times post infection. These observations support specific and varied roles for ICP27 in regulating Pol II activity on viral genes in addition to its known roles in post transcriptional mRNA processing and export.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire H. Birkenheuer
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Joel D. Baines
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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13
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Žumer K, Ochmann M, Aljahani A, Zheenbekova A, Devadas A, Maier KC, Rus P, Neef U, Oudelaar AM, Cramer P. FACT maintains chromatin architecture and thereby stimulates RNA polymerase II pausing during transcription in vivo. Mol Cell 2024; 84:2053-2069.e9. [PMID: 38810649 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.05.003] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Facilitates chromatin transcription (FACT) is a histone chaperone that supports transcription through chromatin in vitro, but its functional roles in vivo remain unclear. Here, we analyze the in vivo functions of FACT with the use of multi-omics analysis after rapid FACT depletion from human cells. We show that FACT depletion destabilizes chromatin and leads to transcriptional defects, including defective promoter-proximal pausing and elongation, and increased premature termination of RNA polymerase II. Unexpectedly, our analysis revealed that promoter-proximal pausing depends not only on the negative elongation factor (NELF) but also on the +1 nucleosome, which is maintained by FACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Žumer
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Moritz Ochmann
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Abrar Aljahani
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Genome Organization and Regulation, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Aiturgan Zheenbekova
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Arjun Devadas
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Caroline Maier
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Petra Rus
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ute Neef
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - A Marieke Oudelaar
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Genome Organization and Regulation, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Patrick Cramer
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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14
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Gillis A, Berry S. Global control of RNA polymerase II. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2024; 1867:195024. [PMID: 38552781 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2024.195024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is the multi-protein complex responsible for transcribing all protein-coding messenger RNA (mRNA). Most research on gene regulation is focused on the mechanisms controlling which genes are transcribed when, or on the mechanics of transcription. How global Pol II activity is determined receives comparatively less attention. Here, we follow the life of a Pol II molecule from 'assembly of the complex' to nuclear import, enzymatic activity, and degradation. We focus on how Pol II spends its time in the nucleus, and on the two-way relationship between Pol II abundance and activity in the context of homeostasis and global transcriptional changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Gillis
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; UNSW RNA Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Scott Berry
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; UNSW RNA Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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15
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Li Y, Wang Q, Xu Y, Li Z. Structures of co-transcriptional RNA capping enzymes on paused transcription complex. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4622. [PMID: 38816438 PMCID: PMC11139899 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48963-1] [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: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The 5'-end capping of nascent pre-mRNA represents the initial step in RNA processing, with evidence demonstrating that guanosine addition and 2'-O-ribose methylation occur in tandem with early steps of transcription by RNA polymerase II, especially at the pausing stage. Here, we determine the cryo-EM structures of the paused elongation complex in complex with RNGTT, as well as the paused elongation complex in complex with RNGTT and CMTR1. Our findings show the simultaneous presence of RNGTT and the NELF complex bound to RNA polymerase II. The NELF complex exhibits two conformations, one of which shows a notable rearrangement of NELF-A/D compared to that of the paused elongation complex. Moreover, CMTR1 aligns adjacent to RNGTT on the RNA polymerase II stalk. Our structures indicate that RNGTT and CMTR1 directly bind the paused elongation complex, illuminating the mechanism by which 5'-end capping of pre-mRNA during transcriptional pausing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- 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, 200032, China
| | - Qianmin Wang
- 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, 200032, China
| | - Yanhui Xu
- 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, 200032, China
- The International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, China, Department of Systems Biology for Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ze Li
- 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, 200032, China.
- The International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, China, Department of Systems Biology for Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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16
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Hyder U, Challa A, Thornton M, Nandu T, Kraus WL, D’Orso I. KAP1 negatively regulates RNA polymerase II elongation kinetics to activate signal-induced transcription. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.05.592422. [PMID: 38746145 PMCID: PMC11092767 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.05.592422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Signal-induced transcriptional programs regulate critical biological processes through the precise spatiotemporal activation of Immediate Early Genes (IEGs); however, the mechanisms of transcription induction remain poorly understood. By combining an acute depletion system with high resolution genomics approaches to interrogate synchronized, temporal transcription, we reveal that KAP1/TRIM28 is a first responder that fulfills the temporal and heightened transcriptional demand of IEGs. Unexpectedly, acute KAP1 loss triggers an increase in RNA polymerase II elongation kinetics during early stimulation time points. This elongation defect derails the normal progression through the transcriptional cycle during late stimulation time points, ultimately leading to decreased recruitment of the transcription apparatus for re-initiation thereby dampening IEGs transcriptional output. Collectively, KAP1 plays a counterintuitive role by negatively regulating transcription elongation to support full activation across multiple transcription cycles of genes critical for cell physiology and organismal functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Usman Hyder
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Ashwini Challa
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Micah Thornton
- Laboratory of Signaling and Gene Regulation, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Tulip Nandu
- Laboratory of Signaling and Gene Regulation, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - W. Lee Kraus
- Laboratory of Signaling and Gene Regulation, Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Iván D’Orso
- Department of Microbiology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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17
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Zhan Y, Grabbe F, Oberbeckmann E, Dienemann C, Cramer P. Three-step mechanism of promoter escape by RNA polymerase II. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1699-1710.e6. [PMID: 38604172 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.03.016] [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: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
The transition from transcription initiation to elongation is highly regulated in human cells but remains incompletely understood at the structural level. In particular, it is unclear how interactions between RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) and initiation factors are broken to enable promoter escape. Here, we reconstitute RNA Pol II promoter escape in vitro and determine high-resolution structures of initially transcribing complexes containing 8-, 10-, and 12-nt ordered RNAs and two elongation complexes containing 14-nt RNAs. We suggest that promoter escape occurs in three major steps. First, the growing RNA displaces the B-reader element of the initiation factor TFIIB without evicting TFIIB. Second, the rewinding of the transcription bubble coincides with the eviction of TFIIA, TFIIB, and TBP. Third, the binding of DSIF and NELF facilitates TFIIE and TFIIH dissociation, establishing the paused elongation complex. This three-step model for promoter escape fills a gap in our understanding of the initiation-elongation transition of RNA Pol II transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Zhan
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Frauke Grabbe
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Elisa Oberbeckmann
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christian Dienemann
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Patrick Cramer
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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18
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Fianu I, Ochmann M, Walshe JL, Dybkov O, Cruz JN, Urlaub H, Cramer P. Structural basis of Integrator-dependent RNA polymerase II termination. Nature 2024; 629:219-227. [PMID: 38570683 PMCID: PMC11062913 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07269-4] [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: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
The Integrator complex can terminate RNA polymerase II (Pol II) in the promoter-proximal region of genes. Previous work has shed light on how Integrator binds to the paused elongation complex consisting of Pol II, the DRB sensitivity-inducing factor (DSIF) and the negative elongation factor (NELF) and how it cleaves the nascent RNA transcript1, but has not explained how Integrator removes Pol II from the DNA template. Here we present three cryo-electron microscopy structures of the complete Integrator-PP2A complex in different functional states. The structure of the pre-termination complex reveals a previously unresolved, scorpion-tail-shaped INTS10-INTS13-INTS14-INTS15 module that may use its 'sting' to open the DSIF DNA clamp and facilitate termination. The structure of the post-termination complex shows that the previously unresolved subunit INTS3 and associated sensor of single-stranded DNA complex (SOSS) factors prevent Pol II rebinding to Integrator after termination. The structure of the free Integrator-PP2A complex in an inactive closed conformation2 reveals that INTS6 blocks the PP2A phosphatase active site. These results lead to a model for how Integrator terminates Pol II transcription in three steps that involve major rearrangements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Fianu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Moritz Ochmann
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - James L Walshe
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Olexandr Dybkov
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Joseph Neos Cruz
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Bioanalytics Group, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence 'Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells' (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Patrick Cramer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.
