Regulation of RNA polymerase II termination by phosphorylation of Gdown1

Mechanisms of RNA Polymerase II termination at the 3'-end of genes

RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is responsible for the synthesis of a diverse set of RNA molecules, including protein-coding messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and many short non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). For this purpose, RNAPII relies on a multitude of factors that regulate the transcription cycle, from initiation and promoter-proximal pausing, through elongation and finally termination. RNAPII transcription termination at the end of genes ensures the release of RNAPII from the DNA template and its efficient recycling for further rounds of transcription. Termination of RNAPII is tightly coupled to 3'-end mRNA processing, which constitutes an important trigger for the subsequent transcription termination event. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of RNAPII termination mechanisms, focusing on 'canonical' termination at the 3'-end of genes. We also integrate the allosteric and 'torpedo' models into a unified model of termination, and describe the different termination factors that have been identified to date, paying special attention to the human factors and their mechanism of action at the molecular level. Indeed, in recent years the development of novel approaches in structural biology, biochemistry and cell biology have together led to a more detailed comprehension of the different mechanisms of RNAPII termination, and a better understanding of their importance in regulating gene expression, especially under cellular stress and pathological situations.

MED26-containing Mediator may orchestrate multiple transcription processes through organization of nuclear bodies

Mediator is a coregulatory complex that plays essential roles in multiple processes of transcription regulation. One of the human Mediator subunits, MED26, has a role in recruitment of the super elongation complex (SEC) to polyadenylated genes and little elongation complex (LEC) to non-polyadenylated genes, including small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) and replication-dependent histone (RDH) genes. MED26-containing Mediator plays a role in 3' Pol II pausing at the proximal region of transcript end sites in RDH genes through recruitment of Cajal bodies (CBs) to histone locus bodies (HLBs). This finding suggests that Mediator is involved in the association of CBs with HLBs to facilitate 3' Pol II pausing and subsequent 3'-end processing by supplying 3'-end processing factors from CBs. Thus, we argue the possibility that Mediator is involved in the organization of nuclear bodies to orchestrate multiple processes of gene transcription.

Maintaining soluble protein homeostasis between nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments across mitosis

The nuclear envelope (NE) is central to the architecture of eukaryotic cells, both as a physical barrier separating the nucleus from the cytoplasm and as gatekeeper of selective transport between them. However, in open mitosis, the NE fragments to allow for spindle formation and segregation of chromosomes, resulting in intermixing of nuclear and cytoplasmic soluble fractions. Recent studies have shed new light on the mechanisms driving reinstatement of soluble proteome homeostasis following NE reformation in daughter cells. Here, we provide an overview of how mitotic cells confront this challenge to ensure continuity of basic cellular functions across generations and elaborate on the implications for the proteasome - a macromolecular machine that functions in both cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments.

Maintaining Transcriptional Specificity Through Mitosis

Virtually all cell types have the same DNA, yet each type exhibits its own cell-specific pattern of gene expression. During the brief period of mitosis, the chromosomes exhibit changes in protein composition and modifications, a marked condensation, and a consequent reduction in transcription. Yet as cells exit mitosis, they reactivate their cell-specific programs with high fidelity. Initially, the field focused on the subset of transcription factors that are selectively retained in, and hence bookmark, chromatin in mitosis. However, recent studies show that many transcription factors can be retained in mitotic chromatin and that, surprisingly, such retention can be due to nonspecific chromatin binding. Here, we review the latest studies focusing on low-level transcription via promoters, rather than enhancers, as contributing to mitotic memory, as well as new insights into chromosome structure dynamics, histone modifications, cell cycle signaling, and nuclear envelope proteins that together ensure the fidelity of gene expression through a round of mitosis.

