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Boulanger C, Haidara N, Yague-Sanz C, Larochelle M, Jacques PÉ, Hermand D, Bachand F. Repression of pervasive antisense transcription is the primary role of fission yeast RNA polymerase II CTD serine 2 phosphorylation. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:7572-7589. [PMID: 38801067 PMCID: PMC11260464 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae436] [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: 03/23/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The RNA polymerase II carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) consists of conserved heptapeptide repeats that can be phosphorylated to influence distinct stages of the transcription cycle, including RNA processing. Although CTD-associated proteins have been identified, phospho-dependent CTD interactions have remained elusive. Proximity-dependent biotinylation (PDB) has recently emerged as an alternative approach to identify protein-protein associations in the native cellular environment. In this study, we present a PDB-based map of the fission yeast RNAPII CTD interactome in living cells and identify phospho-dependent CTD interactions by using a mutant in which Ser2 was replaced by alanine in every repeat of the fission yeast CTD. This approach revealed that CTD Ser2 phosphorylation is critical for the association between RNAPII and the histone methyltransferase Set2 during transcription elongation, but is not required for 3' end processing and transcription termination. Accordingly, loss of CTD Ser2 phosphorylation causes a global increase in antisense transcription, correlating with elevated histone acetylation in gene bodies. Our findings reveal that the fundamental role of CTD Ser2 phosphorylation is to establish a chromatin-based repressive state that prevents cryptic intragenic transcription initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Boulanger
- RNA Group, Dept of Biochemistry & Functional Genomics, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Nouhou Haidara
- RNA Group, Dept of Biochemistry & Functional Genomics, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Carlo Yague-Sanz
- URPHYM-GEMO, The University of Namur, rue de Bruxelles, 61, Namur 5000, Belgium
| | - Marc Larochelle
- RNA Group, Dept of Biochemistry & Functional Genomics, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1E 4K8, Canada
| | | | - Damien Hermand
- URPHYM-GEMO, The University of Namur, rue de Bruxelles, 61, Namur 5000, Belgium
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Francois Bachand
- RNA Group, Dept of Biochemistry & Functional Genomics, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1E 4K8, Canada
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2
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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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3
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Zhou S, Zhao F, Zhu D, Zhang Q, Dai Z, Wu Z. Coupling of co-transcriptional splicing and 3' end Pol II pausing during termination in Arabidopsis. Genome Biol 2023; 24:206. [PMID: 37697420 PMCID: PMC10496290 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03050-4] [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: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Arabidopsis, RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) often pauses within a few hundred base pairs downstream of the polyadenylation site, reflecting efficient transcriptional termination, but how such pausing is regulated remains largely elusive. RESULT Here, we analyze Pol II dynamics at 3' ends by combining comprehensive experiments with mathematical modelling. We generate high-resolution serine 2 phosphorylated (Ser2P) Pol II positioning data specifically enriched at 3' ends and define a 3' end pause index (3'PI). The position but not the extent of the 3' end pause correlates with the termination window size. The 3'PI is not decreased but even mildly increased in the termination deficient mutant xrn3, indicating 3' end pause is a regulatory step early during the termination and before XRN3-mediated RNA decay that releases Pol II. Unexpectedly, 3'PI is closely associated with gene exon numbers and co-transcriptional splicing efficiency. Multiple exons genes often display stronger 3' end pauses and more efficient on-chromatin splicing than genes with fewer exons. Chemical inhibition of splicing strongly reduces the 3'PI and disrupts its correlation with exon numbers but does not globally impact 3' end readthrough levels. These results are further confirmed by fitting Pol II positioning data with a mathematical model, which enables the estimation of parameters that define Pol II dynamics. CONCLUSION Our work highlights that the number of exons via co-transcriptional splicing is a major determinant of Pol II pausing levels at the 3' end of genes in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sixian Zhou
- Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Fengli Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Danling Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Qiqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Ziwei Dai
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Zhe Wu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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4
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Kempen RP, Dabas P, Ansari AZ. The Phantom Mark: Enigmatic roles of phospho-Threonine 4 modification of the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 14:e1771. [PMID: 36606410 PMCID: PMC10323045 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) has an unusual carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD). This domain is composed of a tandemly repeating heptapeptide, Y1 S2 P3 T4 S5 P6 S7 , that has multiple roles in regulating Pol II function and processing newly synthesized RNA. Transient phosphorylation of Ser2 and Ser5 of the YS2 PTS5 PS repeat have well-defined roles in recruiting different protein complexes and coordinating sequential steps in gene transcription. As such, these phospho-marks encipher a molecular recognition code, colloquially termed the CTD code. In contrast, the contribution of phospho-Threonine 4 (pThr4/pT4) to the CTD code remains opaque and contentious. Fuelling the debate on the relevance of this mark to gene expression are the findings that replacing Thr4 with a valine or alanine has varied impact on cellular function in different species and independent proteomic analyses disagree on the relative abundance of pThr4 marks. Yet, substitution with negatively charged residues is lethal and even benign mutations selectively disrupt synthesis and 3' processing of distinct sets of coding and non-coding transcripts. Suggestive of non-canonical roles, pThr4 marked Pol II regulates distinct gene classes in a species- and signal-responsive manner. Hinting at undiscovered roles of this elusive mark, multiple signal-responsive kinases phosphorylate Thr4 at target genes. Here, we focus on this under-explored residue and postulate that the pThr4 mark is superimposed on the canonical CTD code to selectively regulate expression of targeted genes without perturbing genome-wide transcriptional processes. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > 3' End Processing RNA Processing > Processing of Small RNAs RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan P Kempen
- Department of Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Preeti Dabas
- Department of Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Aseem Z Ansari
- Department of Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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5
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Appel LM, Franke V, Bruno M, Grishkovskaya I, Kasiliauskaite A, Kaufmann T, Schoeberl UE, Puchinger MG, Kostrhon S, Ebenwaldner C, Sebesta M, Beltzung E, Mechtler K, Lin G, Vlasova A, Leeb M, Pavri R, Stark A, Akalin A, Stefl R, Bernecky C, Djinovic-Carugo K, Slade D. PHF3 regulates neuronal gene expression through the Pol II CTD reader domain SPOC. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6078. [PMID: 34667177 PMCID: PMC8526623 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26360-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The C-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is a regulatory hub for transcription and RNA processing. Here, we identify PHD-finger protein 3 (PHF3) as a regulator of transcription and mRNA stability that docks onto Pol II CTD through its SPOC domain. We characterize SPOC as a CTD reader domain that preferentially binds two phosphorylated Serine-2 marks in adjacent CTD repeats. PHF3 drives liquid-liquid phase separation of phosphorylated Pol II, colocalizes with Pol II clusters and tracks with Pol II across the length of genes. PHF3 knock-out or SPOC deletion in human cells results in increased Pol II stalling, reduced elongation rate and an increase in mRNA stability, with marked derepression of neuronal genes. Key neuronal genes are aberrantly expressed in Phf3 knock-out mouse embryonic stem cells, resulting in impaired neuronal differentiation. Our data suggest that PHF3 acts as a prominent effector of neuronal gene regulation by bridging transcription with mRNA decay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Marie Appel
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Vedran Franke
- The Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Melania Bruno
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Irina Grishkovskaya
- Department of Structural and Computational Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Aiste Kasiliauskaite
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tanja Kaufmann
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Ursula E Schoeberl