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19
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Du X, Qin W, Yang C, Dai L, San M, Xia Y, Zhou S, Wang M, Wu S, Zhang S, Zhou H, Li F, He F, Tang J, Chen JY, Zhou Y, Xiao R. RBM22 regulates RNA polymerase II 5' pausing, elongation rate, and termination by coordinating 7SK-P-TEFb complex and SPT5. Genome Biol 2024; 25:102. [PMID: 38641822 PMCID: PMC11027413 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03242-6] [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: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Splicing factors are vital for the regulation of RNA splicing, but some have also been implicated in regulating transcription. The underlying molecular mechanisms of their involvement in transcriptional processes remain poorly understood. RESULTS Here, we describe a direct role of splicing factor RBM22 in coordinating multiple steps of RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) transcription in human cells. The RBM22 protein widely occupies the RNAPII-transcribed gene locus in the nucleus. Loss of RBM22 promotes RNAPII pause release, reduces elongation velocity, and provokes transcriptional readthrough genome-wide, coupled with production of transcripts containing sequences from downstream of the gene. RBM22 preferentially binds to the hyperphosphorylated, transcriptionally engaged RNAPII and coordinates its dynamics by regulating the homeostasis of the 7SK-P-TEFb complex and the association between RNAPII and SPT5 at the chromatin level. CONCLUSIONS Our results uncover the multifaceted role of RBM22 in orchestrating the transcriptional program of RNAPII and provide evidence implicating a splicing factor in both RNAPII elongation kinetics and termination control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Du
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenying Qin
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chunyu Yang
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lin Dai
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mingkui San
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yingdan Xia
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Siyu Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengyang Wang
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuang Wu
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shaorui Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Huiting Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fangshu Li
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fang He
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jingfeng Tang
- National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, School of Life and Health Sciences, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jia-Yu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Rui Xiao
- Department of Hematology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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20
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Mbonye U, Karn J. The cell biology of HIV-1 latency and rebound. Retrovirology 2024; 21:6. [PMID: 38580979 PMCID: PMC10996279 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-024-00639-w] [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] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcriptionally latent forms of replication-competent proviruses, present primarily in a small subset of memory CD4+ T cells, pose the primary barrier to a cure for HIV-1 infection because they are the source of the viral rebound that almost inevitably follows the interruption of antiretroviral therapy. Over the last 30 years, many of the factors essential for initiating HIV-1 transcription have been identified in studies performed using transformed cell lines, such as the Jurkat T-cell model. However, as highlighted in this review, several poorly understood mechanisms still need to be elucidated, including the molecular basis for promoter-proximal pausing of the transcribing complex and the detailed mechanism of the delivery of P-TEFb from 7SK snRNP. Furthermore, the central paradox of HIV-1 transcription remains unsolved: how are the initial rounds of transcription achieved in the absence of Tat? A critical limitation of the transformed cell models is that they do not recapitulate the transitions between active effector cells and quiescent memory T cells. Therefore, investigation of the molecular mechanisms of HIV-1 latency reversal and LRA efficacy in a proper physiological context requires the utilization of primary cell models. Recent mechanistic studies of HIV-1 transcription using latently infected cells recovered from donors and ex vivo cellular models of viral latency have demonstrated that the primary blocks to HIV-1 transcription in memory CD4+ T cells are restrictive epigenetic features at the proviral promoter, the cytoplasmic sequestration of key transcription initiation factors such as NFAT and NF-κB, and the vanishingly low expression of the cellular transcription elongation factor P-TEFb. One of the foremost schemes to eliminate the residual reservoir is to deliberately reactivate latent HIV-1 proviruses to enable clearance of persisting latently infected cells-the "Shock and Kill" strategy. For "Shock and Kill" to become efficient, effective, non-toxic latency-reversing agents (LRAs) must be discovered. Since multiple restrictions limit viral reactivation in primary cells, understanding the T-cell signaling mechanisms that are essential for stimulating P-TEFb biogenesis, initiation factor activation, and reversing the proviral epigenetic restrictions have become a prerequisite for the development of more effective LRAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uri Mbonye
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
| | - Jonathan Karn
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
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21
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Su BG, Vos SM. Distinct negative elongation factor conformations regulate RNA polymerase II promoter-proximal pausing. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1243-1256.e5. [PMID: 38401543 PMCID: PMC10997474 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.01.023] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Metazoan gene expression regulation involves pausing of RNA polymerase (Pol II) in the promoter-proximal region of genes and is stabilized by DSIF and NELF. Upon depletion of elongation factors, NELF appears to accompany elongating Pol II past pause sites; however, prior work indicates that NELF prevents Pol II elongation. Here, we report cryoelectron microscopy structures of Pol II-DSIF-NELF complexes with NELF in two distinct conformations corresponding to paused and poised states. The paused NELF state supports Pol II stalling, whereas the poised NELF state enables transcription elongation as it does not support a tilted RNA-DNA hybrid. Further, the poised NELF state can accommodate TFIIS binding to Pol II, allowing for Pol II reactivation at paused or backtracking sites. Finally, we observe that the NELF-A tentacle interacts with the RPB2 protrusion and is necessary for pausing. Our results define how NELF can support pausing, reactivation, and elongation by Pol II.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie G Su
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Building 68, 31 Ames St., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Seychelle M Vos
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Building 68, 31 Ames St., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA.