The 3' Pol II pausing at replication-dependent histone genes is regulated by Mediator through Cajal bodies' association with histone locus bodies

Non-polyadenylated mRNAs of replication-dependent histones (RDHs) are synthesized by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) at histone locus bodies (HLBs). HLBs frequently associate with Cajal bodies (CBs), in which 3'-end processing factors for RDH genes are enriched; however, this association's role in transcription termination of RDH genes remains unclear. Here, we show that Pol II pauses immediately upstream of transcript end sites of RDH genes and Mediator plays a role in this Pol II pausing through CBs' association with HLBs. Disruption of the Mediator docking site for Little elongation complex (LEC)-Cap binding complex (CBC)-Negative elongation factor (NELF), components of CBs, interferes with CBs' association with HLBs and 3' Pol II pausing, resulting in increased aberrant unprocessed RDH gene transcripts. Our findings suggest Mediator's involvement in CBs' association with HLBs to facilitate 3' Pol II pausing and subsequent 3'-end processing of RDH genes by supplying 3'-end processing factors.

RPAP2 regulates a transcription initiation checkpoint by inhibiting assembly of pre-initiation complex

RNA polymerase II (Pol II)-mediated transcription in metazoans requires precise regulation. RNA Pol II-associated protein 2 (RPAP2) was previously identified to transport Pol II from cytoplasm to nucleus and dephosphorylates Pol II C-terminal domain (CTD). Here, we show that RPAP2 binds hypo-/hyper-phosphorylated Pol II with undetectable phosphatase activity. The structure of RPAP2-Pol II shows mutually exclusive assembly of RPAP2-Pol II and pre-initiation complex (PIC) due to three steric clashes. RPAP2 prevents and disrupts Pol II-TFIIF interaction and impairs in vitro transcription initiation, suggesting a function in inhibiting PIC assembly. Loss of RPAP2 in cells leads to global accumulation of TFIIF and Pol II at promoters, indicating a critical role of RPAP2 in inhibiting PIC assembly independent of its putative phosphatase activity. Our study indicates that RPAP2 functions as a gatekeeper to inhibit PIC assembly and transcription initiation and suggests a transcription checkpoint.

The tumor suppressor MIR139 is silenced by POLR2M to promote AML oncogenesis

MIR139 is a tumor suppressor and is commonly silenced in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the tumor-suppressing activities of miR-139 and molecular mechanisms of MIR139-silencing remain largely unknown. Here, we studied the poorly prognostic MLL-AF9 fusion protein-expressing AML. We show that MLL-AF9 expression in hematopoietic precursors caused epigenetic silencing of MIR139, whereas overexpression of MIR139 inhibited in vitro and in vivo AML outgrowth. We identified novel miR-139 targets that mediate the tumor-suppressing activities of miR-139 in MLL-AF9 AML. We revealed that two enhancer regions control MIR139 expression and found that the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) downstream of MLL-AF9 epigenetically silenced MIR139 in AML. Finally, a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screen revealed RNA Polymerase 2 Subunit M (POLR2M) as a novel MIR139-regulatory factor. Our findings elucidate the molecular control of tumor suppressor MIR139 and reveal a role for POLR2M in the MIR139-silencing mechanism, downstream of MLL-AF9 and PRC2 in AML. In addition, we confirmed these findings in human AML cell lines with different oncogenic aberrations, suggesting that this is a more common oncogenic mechanism in AML. Our results may pave the way for new targeted therapy in AML.

Nuclear export restricts Gdown1 to a mitotic function

Approximately half of purified mammalian RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is associated with a tightly interacting sub-stoichiometric subunit, Gdown1. Previous studies have established that Gdown1 inhibits transcription initiation through competitive interactions with general transcription factors and blocks the Pol II termination activity of transcription termination factor 2 (TTF2). However, the biological functions of Gdown1 remain poorly understood. Here, we utilized genetic, microscopic, and multi-omics approaches to functionally characterize Gdown1 in three human cell lines. Acute depletion of Gdown1 caused minimal direct effects on transcription. We show that Gdown1 resides predominantly in the cytoplasm of interphase cells, shuttles between the cytoplasm and nucleus, and is regulated by nuclear export. Gdown1 enters the nucleus at the onset of mitosis. Consistently, genetic ablation of Gdown1 is associated with partial de-repression of mitotic transcription, and Gdown1 KO cells present with evidence of aberrant mitoses coupled to p53 pathway activation. Evidence is presented demonstrating that Gdown1 modulates the combined functions of purified productive elongation factors PAF1C, RTF1, SPT6, DSIF and P-TEFb in vitro. Collectively, our findings support a model wherein the Pol II-regulatory function of Gdown1 occurs during mitosis and is required for genome integrity.