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin G Puchinger
- Department of Structural and Computational Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Sebastian Kostrhon
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Carmen Ebenwaldner
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Marek Sebesta
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Etienne Beltzung
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Karl Mechtler
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Gen Lin
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Vlasova
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Leeb
- Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Rushad Pavri
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Stark
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Altuna Akalin
- The Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Richard Stefl
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Carrie Bernecky
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), Am Campus 1, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Kristina Djinovic-Carugo
- Department of Structural and Computational Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Dea Slade
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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6
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Contractions of the C-Terminal Domain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rpb1p Are Mediated by Rad5p. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2020; 10:2543-2551. [PMID: 32467128 PMCID: PMC7341143 DOI: 10.1534/g3.120.401409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The C-terminal domain (CTD) is an essential domain of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, Rpb1p, and is composed of 26 tandem repeats of a seven-amino acid sequence, YSPTSPS. Despite being an essential domain within an essential gene, we have previously demonstrated that the CTD coding region is genetically unstable. Furthermore, yeast with a truncated or mutated CTD sequence are capable of promoting spontaneous genetic expansion or contraction of this coding region to improve fitness. We investigated the mechanism by which the CTD contracts using a tet-off reporter system for RPB1 to monitor genetic instability within the CTD coding region. We report that contractions require the post-replication repair factor Rad5p but, unlike expansions, not the homologous recombination factors Rad51p and Rad52p. Sequence analysis of contraction events reveals that deleted regions are flanked by microhomologies. We also find that G-quadruplex forming sequences predicted by the QGRS Mapper are enriched on the noncoding strand of the CTD compared to the body of RPB1. Formation of G-quadruplexes in the CTD coding region could block the replication fork, necessitating post-replication repair. We propose that contractions of the CTD result when microhomologies misalign during Rad5p-dependent template switching via fork reversal.
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7
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Shah N, Decker TM, Eick D. Extension of the minimal functional unit of the RNA polymerase II CTD from yeast to mammalian cells. Biol Lett 2019; 15:20190068. [PMID: 31088280 PMCID: PMC6548728 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) consists of 26 and 52 heptad-repeats in yeast and mammals, respectively. Studies in yeast showed that the strong periodicity of the YSPTSPS heptads is dispensable for cell growth and that di-heptads interspersed by spacers can act as minimal functional units (MFUs) to fulfil all essential CTD functions. Here, we show that the MFU of mammalian cells is significantly larger than in yeast and consists of penta-heptads. We further show that the distance between two MFUs is critical for the functions of mammalian CTD. Our study suggests that the general structure of the CTD remained largely unchanged in yeast and mammals; however, besides the number of heptad-repeats, also the length of the MFU significantly increased in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilay Shah
- 1 Department of Molecular Epigenetics, Helmholtz Center Munich, Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM) , Marchioninistrasse 25, 81377 Munich , Germany
| | - Tim-Michael Decker
- 1 Department of Molecular Epigenetics, Helmholtz Center Munich, Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM) , Marchioninistrasse 25, 81377 Munich , Germany.,2 Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado , Boulder, CO 80303 , USA
| | - Dirk Eick
- 1 Department of Molecular Epigenetics, Helmholtz Center Munich, Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM) , Marchioninistrasse 25, 81377 Munich , Germany
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8
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Lu F, Portz B, Gilmour DS. The C-Terminal Domain of RNA Polymerase II Is a Multivalent Targeting Sequence that Supports Drosophila Development with Only Consensus Heptads. Mol Cell 2019; 73:1232-1242.e4. [PMID: 30765194 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2019.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is composed of repeats of the consensus YSPTSPS and is an essential binding scaffold for transcription-associated factors. Metazoan CTDs have well-conserved lengths and sequence compositions arising from the evolution of divergent motifs, features thought to be essential for development. On the contrary, we show that a truncated CTD composed solely of YSPTSPS repeats supports Drosophila viability but that a CTD with enough YSPTSPS repeats to match the length of the wild-type Drosophila CTD is defective. Furthermore, a fluorescently tagged CTD lacking the rest of Pol II dynamically enters transcription compartments, indicating that the CTD functions as a signal sequence. However, CTDs with too many YSPTSPS repeats are more prone to localize to static nuclear foci separate from the chromosomes. We propose that the sequence complexity of the CTD offsets aberrant behavior caused by excessive repetitive sequences without compromising its targeting function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feiyue Lu
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Bede Portz
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - David S Gilmour
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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9
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Das A, Banday M, Fisher MA, Chang YJ, Rosenfeld J, Bellofatto V. An essential domain of an early-diverged RNA polymerase II functions to accurately decode a primitive chromatin landscape. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:7886-7896. [PMID: 28575287 PMCID: PMC5570084 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
A unique feature of RNA polymerase II (RNA pol II) is its long C-terminal extension, called the carboxy-terminal domain (CTD). The well-studied eukaryotes possess a tandemly repeated 7-amino-acid sequence, called the canonical CTD, which orchestrates various steps in mRNA synthesis. Many eukaryotes possess a CTD devoid of repeats, appropriately called a non-canonical CTD, which performs completely unknown functions. Trypanosoma brucei, the etiologic agent of African Sleeping Sickness, deploys an RNA pol II that contains a non-canonical CTD to accomplish an unusual transcriptional program; all protein-coding genes are transcribed as part of a polygenic precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) that is initiated within a several-kilobase-long region, called the transcription start site (TSS), which is upstream of the first protein-coding gene in the polygenic array. In this report, we show that the non-canonical CTD of T. brucei RNA pol II is important for normal protein-coding gene expression, likely directing RNA pol II to the TSSs within the genome. Our work reveals the presence of a primordial CTD code within eukarya and indicates that proper recognition of the chromatin landscape is a central function of this RNA pol II-distinguishing domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anish Das
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Mahrukh Banday
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.,The Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Michael A Fisher
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Yun-Juan Chang
- OIT/High Performance and Research Computing RBHS, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Jeffrey Rosenfeld
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
| | - Vivian Bellofatto
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.,The Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
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10
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Abstract
RNA polymerase II contains a long C-terminal domain (CTD) that regulates interactions at the site of transcription. The CTD architecture remains poorly understood due to its low sequence complexity, dynamic phosphorylation patterns, and structural variability. We used integrative structural biology to visualize the architecture of the CTD in complex with Rtt103, a 3'-end RNA-processing and transcription termination factor. Rtt103 forms homodimers via its long coiled-coil domain and associates densely on the repetitive sequence of the phosphorylated CTD via its N-terminal CTD-interacting domain. The CTD-Rtt103 association opens the compact random coil structure of the CTD, leading to a beads-on-a-string topology in which the long rod-shaped Rtt103 dimers define the topological and mobility restraints of the entire assembly. These findings underpin the importance of the structural plasticity of the CTD, which is templated by a particular set of CTD-binding proteins.