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22
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Richter WF, Taatjes DJ. Changing structures, changing paradigms: NELF helps regulate paused or elongating RNA polymerase II. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1180-1182. [PMID: 38579674 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Using cryo-EM and biochemical methods, Su and Vos1 discover an alternative NELF structural state that enables transcription and switches NELF-RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) compatibility with other RNAPII-associated factors that regulate pausing, elongation, termination, and transcription-coupled DNA repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- William F Richter
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Dylan J Taatjes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA.
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23
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Tufan T, Comertpay G, Villani A, Nelson GM, Terekhova M, Kelley S, Zakharov P, Ellison RM, Shpynov O, Raymond M, Sun J, Chen Y, Bockelmann E, Stremska M, Peterson LW, Boeckaerts L, Goldman SR, Etchegaray JI, Artyomov MN, Peri F, Ravichandran KS. Rapid unleashing of macrophage efferocytic capacity via transcriptional pause release. Nature 2024; 628:408-415. [PMID: 38480883 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07172-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
During development, inflammation or tissue injury, macrophages may successively engulf and process multiple apoptotic corpses via efferocytosis to achieve tissue homeostasis1. How macrophages may rapidly adapt their transcription to achieve continuous corpse uptake is incompletely understood. Transcriptional pause/release is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism, in which RNA polymerase (Pol) II initiates transcription for 20-60 nucleotides, is paused for minutes to hours and is then released to make full-length mRNA2. Here we show that macrophages, within minutes of corpse encounter, use transcriptional pause/release to unleash a rapid transcriptional response. For human and mouse macrophages, the Pol II pause/release was required for continuous efferocytosis in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, blocking Pol II pause/release did not impede Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis, yeast uptake or bacterial phagocytosis. Integration of data from three genomic approaches-precision nuclear run-on sequencing, RNA sequencing, and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq)-on efferocytic macrophages at different time points revealed that Pol II pause/release controls expression of select transcription factors and downstream target genes. Mechanistic studies on transcription factor EGR3, prominently regulated by pause/release, uncovered EGR3-related reprogramming of other macrophage genes involved in cytoskeleton and corpse processing. Using lysosomal probes and a new genetic fluorescent reporter, we identify a role for pause/release in phagosome acidification during efferocytosis. Furthermore, microglia from egr3-deficient zebrafish embryos displayed reduced phagocytosis of apoptotic neurons and fewer maturing phagosomes, supporting defective corpse processing. Collectively, these data indicate that macrophages use Pol II pause/release as a mechanism to rapidly alter their transcriptional programs for efficient processing of the ingested apoptotic corpses and for successive efferocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Turan Tufan
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Gamze Comertpay
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ambra Villani
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Geoffrey M Nelson
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marina Terekhova
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Shannon Kelley
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Pavel Zakharov
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rochelle M Ellison
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Oleg Shpynov
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- JetBrains Research, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Raymond
- Department of Neuroscience and MIC, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Jerry Sun
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yitan Chen
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Enno Bockelmann
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marta Stremska
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lance W Peterson
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Laura Boeckaerts
- Unit for Cell Clearance in Health and Disease, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research and the Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Seth R Goldman
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J Iker Etchegaray
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Maxim N Artyomov
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Francesca Peri
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kodi S Ravichandran
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience and MIC, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Unit for Cell Clearance in Health and Disease, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research and the Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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24
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Kokic G, Yakoub G, van den Heuvel D, Wondergem AP, van der Meer PJ, van der Weegen Y, Chernev A, Fianu I, Fokkens TJ, Lorenz S, Urlaub H, Cramer P, Luijsterburg MS. Structural basis for RNA polymerase II ubiquitylation and inactivation in transcription-coupled repair. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:536-547. [PMID: 38316879 PMCID: PMC10948364 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01207-0] [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: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
During transcription-coupled DNA repair (TCR), RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transitions from a transcriptionally active state to an arrested state that allows for removal of DNA lesions. This transition requires site-specific ubiquitylation of Pol II by the CRL4CSA ubiquitin ligase, a process that is facilitated by ELOF1 in an unknown way. Using cryogenic electron microscopy, biochemical assays and cell biology approaches, we found that ELOF1 serves as an adaptor to stably position UVSSA and CRL4CSA on arrested Pol II, leading to ligase neddylation and activation of Pol II ubiquitylation. In the presence of ELOF1, a transcription factor IIS (TFIIS)-like element in UVSSA gets ordered and extends through the Pol II pore, thus preventing reactivation of Pol II by TFIIS. Our results provide the structural basis for Pol II ubiquitylation and inactivation in TCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goran Kokic
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
- Division of Structural Biology and Protein Therapeutics, Odyssey Therapeutics GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - George Yakoub
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Diana van den Heuvel
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Annelotte P Wondergem
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Paula J van der Meer
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Yana van der Weegen
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Aleksandar Chernev
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Isaac Fianu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thornton J Fokkens
- Ubiquitin Signaling Specificity, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sonja Lorenz
- Ubiquitin Signaling Specificity, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
- Bioanalytics Group, University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Patrick Cramer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Martijn S Luijsterburg
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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25
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Lewis BA. The role of O-GlcNAcylation in RNA polymerase II transcription. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105705. [PMID: 38311176 PMCID: PMC10906531 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105705] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is responsible for the transcription of the protein-coding genes in the cell. Enormous progress has been made in discovering the protein activities that are required for transcription to occur, but the effects of post-translational modifications (PTMs) on RNAPII transcriptional regulation are much less understood. Most of our understanding relates to the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), which appear to act relatively early in transcription. However, it is becoming apparent that other PTMs play a crucial role in the transcriptional cycle, and it is doubtful that any sort of complete understanding of this regulation is attainable without understanding the spectra of PTMs that occur on the transcriptional machinery. Among these is O-GlcNAcylation. Recent experiments have shown that the O-GlcNAc PTM likely has a prominent role in transcription. This review will cover the role of the O-GlcNAcylation in RNAPII transcription during initiation, pausing, and elongation, which will hopefully be of interest to both O-GlcNAc and RNAPII transcription researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian A Lewis
- Gene Regulation Section/LP, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
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26