Reconstitution of Pol II (G) responsive form of the human Mediator complex

RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is a 12 subunit protein complex from yeast to human that is required for gene expression. Gdown1 containing Pol II [Pol II (G)] is a special form of Pol II that is catalytically inactive and heavily depends on the 30-subunit Mediator complex for its activator and basal dependent function in vitro. Here we report for the first time, the identification and the generation of a 15-subunit human Mediator complex via the novel multibac baculovirus expression system that is fully responsive to Pol II (G). Our results show complete recovery of Pol II (G) dependent transcription both with full 30-subunit Mediator and also with 15-subunit recombinant Mediator that we synthesized. Moreover, we also show that the recombinant Mediator interacts with Pol II (G) as well. These results enlighten us towards understanding how a certain population of Pol II that is involved in selected gene regulation is activated by Mediator complex.

Functional interaction of human Ssu72 with RNA polymerase II complexes

Phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the large subunit of human RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is regulated during the transcription cycle by the combined action of specific kinases and phosphatases. Pol II enters into the preinitiation complex (PIC) unphosphorylated, but is quickly phosphorylated by Cdk7 during initiation. How phosphatases alter the pattern and extent of CTD phosphorylation at this early stage of transcription is not clear. We previously demonstrated the functional association of an early-acting, magnesium-independent phosphatase with early elongation complexes. Here we show that Ssu72 is responsible for that activity. We found that the phosphatase enters the transcription cycle during the formation of PICs and that Ssu72 is physically associated with very early elongation complexes. The association of Ssu72 with elongation complexes was stable to extensive washing with up to 200 mM KCl. Interestingly, Ssu72 ceased to function on complexes that contained RNA longer than 28 nt. However, when PICs were washed before initiation, the strict cutoff at 28 nt was lost. This suggests that factor(s) are important for the specific regulation of Ssu72 function during the transition between initiation and pausing. Overall, our results demonstrate when Ssu72 can act on early transcription complexes and suggest that Ssu72 may also function in the PIC prior to initiation.

A changing paradigm of transcriptional memory propagation through mitosis

The highly reproducible inheritance of chromosomes during mitosis in mammalian cells involves nuclear envelope breakdown, increased chromatin compaction, loss of long-range intrachromosomal interactions, loss of enhancer-promoter proximity, displacement of many transcription regulators from the chromatin and a marked decrease in RNA synthesis. Despite these dramatic changes in the mother cell, daughter cells are able to faithfully re-establish the parental chromatin and gene expression features characteristic of the cell type. Pioneering studies of mitotic chromatin signatures showed that despite global repression of transcription, the Hsp70 gene promoter retains an open chromatin conformation, which was proposed to allow the reactivation of the Hsp70 gene upon completion of mitosis - a phenomenon termed mitotic bookmarking. It was later shown that various cell-type-specific transcription factors, such as GATA-binding factor 1 (GATA1) in erythroblasts and forkhead box protein A1 (FOXA1) in hepatocytes, remain bound at a subset of their interphase binding sites in mitosis. Such bookmarking transcription factors remain on chromosomes in mitosis and have been shown to enable a subset of genes to be reactivated in a timely fashion upon mitotic exit. In addition, sensitive new methods to measure transcription revealed that mitotic cells retain residual transcription at a large number of genes. Furthermore, genes recover their interphase level of transcription in distinct waves. Thus, gene expression is precisely regulated as cells pass through mitosis to ensure faithful propagation of cell identity and function through cellular generations.