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11
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Yurko NM, Manley JL. The RNA polymerase II CTD "orphan" residues: Emerging insights into the functions of Tyr-1, Thr-4, and Ser-7. Transcription 2017; 9:30-40. [PMID: 28771071 DOI: 10.1080/21541264.2017.1338176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The C-terminal domain (CTD) of the RNA polymerase II largest subunit consists of a unique repeated heptad sequence of the consensus Tyr1-Ser2-Pro3-Thr4-Ser5-Pro6-Ser7. An important function of the CTD is to couple transcription with RNA processing reactions that occur during the initiation, elongation, and termination phases of transcription. During this transcription cycle, the CTD is subject to extensive modification, primarily phosphorylation, on its non-proline residues. Reversible phosphorylation of Ser2 and Ser5 is well known to play important and general functions during transcription in all eukaryotes. More recent studies have enhanced our understanding of Tyr1, Thr4, and Ser7, and what have been previously characterized as unknown or specialized functions for these residues has changed to a more fine-detailed map of transcriptional regulation that highlights similarities as well as significant differences between organisms. Here, we review recent findings on the function and modification of these three residues, which further illustrate the importance of the CTD in precisely modulating gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan M Yurko
- a Department of Biological Sciences , Columbia University , New York , NY , USA
| | - James L Manley
- a Department of Biological Sciences , Columbia University , New York , NY , USA
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12
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Different phosphoisoforms of RNA polymerase II engage the Rtt103 termination factor in a structurally analogous manner. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E3944-E3953. [PMID: 28465432 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1700128114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) orchestrates dynamic recruitment of specific cellular machines during different stages of transcription. Signature phosphorylation patterns of Y1S2P3T4S5P6S7 heptapeptide repeats of the CTD engage specific "readers." Whereas phospho-Ser5 and phospho-Ser2 marks are ubiquitous, phospho-Thr4 is reported to only impact specific genes. Here, we identify a role for phospho-Thr4 in transcription termination at noncoding small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA) genes. Quantitative proteomics reveals an interactome of known readers as well as protein complexes that were not known to rely on Thr4 for association with Pol II. The data indicate a key role for Thr4 in engaging the machinery used for transcription elongation and termination. We focus on Rtt103, a protein that binds phospho-Ser2 and phospho-Thr4 marks and facilitates transcription termination at protein-coding genes. To elucidate how Rtt103 engages two distinct CTD modifications that are differentially enriched at noncoding genes, we relied on NMR analysis of Rtt103 in complex with phospho-Thr4- or phospho-Ser2-bearing CTD peptides. The structural data reveal that Rtt103 interacts with phospho-Thr4 in a manner analogous to its interaction with phospho-Ser2-modified CTD. The same set of hydrogen bonds involving either the oxygen on phospho-Thr4 and the hydroxyl on Ser2, or the phosphate on Ser2 and the Thr4 hydroxyl, can be formed by rotation of an arginine side chain, leaving the intermolecular interface otherwise unperturbed. This economy of design enables Rtt103 to engage Pol II at distinct sets of genes with differentially enriched CTD marks.