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Pilotto S, Sýkora M, Cackett G, Dulson C, Werner F. Structure of the recombinant RNA polymerase from African Swine Fever Virus. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1606. [PMID: 38383525 PMCID: PMC10881513 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45842-7] [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: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
African Swine Fever Virus is a Nucleo-Cytoplasmic Large DNA Virus that causes an incurable haemorrhagic fever in pigs with a high impact on global food security. ASFV replicates in the cytoplasm of the infected cell and encodes its own transcription machinery that is independent of cellular factors, however, not much is known about how this system works at a molecular level. Here, we present methods to produce recombinant ASFV RNA polymerase, functional assays to screen for inhibitors, and high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structures of the ASFV RNAP in different conformational states. The ASFV RNAP bears a striking resemblance to RNAPII with bona fide homologues of nine of its twelve subunits. Key differences include the fusion of the ASFV assembly platform subunits RPB3 and RPB11, and an unusual C-terminal domain of the stalk subunit vRPB7 that is related to the eukaryotic mRNA cap 2´-O-methyltransferase 1. Despite the high degree of structural conservation with cellular RNA polymerases, the ASFV RNAP is resistant to the inhibitors rifampicin and alpha-amanitin. The cryo-EM structures and fully recombinant RNAP system together provide an important tool for the design, development, and screening of antiviral drugs in a low biosafety containment environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Pilotto
- Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Michal Sýkora
- Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Gwenny Cackett
- Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher Dulson
- Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Finn Werner
- Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
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27
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Gaballa A, Gebhardt-Wolf A, Krenz B, Mattavelli G, John M, Cossa G, Andreani S, Schülein-Völk C, Montesinos F, Vidal R, Kastner C, Ade CP, Kneitz B, Gasteiger G, Gallant P, Rosenfeldt M, Riedel A, Eilers M. PAF1c links S-phase progression to immune evasion and MYC function in pancreatic carcinoma. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1446. [PMID: 38365788 PMCID: PMC10873513 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45760-8] [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: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), endogenous MYC is required for S-phase progression and escape from immune surveillance. Here we show that MYC in PDAC cells is needed for the recruitment of the PAF1c transcription elongation complex to RNA polymerase and that depletion of CTR9, a PAF1c subunit, enables long-term survival of PDAC-bearing mice. PAF1c is largely dispensable for normal proliferation and regulation of MYC target genes. Instead, PAF1c limits DNA damage associated with S-phase progression by being essential for the expression of long genes involved in replication and DNA repair. Surprisingly, the survival benefit conferred by CTR9 depletion is not due to DNA damage, but to T-cell activation and restoration of immune surveillance. This is because CTR9 depletion releases RNA polymerase and elongation factors from the body of long genes and promotes the transcription of short genes, including MHC class I genes. The data argue that functionally distinct gene sets compete for elongation factors and directly link MYC-driven S-phase progression to tumor immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdallah Gaballa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biologyy, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, Julius Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Anneli Gebhardt-Wolf
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biologyy, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, Julius Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Bastian Krenz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biologyy, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, Julius Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Center, University Hospital Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Greta Mattavelli
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Center, University Hospital Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Mara John
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Center, University Hospital Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Giacomo Cossa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biologyy, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, Julius Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Silvia Andreani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biologyy, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, Julius Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christina Schülein-Völk
- Core Unit High-Content Microscopy, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, Julius Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Francisco Montesinos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biologyy, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, Julius Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Raphael Vidal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biologyy, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, Julius Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University Hospital Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Carolin Kastner
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Center, University Hospital Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Carsten P Ade
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biologyy, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, Julius Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Burkhard Kneitz
- Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Georg Gasteiger
- Würzburg Institute of Systems Immunology, Max Planck Research Group, Julius Maximilian University Würzburg, Versbacher Str. 9, 97078, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Peter Gallant
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biologyy, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, Julius Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Mathias Rosenfeldt
- Institute of Pathology, Julius Maximilian University Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Angela Riedel
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Center, University Hospital Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Martin Eilers
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biologyy, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, Julius Maximilian University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University Hospital Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.
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28
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Archuleta SR, Goodrich JA, Kugel JF. Mechanisms and Functions of the RNA Polymerase II General Transcription Machinery during the Transcription Cycle. Biomolecules 2024; 14:176. [PMID: 38397413 PMCID: PMC10886972 DOI: 10.3390/biom14020176] [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: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Central to the development and survival of all organisms is the regulation of gene expression, which begins with the process of transcription catalyzed by RNA polymerases. During transcription of protein-coding genes, the general transcription factors (GTFs) work alongside RNA polymerase II (Pol II) to assemble the preinitiation complex at the transcription start site, open the promoter DNA, initiate synthesis of the nascent messenger RNA, transition to productive elongation, and ultimately terminate transcription. Through these different stages of transcription, Pol II is dynamically phosphorylated at the C-terminal tail of its largest subunit, serving as a control mechanism for Pol II elongation and a signaling/binding platform for co-transcriptional factors. The large number of core protein factors participating in the fundamental steps of transcription add dense layers of regulation that contribute to the complexity of temporal and spatial control of gene expression within any given cell type. The Pol II transcription system is highly conserved across different levels of eukaryotes; however, most of the information here will focus on the human Pol II system. This review walks through various stages of transcription, from preinitiation complex assembly to termination, highlighting the functions and mechanisms of the core machinery that participates in each stage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James A. Goodrich
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, 596 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309, USA;
| | - Jennifer F. Kugel
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, 596 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309, USA;
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29