Application of the SSB biosensor to study in vitro transcription

Gene expression, catalysed by RNA polymerases (RNAP), is one of the most fundamental processes in living cells. The majority of methods to quantify mRNA are based upon purification of the nucleic acid which leads to experimental inaccuracies and loss of product, or use of high cost dyes and sensitive spectrophotometers. Here, we describe the use of a fluorescent biosensor based upon the single stranded binding (SSB) protein. In this study, the SSB biosensor showed similar binding properties to mRNA, to that of its native substrate, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). We found the biosensor to be reproducible with no associated loss of product through purification, or the requirement for expensive dyes. Therefore, we propose that the SSB biosensor is a useful tool for comparative measurement of mRNA yield following in vitro transcription.

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Single-stranded binding protein can bind mRNA similar to single-stranded DNA.

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The biosensor MDCC-SSB can be used to quantify mRNA yield from in vitro transcription.

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Myosin VI motor activity is required for in vitro and in vivo transcription.

Birth and Death of Histone mRNAs

In metazoans, histone mRNAs are not polyadenylated but end in a conserved stem-loop. Stem-loop binding protein (SLBP) binds to the stem-loop and is required for all steps in histone mRNA metabolism. The genes for the five histone proteins are linked. A histone locus body (HLB) forms at each histone gene locus. It contains factors essential for transcription and processing of histone mRNAs, and couples transcription and processing. The active form of U7 snRNP contains the HLB component FLASH (FLICE-associated huge protein), the histone cleavage complex (HCC), and a subset of polyadenylation factors including the endonuclease CPSF73. Histone mRNAs are rapidly degraded when DNA replication is inhibited by a 3' to 5' pathway that requires extensive uridylation of mRNA decay intermediates.

Factor-dependent archaeal transcription termination

RNA polymerase activity is regulated by nascent RNA sequences, DNA template sequences, and conserved transcription factors. Transcription factors promoting initiation and elongation have been characterized in each domain, but transcription termination factors have been identified only in bacteria and eukarya. Here we describe euryarchaeal termination activity (Eta), the first archaeal termination factor capable of disrupting the transcription elongation complex (TEC), detail the rate of and requirements for Eta-mediated transcription termination, and describe a role for Eta in transcription termination in vivo. Eta-mediated transcription termination is energy-dependent, requires upstream DNA sequences, and disrupts TECs to release the nascent RNA to solution. Deletion of TK0566 (encoding Eta) is possible, but results in slow growth and renders cells sensitive to DNA damaging agents. Our results suggest that the mechanisms used by termination factors in archaea, eukarya, and bacteria to disrupt the TEC may be conserved, and that Eta stimulates release of stalled or arrested TECs.

Gdown1 Associates Efficiently with RNA Polymerase II after Promoter Clearance and Displaces TFIIF during Transcript Elongation

Pausing during the earliest stage of transcript elongation by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is a nearly universal control point in metazoan gene expression. The substoichiometric Pol II subunit Gdown1 facilitates promoter proximal pausing in vitro in extract-based transcription reactions, out-competes the initiation/elongation factor TFIIF for binding to free Pol II and co-localizes with paused Pol II in vivo. However, we have shown that Gdown1 cannot functionally associate with the Pol II preinitiation complex (PIC), which contains TFIIF. In the present study, we determined at what point after initiation Gdown1 can associate with Pol II and how rapidly this competition with TFIIF occurs. We show that, as with the PIC, Gdown1 cannot functionally load into open complexes or complexes engaged in abortive synthesis of very short RNAs. Gdown1 can load into early elongation complexes (EECs) with 5–9 nt RNAs, but efficient association with EECs does not take place until the point at which the upstream segment of the long initial transcription bubble reanneals. Tests of EECs assembled on a series of promoter variants confirm that this bubble collapse transition, and not transcript length, modulates Gdown1 functional affinity. Gdown1 displaces TFIIF effectively from all complexes downstream of the collapse transition, but this displacement is surprisingly slow: complete loss of TFIIF stimulation of elongation requires 5 min of incubation with Gdown1. The relatively slow functional loading of Gdown1 in the presence of TFIIF suggests that Gdown1 works in promoter-proximal pausing by locking in the paused state after elongation is already antagonized by other factors, including DSIF, NELF and possibly the first downstream nucleosome.