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13
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Morrill SA, Exner AE, Babokhov M, Reinfeld BI, Fuchs SM. DNA Instability Maintains the Repeat Length of the Yeast RNA Polymerase II C-terminal Domain. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:11540-50. [PMID: 27026700 PMCID: PMC4882425 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.696252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II in eukaryotes is comprised of tandemly repeating units of a conserved seven-amino acid sequence. The number of repeats is, however, quite variable across different organisms. Furthermore, previous studies have identified evidence of rearrangements within the CTD coding region, suggesting that DNA instability may play a role in regulating or maintaining CTD repeat number. The work described here establishes a clear connection between DNA instability and CTD repeat number in Saccharomyces cerevisiae First, analysis of 36 diverse S. cerevisiae isolates revealed evidence of numerous past rearrangements within the DNA sequence that encodes the CTD. Interestingly, the total number of CTD repeats was relatively static (24-26 repeats in all strains), suggesting a balancing act between repeat expansion and contraction. In an effort to explore the genetic plasticity within this region, we measured the rates of repeat expansion and contraction using novel reporters and a doxycycline-regulated expression system for RPB1 In efforts to determine the mechanisms leading to CTD repeat variability, we identified the presence of DNA secondary structures, specifically G-quadruplex-like DNA, within the CTD coding region. Furthermore, we demonstrated that mutating PIF1, a G-quadruplex-specific helicase, results in increased CTD repeat length polymorphisms. We also determined that RAD52 is necessary for CTD repeat expansion but not contraction, identifying a role for recombination in repeat expansion. Results from these DNA rearrangements may help explain the CTD copy number variation seen across eukaryotes, as well as support a model of CTD expansion and contraction to maintain CTD integrity and overall length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Summer A Morrill
- From the Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155
| | - Alexandra E Exner
- From the Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155
| | - Michael Babokhov
- From the Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155
| | - Bradley I Reinfeld
- From the Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155
| | - Stephen M Fuchs
- From the Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155
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14
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Dias JD, Rito T, Torlai Triglia E, Kukalev A, Ferrai C, Chotalia M, Brookes E, Kimura H, Pombo A. Methylation of RNA polymerase II non-consensus Lysine residues marks early transcription in mammalian cells. eLife 2015; 4. [PMID: 26687004 PMCID: PMC4758952 DOI: 10.7554/elife.11215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Dynamic post-translational modification of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) coordinates the co-transcriptional recruitment of enzymatic complexes that regulate chromatin states and processing of nascent RNA. Extensive phosphorylation of serine residues at the largest RNAPII subunit occurs at its structurally-disordered C-terminal domain (CTD), which is composed of multiple heptapeptide repeats with consensus sequence Y1-S2-P3-T4-S5-P6-S7. Serine-5 and Serine-7 phosphorylation mark transcription initiation, whereas Serine-2 phosphorylation coincides with productive elongation. In vertebrates, the CTD has eight non-canonical substitutions of Serine-7 into Lysine-7, which can be acetylated (K7ac). Here, we describe mono- and di-methylation of CTD Lysine-7 residues (K7me1 and K7me2). K7me1 and K7me2 are observed during the earliest transcription stages and precede or accompany Serine-5 and Serine-7 phosphorylation. In contrast, K7ac is associated with RNAPII elongation, Serine-2 phosphorylation and mRNA expression. We identify an unexpected balance between RNAPII K7 methylation and acetylation at gene promoters, which fine-tunes gene expression levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- João D Dias
- Epigenetic Regulation and Chromatin Architecture Group, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,Genome Function Group, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,Graduate Program in Areas of Basic and Applied Biology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Tiago Rito
- Epigenetic Regulation and Chromatin Architecture Group, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elena Torlai Triglia
- Epigenetic Regulation and Chromatin Architecture Group, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Kukalev
- Epigenetic Regulation and Chromatin Architecture Group, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carmelo Ferrai
- Epigenetic Regulation and Chromatin Architecture Group, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,Genome Function Group, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mita Chotalia
- Genome Function Group, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Brookes
- Genome Function Group, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hiroshi Kimura
- Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Ana Pombo
- Epigenetic Regulation and Chromatin Architecture Group, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,Genome Function Group, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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15
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Burton ZF. The Old and New Testaments of gene regulation. Evolution of multi-subunit RNA polymerases and co-evolution of eukaryote complexity with the RNAP II CTD. Transcription 2015; 5:e28674. [PMID: 25764332 PMCID: PMC4215175 DOI: 10.4161/trns.28674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
I relate a story of genesis told from the point of view of multi-subunit RNA polymerases (RNAPs) including an Old Testament (core RNAP motifs in all cellular life) and a New Testament (the RNAP II heptad repeat carboxy terminal domain (CTD) and CTD interactome in eukarya). The Old Testament: at their active site, one class of eukaryotic interfering RNAP and ubiquitous multi-subunit RNAPs each have two-double psi β barrel (DPBB) motifs (a distinct pattern for compact 6-β sheet barrels). Between β sheets 2 and 3 of the β subunit type DPBB of all multi-subunit RNAPs is a sandwich barrel hybrid motif (SBHM) that interacts with conserved initiation and elongation factors required to utilize a DNA template. Analysis of RNAP core protein motifs, therefore, indicates that RNAP evolution can be traced from the RNA-protein world to LUCA (the last universal common ancestor) branching to LECA (the last eukaryotic common ancestor) and to the present day, spanning about 4 billion years. The New Testament: in the eukaryotic lineage, I posit that splitting RNAP functions into RNAPs I, II and III and innovations developed around the CTD heptad repeat of RNAP II and the extensive CTD interactome helps to describe how greater structural, cell cycle, epigenetic and signaling complexity co-evolved in eukaryotes relative to eubacteria and archaea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary F Burton
- a Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Michigan State University; East Lansing, MI USA
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16
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Srivastava R, Ahn SH. Modifications of RNA polymerase II CTD: Connections to the histone code and cellular function. Biotechnol Adv 2015; 33:856-72. [PMID: 26241863 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2015.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Revised: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
At the onset of transcription, many protein machineries interpret the cellular signals that regulate gene expression. These complex signals are mostly transmitted to the indispensable primary proteins involved in transcription, RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) and histones. RNAPII and histones are so well coordinated in this cellular function that each cellular signal is precisely allocated to specific machinery depending on the stage of transcription. The carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) of RNAPII in eukaryotes undergoes extensive posttranslational modification, called the 'CTD code', that is indispensable for coupling transcription with many cellular processes, including mRNA processing. The posttranslational modification of histones, known as the 'histone code', is also critical for gene transcription through the reversible and dynamic remodeling of chromatin structure. Notably, the histone code is closely linked with the CTD code, and their combinatorial effects enable the delicate regulation of gene transcription. This review elucidates recent findings regarding the CTD modifications of RNAPII and their coordination with the histone code, providing integrative pathways for the fine-tuned regulation of gene expression and cellular function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Srivastava
- Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, College of Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Hoon Ahn
- Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, College of Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
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17
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Scholz B, Kowarz E, Rössler T, Ahmad K, Steinhilber D, Marschalek R. AF4 and AF4N protein complexes: recruitment of P-TEFb kinase, their interactome and potential functions. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BLOOD RESEARCH 2015; 5:10-24. [PMID: 26171280 PMCID: PMC4497493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2015] [Accepted: 02/16/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
AF4/AFF1 and AF5/AFF4 are the molecular backbone to assemble "super-elongation complexes" (SECs) that have two main functions: (1) control of transcriptional elongation by recruiting the positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb = CyclinT1/CDK9) that is usually stored in inhibitory 7SK RNPs; (2) binding of different histone methyltransferases, like DOT1L, NSD1 and CARM1. This way, transcribed genes obtain specific histone signatures (e.g. H3K79me2/3, H3K36me2) to generate a transcriptional memory system. Here we addressed several questions: how is P-TEFb recruited into SEC, how is the AF4 interactome composed, and what is the function of the naturally occuring AF4N protein variant which exhibits only the first 360 amino acids of the AF4 full-length protein. Noteworthy, shorter protein variants are a specific feature of all AFF protein family members. Here, we demonstrate that full-length AF4 and AF4N are both catalyzing the transition of P-TEFb from 7SK RNP to their N-terminal domain. We have also mapped the protein-protein interaction network within both complexes. In addition, we have first evidence that the AF4N protein also recruits TFIIH and the tumor suppressor MEN1. This indicate that AF4N may have additional functions in transcriptional initiation and in MEN1-dependend transcriptional processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastian Scholz
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe-University of FrankfurtBiocenter, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Eric Kowarz
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe-University of FrankfurtBiocenter, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Tanja Rössler
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe-University of FrankfurtBiocenter, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Khalil Ahmad
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University of FrankfurtBiocenter, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Dieter Steinhilber
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University of FrankfurtBiocenter, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Rolf Marschalek
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Goethe-University of FrankfurtBiocenter, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
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18
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Abstract
Species survival depends on the faithful replication of genetic information, which is continually monitored and maintained by DNA repair pathways that correct replication errors and the thousands of lesions that arise daily from the inherent chemical lability of DNA and the effects of genotoxic agents. Nonetheless, neutrally evolving DNA (not under purifying selection) accumulates base substitutions with time (the neutral mutation rate). Thus, repair processes are not 100% efficient. The neutral mutation rate varies both between and within chromosomes. For example it is 10-50 fold higher at CpGs than at non-CpG positions. Interestingly, the neutral mutation rate at non-CpG sites is positively correlated with CpG content. Although the basis of this correlation was not immediately apparent, some bioinformatic results were consistent with the induction of non-CpG mutations by DNA repair at flanking CpG sites. Recent studies with a model system showed that in vivo repair of preformed lesions (mismatches, abasic sites, single stranded nicks) can in fact induce mutations in flanking DNA. Mismatch repair (MMR) is an essential component for repair-induced mutations, which can occur as distant as 5 kb from the introduced lesions. Most, but not all, mutations involved the C of TpCpN (G of NpGpA) which is the target sequence of the C-preferring single-stranded DNA specific APOBEC deaminases. APOBEC-mediated mutations are not limited to our model system: Recent studies by others showed that some tumors harbor mutations with the same signature, as can intermediates in RNA-guided endonuclease-mediated genome editing. APOBEC deaminases participate in normal physiological functions such as generating mutations that inactivate viruses or endogenous retrotransposons, or that enhance immunoglobulin diversity in B cells. The recruitment of normally physiological error-prone processes during DNA repair would have important implications for disease, aging and evolution. This perspective briefly reviews both the bioinformatic and biochemical literature relevant to repair-induced mutagenesis and discusses future directions required to understand the mechanistic basis of this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Building 8, 319 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Anthony V Furano
- Section on Genomic Structure and Function, Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Building 8, Room 203, 8 Center Drive, MSC 0830, Bethesda, MD 20892-0830, USA.
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19
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Simonti CN, Pollard KS, Schröder S, He D, Bruneau BG, Ott M, Capra JA. Evolution of lysine acetylation in the RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain. BMC Evol Biol 2015; 15:35. [PMID: 25887984 PMCID: PMC4362643 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0327-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND RPB1, the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, contains a highly modifiable C-terminal domain (CTD) that consists of variations of a consensus heptad repeat sequence (Y1S2P3T4S5P6S7). The consensus CTD repeat motif and tandem organization represent the ancestral state of eukaryotic RPB1, but across eukaryotes CTDs show considerable diversity in repeat organization and sequence content. These differences may reflect lineage-specific CTD functions mediated by protein interactions. Mammalian CTDs contain eight non-consensus repeats with a lysine in the seventh position (K7). Posttranslational acetylation of these sites was recently shown to be required for proper polymerase pausing and regulation of two growth factor-regulated genes. RESULTS To investigate the origins and function of RPB1 CTD acetylation (acRPB1), we computationally reconstructed the evolution of the CTD repeat sequence across eukaryotes and analyzed the evolution and function of genes dysregulated when acRPB1 is disrupted. Modeling the evolutionary dynamics of CTD repeat count and sequence content across diverse eukaryotes revealed an expansion of the CTD in the ancestors of Metazoa. The new CTD repeats introduced the potential for acRPB1 due to the appearance of distal repeats with lysine at position seven. This was followed by a further increase in the number of lysine-containing repeats in developmentally complex clades like Deuterostomia. Mouse genes enriched for acRPB1 occupancy at their promoters and genes with significant expression changes when acRPB1 is disrupted are enriched for several functions, such as growth factor response, gene regulation, cellular adhesion, and vascular development. Genes occupied and regulated by acRPB1 show significant enrichment for evolutionary origins in the early history of eukaryotes through early vertebrates. CONCLUSIONS Our combined functional and evolutionary analyses show that RPB1 CTD acetylation was possible in the early history of animals, and that the K7 content of the CTD expanded in specific developmentally complex metazoan lineages. The functional analysis of genes regulated by acRPB1 highlight functions involved in the origin of and diversification of complex Metazoa. This suggests that acRPB1 may have played a role in the success of animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne N Simonti
- Center for Human Genetics Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
| | - Katherine S Pollard
- Gladstone Institutes, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA. .,Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - Sebastian Schröder
- Gladstone Institutes, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - Daniel He