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Chen Y, Cramer P. RNA polymerase II elongation factors use conserved regulatory mechanisms. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2024; 84:102766. [PMID: 38181687 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription is regulated by many elongation factors. Among these factors, TFIIF, PAF-RTF1, ELL and Elongin stimulate mRNA chain elongation by Pol II. Cryo-EM structures of Pol II complexes with these elongation factors now reveal some general principles on how elongation factors bind Pol II and how they stimulate transcription. All four elongation factors contact Pol II at domains external 2 and protrusion, whereas TFIIF and ELL additionally bind the Pol II lobe. All factors apparently stabilize cleft-flanking elements, whereas RTF1 and Elongin additionally approach the active site with a latch element and may influence catalysis or translocation. Due to the shared binding sites on Pol II, factor binding is mutually exclusive, and thus it remains to be studied what determines which elongation factors bind at a certain gene and under which condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Chen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Patrick Cramer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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30
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Aoki K, Nitta A, Igarashi A. NELF and PAF1C complexes are core transcriptional machineries controlling colon cancer stemness. Oncogene 2024; 43:566-577. [PMID: 38182897 PMCID: PMC10873196 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02930-0] [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: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Mutations in APC, found in 80% of colon caner, enhance β-catenin stabilization, which is the initial step of colonic tumorigenesis. However, the core transcriptional mechanism underlying the induction of colon cancer stemness by stable β-catenin remains unclear. Here, we found that inducible inhibition of β-catenin suppressed elongation of Pol II and RNA polymerase-associated factor 1 complex (PAF1C) around the transcription start site (TSS) of LGR5. Moreover, stable β-catenin enhanced the formation of active Pol II complex cooperatively with CDC73 and CDK9 by facilitating the recruitment of DRB sensitivity-inducing factor (DSIF) and negative elongation factor (NELF) complexes to the Pol II complex. Subsequently, stable β-catenin facilitated the formation of the Pol II-DSIF-PAF1C complex, suggesting that stable β-catenin induces cancer stemness by stimulating active Pol II complex through NELF and PAF1C. Furthermore, NELF or PAF1C inhibition recapitulated the changes in cancer stemness-related gene expression induced by the inhibition of stable β-catenin and suppressed colon cancer stemness. Additionally, the chemical inhibition of CDK12 (a downstream transcription CDK of PAF1C) suppressed colon cancer stemness. These results suggest that NELF and PAF1C are the core transcriptional machineries that control expression of colon cancer stemness-inducing genes and may be therapeutic targets for colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koji Aoki
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
| | - Akari Nitta
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Ayumi Igarashi
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
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31
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Kaye EG, Basavaraju K, Nelson GM, Zomer HD, Roy D, Joseph II, Rajabi-Toustani R, Qiao H, Adelman K, Reddi PP. RNA polymerase II pausing is essential during spermatogenesis for appropriate gene expression and completion of meiosis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:848. [PMID: 38287033 PMCID: PMC10824759 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45177-3] [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: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Male germ cell development requires precise regulation of gene activity in a cell-type and stage-specific manner, with perturbations in gene expression during spermatogenesis associated with infertility. Here, we use steady-state, nascent and single-cell RNA sequencing strategies to comprehensively characterize gene expression across male germ cell populations, to dissect the mechanisms of gene control and provide new insights towards therapy. We discover a requirement for pausing of RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) at the earliest stages of sperm differentiation to establish the landscape of gene activity across development. Accordingly, genetic knockout of the Pol II pause-inducing factor NELF in immature germ cells blocks differentiation to spermatids. Further, we uncover unanticipated roles for Pol II pausing in the regulation of meiosis during spermatogenesis, with the presence of paused Pol II associated with double-strand break (DSB) formation, and disruption of meiotic gene expression and DSB repair in germ cells lacking NELF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G Kaye
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kavyashree Basavaraju
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - Geoffrey M Nelson
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Helena D Zomer
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - Debarun Roy
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - Irene Infancy Joseph
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - Reza Rajabi-Toustani
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - Huanyu Qiao
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - Karen Adelman
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Prabhakara P Reddi
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA.
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32
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Dunn LEM, Birkenheuer CH, Baines JD. A Revision of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Transcription: First, Repress; Then, Express. Microorganisms 2024; 12:262. [PMID: 38399666 PMCID: PMC10892140 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The herpes virus genome bears more than 80 strong transcriptional promoters. Upon entry into the host cell nucleus, these genes are transcribed in an orderly manner, producing five immediate-early (IE) gene products, including ICP0, ICP4, and ICP22, while non-IE genes are mostly silent. The IE gene products are necessary for the transcription of temporal classes following sequentially as early, leaky late, and true late. A recent analysis using precision nuclear run-on followed by deep sequencing (PRO-seq) has revealed an important step preceding all HSV-1 transcription. Specifically, the immediate-early proteins ICP4 and ICP0 enter the cell with the incoming genome to help preclude the nascent antisense, intergenic, and sense transcription of all viral genes. VP16, which is also delivered into the nucleus upon entry, almost immediately reverses this repression on IE genes. The resulting de novo expression of ICP4 and ICP22 further repress antisense, intergenic, and early and late viral gene transcription through different mechanisms before the sequential de-repression of these gene classes later in infection. This early repression, termed transient immediate-early protein-mediated repression (TIEMR), precludes unproductive, antisense, intergenic, and late gene transcription early in infection to ensure the efficient and orderly progression of the viral cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E M Dunn
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Claire H Birkenheuer
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Joel D Baines
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
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33
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Nandy A, Biswas D. Basic techniques associated with studying transcription elongation both in vitro and in vivo within mammalian cells. Methods 2024; 221:42-54. [PMID: 38040206 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2023.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
All cellular functions and identity of every cell are directly or indirectly depend on its gene expression. Therefore, cells control their gene expression very finely at multiple layers. Cells always fine tune its gene expression profile depending on the internal and external cues to maintain best possible cellular growth condition. Regulation of mRNA production is a major step in the control of gene expression. mRNA production primarily depends on two factors. One is the level of RNA polymerase II (Pol II hereafter) recruitment at the promoter region and another is the amount of Pol II successfully elongating through the whole gene body also known as coding region. There are several proteins (individually or as part of a complex) which control elongation of Pol II both positively or negatively. It is important to understand how different transcription factors regulate this elongation step since this knowledge is important for understanding different cellular functions both under basal and stimulus-dependent contexts. Here, we have discussed both in vitro and in vivo techniques which can be used to study the effect of different factors on Pol II-mediated transcription elongation. In vitro techniques give us valuable information about the ability of a transcription factor or a complex to exert its direct effect on the overall processes. In vivo techniques give us an understanding about the effect of a transcription factor or a complex in its native condition where functions of a transcription factor can be influenced by many other factors including its associated ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arijit Nandy
- Laboratory of Transcription Biology, Molecular Genetics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 32, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Debabrata Biswas
- Laboratory of Transcription Biology, Molecular Genetics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 32, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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34
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Tullius TW, Isaac RS, Ranchalis J, Dubocanin D, Churchman LS, Stergachis AB. RNA polymerases reshape chromatin and coordinate transcription on individual fibers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.22.573133. [PMID: 38187631 PMCID: PMC10769320 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.22.573133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