Mitotic Transcriptional Activation: Clearance of Actively Engaged Pol II via Transcriptional Elongation Control in Mitosis

Although it is established that some general transcription factors are inactivated at mitosis, many details of mitotic transcription inhibition (MTI) and its underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. We have identified mitotic transcriptional activation (MTA) as a key regulatory step to control transcription in mitosis for genes with transcriptionally engaged RNA polymerase II (Pol II) to activate and transcribe until the end of the gene to clear Pol II from mitotic chromatin, followed by global impairment of transcription reinitiation through MTI. Global nascent RNA sequencing and RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization demonstrate the existence of transcriptionally engaged Pol II in early mitosis. Both genetic and chemical inhibition of P-TEFb in mitosis lead to delays in the progression of cell division. Together, our study reveals a mechanism for MTA and MTI whereby transcriptionally engaged Pol II can progress into productive elongation and finish transcription to allow proper cellular division.

RNA polymerase II pausing as a context-dependent reader of the genome

The RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcribes all mRNA genes in eukaryotes and is among the most highly regulated enzymes in the cell. The classic model of mRNA gene regulation involves recruitment of the RNA polymerase to gene promoters in response to environmental signals. Higher eukaryotes have an additional ability to generate multiple cell types. This extra level of regulation enables each cell to interpret the same genome by committing to one of the many possible transcription programs and executing it in a precise and robust manner. Whereas multiple mechanisms are implicated in cell type-specific transcriptional regulation, how one genome can give rise to distinct transcriptional programs and what mechanisms activate and maintain the appropriate program in each cell remains unclear. This review focuses on the process of promoter-proximal Pol II pausing during early transcription elongation as a key step in context-dependent interpretation of the metazoan genome. We highlight aspects of promoter-proximal Pol II pausing, including its interplay with epigenetic mechanisms, that may enable cell type-specific regulation, and emphasize some of the pertinent questions that remain unanswered and open for investigation.

Unraveling the mechanistic features of RNA polymerase II termination by the 5'-3' exoribonuclease Rat1

Within a complex with Rai1, the 5′-3′ exoribonuclease Rat1 promotes termination of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) on protein-coding genes, but its underlying molecular mechanism is still poorly understood. Using in vitro transcription termination assays, we have found that RNAPII is prone to more effective termination by Rat1/Rai1 when its catalytic site is disrupted due to NTP misincorporation, implying that paused RNAPII, which is often found in vivo near termination sites, could adopt a similar configuration to Rat1/Rai1 and trigger termination. Intriguingly, yeast Rat1/Rai1 does not terminate Escherichia coli RNAP, implying that a specific interaction between Rat1/Rai1 and RNAPII may be required for termination. Furthermore, the efficiency of termination increases as the RNA transcript undergoing degradation by Rat1 gets longer, which suggests that Rat1 may generate a driving force for dissociating RNAPII from the template while degrading the nascent transcripts to catch up to the polymerase. These results indicate that multiple mechanistic features contribute to Rat1-mediated termination of RNAPII.

Manipulating archaeal systems to permit analyses of transcription elongation-termination decisions in vitro

Transcription elongation by multisubunit RNA polymerases (RNAPs) is processive, but neither uniform nor continuous. Regulatory events during elongation include pausing, backtracking, arrest, and transcription termination, and it is critical to determine whether the absence of continued synthesis is transient or permanent. Here we describe mechanisms to generate large quantities of stable archaeal elongation complexes on a solid support to permit (1) single-round transcription, (2) walking of RNAP to any defined template position, and (3) discrimination of transcripts that are associated with RNAP from those that are released to solution. This methodology is based on untagged proteins transcribing biotin- and digoxigenin-labeled DNA templates in association with paramagnetic particles.