- Gladstone Institutes, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - Benoit G Bruneau
- Gladstone Institutes, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - Melanie Ott
- Gladstone Institutes, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - John A Capra
- Center for Human Genetics Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA. .,Departments of Biological Sciences and Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
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20
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Marschalek R. MLL Leukemia and Future Treatment Strategies. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2015; 348:221-8. [DOI: 10.1002/ardp.201400449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Revised: 12/05/2014] [Accepted: 01/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rolf Marschalek
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology; Goethe-University; Frankfurt/Main Germany
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21
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Yang C, Hager PW, Stiller JW. The identification of putative RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain associated proteins in red and green algae. Transcription 2014; 5:e970944. [PMID: 25483605 DOI: 10.4161/21541264.2014.970944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
A tandemly repeated C-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II is functionally essential and strongly conserved in many organisms, including animal, yeast and plant models. Although present in simple, ancestral red algae, CTD tandem repeats have undergone extensive modifications and degeneration during the evolutionary transition to developmentally complex rhodophytes. In contrast, CTD repeats are conserved in both green algae and their more complex land plant relatives. Understanding the mechanistic differences that underlie these variant patterns of CTD evolution requires knowledge of CTD-associated proteins in these 2 lineages. To provide an initial baseline comparison, we bound potential phospho-CTD associated proteins (PCAPs) to artificially synthesized and phosphorylated CTD repeats from the unicellular red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae and green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Our results indicate that red and green algae share a number of PCAPs, including kinases and proteins involved in mRNA export. There also are important taxon-specific differences, including mRNA splicing-related PCAPs recovered from Chlamydomonas but not Cyanidioschyzon, consistent with the relative intron densities in green and red algae. Our results also offer the first experimental indication that different proteins bind 2 distinct types of repeats in Cyanidioschyzon, suggesting a division of function between the proximal and distal CTD, similar to patterns identified in more developmentally complex model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlin Yang
- a Department of Biology ; East Carolina University ; Greenville , NC USA
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22
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Kong LY, Li GP, Yang P, Wu W, Shi JH, Li XL, Wang WZ. Identification of gene expression profile in the rat brain resulting from acute alcohol intoxication. Mol Biol Rep 2014; 41:8303-17. [PMID: 25218841 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-014-3731-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 09/03/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to identify gene expression profile in the rat brain resulting from acute alcohol intoxication (AAI). Eighteen SD rats were divided into the alcohol-treated group (n = 9) and saline control group (n = 9). Periorbital blood samples were taken to determine their blood alcohol content by gas chromatography. Tissue sections were analyzed by H and E staining and biochemical assays. Real-time reverse transcription PCR was used to validate microarray data. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS18.0 software (Version 18.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). H and E staining demonstrated that alcohol-treated rats showed no obvious pathological changes in nerve cells compared with those in the control group. Biochemical tests revealed that alcohol-treated rats had lower superoxide dismutase activity than those in the control group (167.3 ± 10.3 U/mg vs. 189.2 ± 5.9 U/mg, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the malondialdehyde levels in alcohol-treated rats were higher than those in the control group (3.48 ± 0.24 mmol/mg vs. 2.51 ± 0.23 mmol/mg, P < 0.05). Microarray data presented 366 up-regulated genes and 300 down-regulated genes in the AAI rat brain. Gene ontology analysis identified 31 genes up-regulated and 39 down-regulated among all differentially expressed genes. Twenty-four pathways showed significant differences, including 12 pathways involved with up-regulated genes and 12 pathways involved with down-regulated genes. Selected genes showed significantly different expression in both alcohol-treated and control groups (P < 0.05). Gene expression analysis enabled clustering of alcohol intoxication-related genes by function. These genes expression may be potential targets for treatment or drug screening for acute alcohol intoxication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Yu Kong
- Department of Emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, No. 88 Health Road, Weihui, 453100, People's Republic of China
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23
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Stress induces changes in the phosphorylation of Trypanosoma cruzi RNA polymerase II, affecting its association with chromatin and RNA processing. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2014; 13:855-65. [PMID: 24813189 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00066-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The phosphorylation of the carboxy-terminal heptapeptide repeats of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) controls several transcription-related events in eukaryotes. Trypanosomatids lack these typical repeats and display an unusual transcription control. RNA Pol II associates with the transcription site of the spliced leader (SL) RNA, which is used in the trans-splicing of all mRNAs transcribed on long polycistronic units. We found that Trypanosoma cruzi RNA Pol II associated with chromatin is highly phosphorylated. When transcription is inhibited by actinomycin D, the enzyme runs off from SL genes, remaining hyperphosphorylated and associated with polycistronic transcription units. Upon heat shock, the enzyme is dephosphorylated and remains associated with the chromatin. Transcription is partially inhibited with the accumulation of housekeeping precursor mRNAs, except for heat shock genes. DNA damage caused dephosphorylation and transcription arrest, with RNA Pol II dissociating from chromatin although staying at the SL. In the presence of calyculin A, the hyperphosphorylated form detached from chromatin, including the SL loci. These results indicate that in trypanosomes, the unusual RNA Pol II is phosphorylated during the transcription of SL and polycistronic operons. Different types of stresses modify its phosphorylation state, affecting pre-RNA processing.
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24
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Evolutionary diversity and taxon-specific modifications of the RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:5920-5. [PMID: 24711388 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1323616111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In model eukaryotes, the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest subunit of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) is composed of tandemly repeated heptads with the consensus sequence YSPTSPS. The core motif and tandem structure generally are conserved across model taxa, including animals, yeasts and higher plants. Broader investigations revealed that CTDs of many organisms deviate substantially from this canonical structure; however, limited sampling made it difficult to determine whether disordered sequences reflect the CTD's ancestral state or degeneration from ancestral repetitive structures. Therefore, we undertook, to our knowledge, the broadest investigation to date of the evolution of the RNAP II CTD across eukaryotic diversity. Our results indicate that a tandemly repeated CTD existed in the ancestors of each major taxon, and that degeneration and reinvention of this ordered structure are common features of CTD evolution. Lineage-specific CTD modifications appear to be associated with greater developmental complexity in multicellular organisms, a pattern taken to an extreme in fungi and red algae, in which the CTD has undergone dramatic to complete alteration during the transition from unicellular to developmentally complex forms. Overall, loss and reinvention of repeats have punctuated CTD evolution, occurring independently and sometimes repeatedly in various groups.