During eukaryotic transcription, RNA polymerases must initiate and pause within a crowded, complex environment, surrounded by nucleosomes and other transcriptional activity. This environment creates a spatial arrangement along individual chromatin fibers ripe for both competition and coordination, yet these relationships remain largely unknown owing to the inherent limitations of traditional structural and sequencing methodologies. To address these limitations, we employed long-read chromatin fiber sequencing (Fiber-seq) to visualize RNA polymerases within their native chromatin context at single-molecule and near single-nucleotide resolution along up to 30 kb fibers. We demonstrate that Fiber-seq enables the identification of single-molecule RNA Polymerase (Pol) II and III transcription associated footprints, which, in aggregate, mirror bulk short-read sequencing-based measurements of transcription. We show that Pol II pausing destabilizes downstream nucleosomes, with frequently paused genes maintaining a short-term memory of these destabilized nucleosomes. Furthermore, we demonstrate pervasive direct coordination and anti-coordination between nearby Pol II genes, Pol III genes, transcribed enhancers, and insulator elements. This coordination is largely limited to spatially organized elements within 5 kb of each other, implicating short-range chromatin environments as a predominant determinant of coordinated polymerase initiation. Overall, transcription initiation reshapes surrounding nucleosome architecture and coordinates nearby transcriptional machinery along individual chromatin fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W Tullius
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - R Stefan Isaac
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jane Ranchalis
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Danilo Dubocanin
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - L Stirling Churchman
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Andrew B Stergachis
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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35
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Chen X, Liu W, Wang Q, Wang X, Ren Y, Qu X, Li W, Xu Y. Structural visualization of transcription initiation in action. Science 2023; 382:eadi5120. [PMID: 38127763 DOI: 10.1126/science.adi5120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Transcription initiation is a complex process, and its mechanism is incompletely understood. We determined the structures of de novo transcribing complexes TC2 to TC17 with RNA polymerase II halted on G-less promoters when nascent RNAs reach 2 to 17 nucleotides in length, respectively. Connecting these structures generated a movie and a working model. As initially synthesized RNA grows, general transcription factors (GTFs) remain bound to the promoter and the transcription bubble expands. Nucleoside triphosphate (NTP)-driven RNA-DNA translocation and template-strand accumulation in a nearly sealed channel may promote the transition from initially transcribing complexes (ITCs) (TC2 to TC9) to early elongation complexes (EECs) (TC10 to TC17). Our study shows dynamic processes of transcription initiation and reveals why ITCs require GTFs and bubble expansion for initial RNA synthesis, whereas EECs need GTF dissociation from the promoter and bubble collapse for promoter escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xizi Chen
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- The International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, China, Department of Systems Biology for Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Weida Liu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qianmin Wang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xinxin Wang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yulei Ren
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xuechun Qu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wanjun Li
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yanhui Xu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- The International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, China, Department of Systems Biology for Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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36
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Bunch H, Kim D, Naganuma M, Nakagawa R, Cong A, Jeong J, Ehara H, Vu H, Chang JH, Schellenberg MJ, Sekine SI. ERK2-topoisomerase II regulatory axis is important for gene activation in immediate early genes. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8341. [PMID: 38097570 PMCID: PMC10721843 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44089-y] [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: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The function of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway is required for the activation of immediate early genes (IEGs), including EGR1 and FOS, for cell growth and proliferation. Recent studies have identified topoisomerase II (TOP2) as one of the important regulators of the transcriptional activation of IEGs. However, the mechanism underlying transcriptional regulation involving TOP2 in IEG activation has remained unknown. Here, we demonstrate that ERK2, but not ERK1, is important for IEG transcriptional activation and report a critical ELK1 binding sequence for ERK2 function at the EGR1 gene. Our data indicate that both ERK1 and ERK2 extensively phosphorylate the C-terminal domain of TOP2B at mutual and distinctive residues. Although both ERK1 and ERK2 enhance the catalytic rate of TOP2B required to relax positive DNA supercoiling, ERK2 delays TOP2B catalysis of negative DNA supercoiling. In addition, ERK1 may relax DNA supercoiling by itself. ERK2 catalytic inhibition or knock-down interferes with transcription and deregulates TOP2B in IEGs. Furthermore, we present the first cryo-EM structure of the human cell-purified TOP2B and etoposide together with the EGR1 transcriptional start site (-30 to +20) that has the strongest affinity to TOP2B within -423 to +332. The structure shows TOP2B-mediated breakage and dramatic bending of the DNA. Transcription is activated by etoposide, while it is inhibited by ICRF193 at EGR1 and FOS, suggesting that TOP2B-mediated DNA break to favor transcriptional activation. Taken together, this study suggests that activated ERK2 phosphorylates TOP2B to regulate TOP2-DNA interactions and favor transcriptional activation in IEGs. We propose that TOP2B association, catalysis, and dissociation on its substrate DNA are important processes for regulating transcription and that ERK2-mediated TOP2B phosphorylation may be key for the catalysis and dissociation steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heeyoun Bunch
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea.
- School of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea.
| | - Deukyeong Kim
- School of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Masahiro Naganuma
- Laboratory for Transcription Structural Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Reiko Nakagawa
- RIKEN BDR Laboratory for Phyloinformatics, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Anh Cong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Jaehyeon Jeong
- Department of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Haruhiko Ehara
- Laboratory for Transcription Structural Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Hongha Vu
- Department of Biology Education, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Ho Chang
- Department of Biology Education, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Matthew J Schellenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Shun-Ichi Sekine
- Laboratory for Transcription Structural Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
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37
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Chen Y, Kokic G, Dienemann C, Dybkov O, Urlaub H, Cramer P. Structure of the transcribing RNA polymerase II-Elongin complex. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023; 30:1925-1935. [PMID: 37932450 PMCID: PMC10716050 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01138-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Elongin is a heterotrimeric elongation factor for RNA polymerase (Pol) II transcription that is conserved among metazoa. Here, we report three cryo-EM structures of human Elongin bound to transcribing Pol II. The structures show that Elongin subunit ELOA binds the RPB2 side of Pol II and anchors the ELOB-ELOC subunit heterodimer. ELOA contains a 'latch' that binds between the end of the Pol II bridge helix and funnel helices, thereby inducing a conformational change near the polymerase active center. The latch is required for the elongation-stimulatory activity of Elongin, but not for Pol II binding, indicating that Elongin functions by allosterically regulating the conformational mobility of the polymerase active center. Elongin binding to Pol II is incompatible with association of the super elongation complex, PAF1 complex and RTF1, which also contain an elongation-stimulatory latch element.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Chen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Goran Kokic
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christian Dienemann
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Olexandr Dybkov
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Bioanalytics Group, Göttingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence 'Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells' (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Patrick Cramer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.