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25
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Cell-cycle-regulated activation of Akt kinase by phosphorylation at its carboxyl terminus. Nature 2014; 508:541-5. [PMID: 24670654 DOI: 10.1038/nature13079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 264] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2013] [Accepted: 01/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Akt, also known as protein kinase B, plays key roles in cell proliferation, survival and metabolism. Akt hyperactivation contributes to many pathophysiological conditions, including human cancers, and is closely associated with poor prognosis and chemo- or radiotherapeutic resistance. Phosphorylation of Akt at S473 (ref. 5) and T308 (ref. 6) activates Akt. However, it remains unclear whether further mechanisms account for full Akt activation, and whether Akt hyperactivation is linked to misregulated cell cycle progression, another cancer hallmark. Here we report that Akt activity fluctuates across the cell cycle, mirroring cyclin A expression. Mechanistically, phosphorylation of S477 and T479 at the Akt extreme carboxy terminus by cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2)/cyclin A or mTORC2, under distinct physiological conditions, promotes Akt activation through facilitating, or functionally compensating for, S473 phosphorylation. Furthermore, deletion of the cyclin A2 allele in the mouse olfactory bulb leads to reduced S477/T479 phosphorylation and elevated cellular apoptosis. Notably, cyclin A2-deletion-induced cellular apoptosis in mouse embryonic stem cells is partly rescued by S477D/T479E-Akt1, supporting a physiological role for cyclin A2 in governing Akt activation. Together, the results of our study show Akt S477/T479 phosphorylation to be an essential layer of the Akt activation mechanism to regulate its physiological functions, thereby providing a new mechanistic link between aberrant cell cycle progression and Akt hyperactivation in cancer.
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26
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Corden JL. RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain: Tethering transcription to transcript and template. Chem Rev 2013; 113:8423-55. [PMID: 24040939 PMCID: PMC3988834 DOI: 10.1021/cr400158h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffry L Corden
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , 725 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore Maryland 21205, United States
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27
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Schröder S, Herker E, Itzen F, He D, Thomas S, Gilchrist DA, Kaehlcke K, Cho S, Pollard KS, Capra JA, Schnölzer M, Cole PA, Geyer M, Bruneau BG, Adelman K, Ott M. Acetylation of RNA polymerase II regulates growth-factor-induced gene transcription in mammalian cells. Mol Cell 2013; 52:314-24. [PMID: 24207025 PMCID: PMC3936344 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2013.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2013] [Revised: 08/26/2013] [Accepted: 09/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Lysine acetylation regulates transcription by targeting histones and nonhistone proteins. Here we report that the central regulator of transcription, RNA polymerase II, is subject to acetylation in mammalian cells. Acetylation occurs at eight lysines within the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest polymerase subunit and is mediated by p300/KAT3B. CTD acetylation is specifically enriched downstream of the transcription start sites of polymerase-occupied genes genome-wide, indicating a role in early stages of transcription initiation or elongation. Mutation of lysines or p300 inhibitor treatment causes the loss of epidermal growth-factor-induced expression of c-Fos and Egr2, immediate-early genes with promoter-proximally paused polymerases, but does not affect expression or polymerase occupancy at housekeeping genes. Our studies identify acetylation as a new modification of the mammalian RNA polymerase II required for the induction of growth factor response genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Schröder
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Eva Herker
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Heinrich-Pette-Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Friederike Itzen
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Daniel He
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Sean Thomas
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Daniel A. Gilchrist
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Katrin Kaehlcke
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Sungyoo Cho
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Katherine S. Pollard
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - John A. Capra
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | | | | | - Matthias Geyer
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- Research Center Caesar, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Benoit G. Bruneau
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Karen Adelman
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Melanie Ott
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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28
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Pons T, Paramonov I, Boullosa C, Ibáñez K, Rojas AM, Valencia A. A common structural scaffold in CTD phosphatases that supports distinct catalytic mechanisms. Proteins 2013; 82:103-18. [PMID: 23900790 DOI: 10.1002/prot.24376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2013] [Revised: 06/28/2013] [Accepted: 07/12/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) subunit is a critical regulatory checkpoint for transcription and mRNA processing. This CTD is unique to eukaryotic organisms and it contains multiple tandem-repeats with the consensus sequence Tyr(1) -Ser(2) -Pro(3) -Thr(4) -Ser(5) -Pro(6) -Ser(7) . Traditionally, CTD phosphatases that use metal-ion-independent (cysteine-based) and metal-ion-assisted (aspartate-based) catalytic mechanisms have been considered to belong to two independent groups. However, using structural comparisons we have identified a common structural scaffold in these two groups of CTD phosphatases. This common scaffold accommodates different catalytic processes with the same substrate specificity, in this case phospho-serine/threonine residues flanked by prolines. Furthermore, this scaffold provides a structural connection between two groups of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs): Cys-based (classes I, II, and III) and Asp-based (class IV) PTPs. Redundancy in catalytic mechanisms is not infrequent and may arise in specific biological settings. To better understand the activity of the CTD phosphatases, we combined our structural analyses with data on CTD phosphatase expression in different human and mouse tissues. The results suggest that aspartate- and cysteine-based CTD-dephosphorylation acts in concert during cellular stress, when high levels of reactive oxygen species can inhibit the nucleophilic function of the catalytic cysteine, as occurs in mental and neurodegenerative disorders like schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Moreover, these findings have significant implications for the study of the RNAPII-CTD dephosphorylation in eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tirso Pons
- Structural Biology and BioComputing Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
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29
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Eick
- Department of Molecular Epigenetics, Helmholtz Center Munich and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM), Marchioninistrasse 25, 81377 Munich,
Germany
| | - Matthias Geyer
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Group Physical Biochemistry,
Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany
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30
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Fuchs SM. Chemically modified tandem repeats in proteins: natural combinatorial peptide libraries. ACS Chem Biol 2013; 8:275-82. [PMID: 23157399 DOI: 10.1021/cb3005066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Many proteins composed of tandem repeats (a linear motif, directly repeated within the sequence) are substrates for post-translational modifications (PTMs). Tandem repeats are also dynamic in number, presumably due to instability in the underlying DNA sequence. These observations lead to a hypothesis that cells use a combination of PTMs and variability in repeat number to mediate protein function. Evidence of these processes co-regulating diverse aspects of cellular function can be found in all organisms from bacteria to humans, suggesting a common but poorly described mechanism for regulating and diversifying protein function. This review highlights several examples whereby protein modifications and repetitive protein domains impart diversity. Lastly, it speculates on the possibility of using chemically modified repetitive amino acid sequences to develop peptide-based biomolecules with novel functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen M. Fuchs
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, 200 Boston Avenue, Medford, Massachusetts
02155, United States
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31
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Stump AD, Ostrozhynska K. Selective constraint and the evolution of the RNA polymerase II C-Terminal Domain. Transcription 2013; 4:77-86. [PMID: 23412361 PMCID: PMC3646058 DOI: 10.4161/trns.23305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The C-Terminal Domain (CTD) of the large subunit (Rpb1) of RNA Polymerase II has a Tyrosine-Serine-Proline-Threonine-Serine-Proline-Serine repeat structure in many eukaryotes. Chemical modifications of these residues play a central role in the regulation and coordination of the events of transcription. However, substantial variability in the presence and regularity of repeat arrays exists between eukaryote taxa. Following a survey of CTD structure from diverse eukaryote species, two hypotheses were tested relating to repeat structure and the action of selection on the CTD. First, it was found that degenerated repeat structure is associated with lower serine and proline frequencies in some eukaryote taxa but not in others. Second, maximum likelihood models of the evolution of Rpb1 in a number of species groups found that purifying selection on the non-repetitive CTD of several Leishmania species was substantially lower than for the rest of Rpb1, whereas purifying selection in a number of species groups containing repeat arrays was usually as high or nearly as high as for the rest of Rpb1. Characterization of CTD structure for a larger number of species than has been completed previously also revealed a greater diversity of CTD structures in eukaryotes than previously known, along with loss of repeat structure in the animals and fungi, two taxa where it has not previously been known. These results suggest that loss of CTD repeat structure has been an important aspect of RNA Polymerase II evolution in diverse eukaryotes.