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38
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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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39
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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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40
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Dhahri H, Fondufe-Mittendorf YN. Exploring the interplay between PARP1 and circRNA biogenesis and function. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 15:e1823. [PMID: 37957925 PMCID: PMC11089078 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
PARP1 (poly-ADP-ribose polymerase 1) is a multidomain protein with a flexible and self-folding structure that allows it to interact with a wide range of biomolecules, including nucleic acids and target proteins. PARP1 interacts with its target molecules either covalently via PARylation or non-covalently through its PAR moieties induced by auto-PARylation. These diverse interactions allow PARP1 to participate in complex regulatory circuits and cellular functions. Although the most studied PARP1-mediated functions are associated with DNA repair and cellular stress response, subsequent discoveries have revealed additional biological functions. Based on these findings, PARP1 is now recognized as a major modulator of gene expression. Several discoveries show that this multifunctional protein has been intimately connected to several steps of mRNA biogenesis, from transcription initiation to mRNA splicing, polyadenylation, export, and translation of mRNA to proteins. Nevertheless, our understanding of PARP1's involvement in the biogenesis of both coding and noncoding RNA, notably circular RNA (circRNA), remains restricted. In this review, we outline the possible roles of PARP1 in circRNA biogenesis. A full examination of the regulatory roles of PARP1 in nuclear processes with an emphasis on circRNA may reveal new avenues to control dysregulation implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders and cancers. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Interactions: Functional Implications Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hejer Dhahri
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
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41
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Wang Z, Himanen SV, Haikala HM, Friedel CC, Vihervaara A, Barborič M. Inhibition of CDK12 elevates cancer cell dependence on P-TEFb by stimulation of RNA polymerase II pause release. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:10970-10991. [PMID: 37811895 PMCID: PMC10639066 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad792] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
P-TEFb and CDK12 facilitate transcriptional elongation by RNA polymerase II. Given the prominence of both kinases in cancer, gaining a better understanding of their interplay could inform the design of novel anti-cancer strategies. While down-regulation of DNA repair genes in CDK12-targeted cancer cells is being explored therapeutically, little is known about mechanisms and significance of transcriptional induction upon inhibition of CDK12. We show that selective targeting of CDK12 in colon cancer-derived cells activates P-TEFb via its release from the inhibitory 7SK snRNP. In turn, P-TEFb stimulates Pol II pause release at thousands of genes, most of which become newly dependent on P-TEFb. Amongst the induced genes are those stimulated by hallmark pathways in cancer, including p53 and NF-κB. Consequently, CDK12-inhibited cancer cells exhibit hypersensitivity to inhibitors of P-TEFb. While blocking P-TEFb triggers their apoptosis in a p53-dependent manner, it impedes cell proliferation irrespective of p53 by preventing induction of genes downstream of the DNA damage-induced NF-κB signaling. In summary, stimulation of Pol II pause release at the signal-responsive genes underlies the functional dependence of CDK12-inhibited cancer cells on P-TEFb. Our study establishes the mechanistic underpinning for combinatorial targeting of CDK12 with either P-TEFb or the induced oncogenic pathways in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijia Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00014, Finland
| | - Samu V Himanen
- Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Heidi M Haikala
- Translational Immunology Research Program (TRIMM), Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00014, Finland
- iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00014, Finland
| | - Caroline C Friedel
- Institute of Informatics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 80333 Munich, Germany
| | - Anniina Vihervaara
- Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matjaž Barborič
- Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00014, Finland
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42
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Vihervaara A, Versluis P, Himanen SV, Lis JT. PRO-IP-seq tracks molecular modifications of engaged Pol II complexes at nucleotide resolution. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7039. [PMID: 37923726 PMCID: PMC10624850 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42715-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) is a multi-subunit complex that undergoes covalent modifications as transcription proceeds through genes and enhancers. Rate-limiting steps of transcription control Pol II recruitment, site and degree of initiation, pausing duration, productive elongation, nascent transcript processing, transcription termination, and Pol II recycling. Here, we develop Precision Run-On coupled to Immuno-Precipitation sequencing (PRO-IP-seq), which double-selects nascent RNAs and transcription complexes, and track phosphorylation of Pol II C-terminal domain (CTD) at nucleotide-resolution. We uncover precise positional control of Pol II CTD phosphorylation as transcription proceeds from the initiating nucleotide (+1 nt), through early (+18 to +30 nt) and late (+31 to +60 nt) promoter-proximal pause, and into productive elongation. Pol II CTD is predominantly unphosphorylated from initiation until the early pause-region, whereas serine-2- and serine-5-phosphorylations are preferentially deposited in the later pause-region. Upon pause-release, serine-7-phosphorylation rapidly increases and dominates over the region where Pol II assembles elongation factors and accelerates to its full elongational speed. Interestingly, tracking CTD modifications upon heat-induced transcriptional reprogramming demonstrates that Pol II with phosphorylated CTD remains paused on thousands of heat-repressed genes. These results uncover dynamic Pol II regulation at rate-limiting steps of transcription and provide a nucleotide-resolution technique for tracking composition of engaged transcription complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anniina Vihervaara
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Gene Technology, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - Philip Versluis
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Samu V Himanen
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Gene Technology, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - John T Lis
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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43
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Pan H, Cheng X, Rodríguez PFG, Zhang X, Chung I, Jin VX, Li W, Hu Y, Li R. An essential signaling function of cytoplasmic NELFB is independent of RNA polymerase II pausing. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105259. [PMID: 37717699 PMCID: PMC10591015 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105259] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The four-subunit negative elongation factor (NELF) complex mediates RNA polymerase II (Pol II) pausing at promoter-proximal regions. Ablation of individual NELF subunits destabilizes the NELF complex and causes cell lethality, leading to the prevailing concept that NELF-mediated Pol II pausing is essential for cell proliferation. Using separation-of-function mutations, we show here that NELFB function in cell proliferation can be uncoupled from that in Pol II pausing. NELFB mutants sequestered in the cytoplasm and deprived of NELF nuclear function still support cell proliferation and part of the NELFB-dependent transcriptome. Mechanistically, cytoplasmic NELFB physically and functionally interacts with prosurvival signaling kinases, most notably phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/AKT. Ectopic expression of membrane-tethered phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/AKT partially bypasses the role of NELFB in cell proliferation, but not Pol II occupancy. Together, these data expand the current understanding of the physiological impact of Pol II pausing and underscore the multiplicity of the biological functions of individual NELF subunits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haihui Pan
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
| | - Xiaolong Cheng
- Department of Genomics & Precision Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Pedro Felipe Gardeazábal Rodríguez
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Xiaowen Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Inhee Chung
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Victor X Jin
- Institute of Health Equity and Cancer Center, The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Genomics & Precision Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Yanfen Hu
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Rong Li
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
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44
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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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45
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Miller CLW, Warner JL, Winston F. Insights into Spt6: a histone chaperone that functions in transcription, DNA replication, and genome stability. Trends Genet 2023; 39:858-872. [PMID: 37481442 PMCID: PMC10592469 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Transcription elongation requires elaborate coordination between the transcriptional machinery and chromatin regulatory factors to successfully produce RNA while preserving the epigenetic landscape. Recent structural and genomic studies have highlighted that suppressor of Ty 6 (Spt6), a conserved histone chaperone and transcription elongation factor, sits at the crux of the transcription elongation process. Other recent studies have revealed that Spt6 also promotes DNA replication and genome integrity. Here, we review recent studies of Spt6 that have provided new insights into the mechanisms by which Spt6 controls transcription and have revealed the breadth of Spt6 functions in eukaryotic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine L W Miller
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Laboratory of Genome Maintenance, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - James L Warner
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Fred Winston
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Cao Y, Qin Y, Zhang W, Tian W, Ren Y, Ren J, Wang J, Wang M, Jiang J, Wang Z. Structural basis of the human negative elongation factor NELF-B/C/E ternary complex. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 677:155-161. [PMID: 37591184 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.08.019] [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: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Negative elongation factor (NELF) is a four-subunit transcription elongation factor that mainly functions in maintaining the paused state of RNA polymerase II in eukaryotes. Upon binding to Pol II, NELF works synergistically with DRB sensitivity-inducing factor (DSIF) and inhibits transcription elongation of Pol II, which subsequently retains a stably paused state 20-60 base pairs downstream of the promoter. The promoter-proximal pausing of Pol II caused by NELF is a general mechanism of transcriptional regulation for most signal-responsive genes. To date, structural studies have significantly advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of NELF. However, a high quality structural model clarifying the interaction details of this complex is still lacking. In this study, we solved the high resolution crystal structure of the NELF-B/C/E ternary complex. We observed detailed interactions between subunits and identified residues important for the association between NELF-B and NELF-E. Our work presents a precise model of the NELF complex, which will facilitate our understanding of its in vivo function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghua Cao
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yan Qin
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Weidi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Wei Tian
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yanpeng Ren
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Jiahao Ren
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Junmeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Junyi Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Zhanxin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Avenue, Beijing, 100875, China.
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Gilan O, Talarmain L, Bell CC, Neville D, Knezevic K, Ferguson DT, Boudes M, Chan YC, Davidovich C, Lam EYN, Dawson MA. CRISPR-ChIP reveals selective regulation of H3K79me2 by Menin in MLL leukemia. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023; 30:1592-1606. [PMID: 37679565 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01087-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Chromatin regulation involves the selective recruitment of chromatin factors to facilitate DNA repair, replication and transcription. Here we demonstrate the utility of coupling unbiased functional genomics with chromatin immunoprecipitation (CRISPR-ChIP) to identify the factors associated with active chromatin modifications in mammalian cells. Specifically, an integrated reporter containing a cis-regulatory element of interest and a single guide RNA provide a chromatinized template for a direct readout for regulators of histone modifications associated with actively transcribed genes such as H3K4me3 and H3K79me2. With CRISPR-ChIP, we identify all the nonredundant COMPASS complex members required for H3K4me3 and demonstrate that RNA polymerase II is dispensable for the maintenance of H3K4me3. As H3K79me2 has a putative oncogenic function in leukemia cells driven by MLL translocations, using CRISPR-ChIP we reveal a functional partitioning of H3K79 methylation into two distinct regulatory units: an oncogenic DOT1L complex directed by the MLL fusion protein in a Menin-dependent manner and a separate endogenous DOT1L complex, where catalytic activity is directed by MLLT10. Overall, CRISPR-ChIP provides a powerful tool for the unbiased interrogation of the mechanisms underpinning chromatin regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer Gilan
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Laure Talarmain
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Charles C Bell
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Daniel Neville
- Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kathy Knezevic
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Daniel T Ferguson
- Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marion Boudes
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yih-Chih Chan
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chen Davidovich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- EMBL-Australia, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Enid Y N Lam
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark A Dawson
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Department of Clinical Haematology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre & Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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48
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Farnung L. Nucleosomes unwrapped: Structural perspectives on transcription through chromatin. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 82:102690. [PMID: 37633188 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Transcription of most protein-coding genes requires the passage of RNA polymerase II through chromatin. Chromatin with its fundamental unit, the nucleosome, represents a barrier to transcription. How RNA polymerase II and associated factors traverse through nucleosomes and how chromatin architecture is maintained have remained largely enigmatic. Only recently, cryo-EM structures have visualized the transcription process through chromatin. These structures have elucidated how transcription initiation and transcription elongation influence and are influenced by a chromatinized DNA substrate. This review provides a summary of our current structural understanding of transcription through chromatin, highlighting common mechanisms during nucleosomal traversal and novel regulatory mechanisms that have emerged in the last five years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Farnung
- Department of Cell Biology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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49
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Yang DL, Huang K, Deng D, Zeng Y, Wang Z, Zhang Y. DNA-dependent RNA polymerases in plants. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:3641-3661. [PMID: 37453082 PMCID: PMC10533338 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
DNA-dependent RNA polymerases (Pols) transfer the genetic information stored in genomic DNA to RNA in all organisms. In eukaryotes, the typical products of nuclear Pol I, Pol II, and Pol III are ribosomal RNAs, mRNAs, and transfer RNAs, respectively. Intriguingly, plants possess two additional Pols, Pol IV and Pol V, which produce small RNAs and long noncoding RNAs, respectively, mainly for silencing transposable elements. The five plant Pols share some subunits, but their distinct functions stem from unique subunits that interact with specific regulatory factors in their transcription cycles. Here, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of plant nucleus-localized Pols, including their evolution, function, structures, and transcription cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Lei Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Kun Huang
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Deyin Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Lin’an, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Yuan Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhenxing Wang
- College of Horticulture, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
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50
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Damour A, Slaninova V, Radulescu O, Bertrand E, Basyuk E. Transcriptional Stochasticity as a Key Aspect of HIV-1 Latency. Viruses 2023; 15:1969. [PMID: 37766375 PMCID: PMC10535884 DOI: 10.3390/v15091969] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This review summarizes current advances in the role of transcriptional stochasticity in HIV-1 latency, which were possible in a large part due to the development of single-cell approaches. HIV-1 transcription proceeds in bursts of RNA production, which stem from the stochastic switching of the viral promoter between ON and OFF states. This switching is caused by random binding dynamics of transcription factors and nucleosomes to the viral promoter and occurs at several time scales from minutes to hours. Transcriptional bursts are mainly controlled by the core transcription factors TBP, SP1 and NF-κb, the chromatin status of the viral promoter and RNA polymerase II pausing. In particular, spontaneous variability in the promoter chromatin creates heterogeneity in the response to activators such as TNF-α, which is then amplified by the Tat feedback loop to generate high and low viral transcriptional states. This phenomenon is likely at the basis of the partial and stochastic response of latent T cells from HIV-1 patients to latency-reversing agents, which is a barrier for the development of shock-and-kill strategies of viral eradication. A detailed understanding of the transcriptional stochasticity of HIV-1 and the possibility to precisely model this phenomenon will be important assets to develop more effective therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia Damour
- MFP UMR 5234 CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France;
| | - Vera Slaninova
- IGH UMR 9002 CNRS, Université de Montpellier, 34094 Montpellier, France;
| | - Ovidiu Radulescu
- LPHI, UMR 5294 CNRS, University of Montpellier, 34095 Montpellier, France;
| | - Edouard Bertrand
- IGH UMR 9002 CNRS, Université de Montpellier, 34094 Montpellier, France;
| | - Eugenia Basyuk
- MFP UMR 5234 CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France;
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