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32
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Hsin JP, Manley JL. The RNA polymerase II CTD coordinates transcription and RNA processing. Genes Dev 2012; 26:2119-37. [PMID: 23028141 DOI: 10.1101/gad.200303.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 463] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The C-terminal domain (CTD) of the RNA polymerase II largest subunit consists of multiple heptad repeats (consensus Tyr1-Ser2-Pro3-Thr4-Ser5-Pro6-Ser7), varying in number from 26 in yeast to 52 in vertebrates. The CTD functions to help couple transcription and processing of the nascent RNA and also plays roles in transcription elongation and termination. The CTD is subject to extensive post-translational modification, most notably phosphorylation, during the transcription cycle, which modulates its activities in the above processes. Therefore, understanding the nature of CTD modifications, including how they function and how they are regulated, is essential to understanding the mechanisms that control gene expression. While the significance of phosphorylation of Ser2 and Ser5 residues has been studied and appreciated for some time, several additional modifications have more recently been added to the CTD repertoire, and insight into their function has begun to emerge. Here, we review findings regarding modification and function of the CTD, highlighting the important role this unique domain plays in coordinating gene activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Ping Hsin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
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33
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Punctuation and syntax of the RNA polymerase II CTD code in fission yeast. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:18024-9. [PMID: 23071310 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1208995109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The primary structure and phosphorylation pattern of the tandem Y(1)S(2)P(3)T(4)S(5)P(6)S(7) repeats of the RNA polymerase II carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) convey information about the transcription apparatus--a CTD code--to a large ensemble of CTD-binding receptor proteins. Four of the seven coding "letters" of the fission yeast CTD (Tyr1, Pro3, Ser5, Pro6) are essential in vivo, but the grammatical rules of the code are obscure. Here we show that the minimal fission yeast CTD coding unit is a decapeptide Y(1)S(2)P(3)T(4)S(5)P(6)S(7)Y(1)S(2)P(3) and the spacing between coding units is flexible; the coding unit must contain two Tyr1 residues and the spacing between consecutive tyrosines is important; Ser5-PO(4)-Pro6 comprises an essential two-letter code "word" that is read by the mRNA capping apparatus; and a threshold number of Ser5-PO(4)-Pro6 words are needed to comprise a readable "sentence" of CTD information. Bypassing the essentiality of the Ser5 and Pro6 letters by fusion of capping enzymes to the CTD helped reveal how CTD phosphorylation circuits are wired in vivo. We found that the Ser2-PO(4) mark is independent of Ser5, Pro6, Ser7, and Thr4, whereas the Ser5-PO(4) mark is independent of Ser2, Ser7, and Thr4. These results provide unique insights to the reading and writing of the CTD code.
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34
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Jasnovidova O, Stefl R. The CTD code of RNA polymerase II: a structural view. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2012; 4:1-16. [DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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35
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Heidemann M, Hintermair C, Voß K, Eick D. Dynamic phosphorylation patterns of RNA polymerase II CTD during transcription. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2012; 1829:55-62. [PMID: 22982363 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2012.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 207] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2012] [Revised: 08/09/2012] [Accepted: 08/29/2012] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The eukaryotic RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) catalyzes the transcription of all protein encoding genes and is also responsible for the generation of small regulatory RNAs. RNAPII has evolved a unique domain composed of heptapeptide repeats with the consensus sequence Tyr1-Ser2-Pro3-Thr4-Ser5-Pro6-Ser7 at the C-terminus (CTD) of its largest subunit (Rpb1). Dynamic phosphorylation patterns of serine residues in CTD during gene transcription coordinate the recruitment of factors to the elongating RNAPII and to the nascent transcript. Recent studies identified threonine 4 and tyrosine 1 as new CTD modifications and thereby expanded the "CTD code". In this review, we focus on CTD phosphorylation and its function in the RNAPII transcription cycle. We also discuss in detail the limitations of the phosphospecific CTD antibodies, which are used in all studies. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: RNA Polymerase II Transcript Elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Heidemann
- Department of Molecular Epigenetics, Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Munich, Germany
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36
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Cassart C, Drogat J, Migeot V, Hermand D. Distinct requirement of RNA polymerase II CTD phosphorylations in budding and fission yeast. Transcription 2012; 3:231-4. [PMID: 22771993 DOI: 10.4161/trns.21066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The "CTD code" links the combinatorial potential of the modifications found on the Rpb1 C-terminal domain (CTD) to the growing group of CTD binding effectors. The genetic dissection of serine 2 and serine 7 function within the CTD in both budding and fission yeast reveals distinct in vivo requirement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément Cassart
- Namur Research College (NARC), The University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
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37
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Egloff S. Role of Ser7 phosphorylation of the CTD during transcription of snRNA genes. RNA Biol 2012; 9:1033-8. [PMID: 22858677 DOI: 10.4161/rna.21166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The largest subunit of RNA polymerase (pol) II, Rpb1, contains an unusual carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) composed of consecutive repeats of the sequence Tyr-Ser-Pro-Thr-Ser-Pro-Ser (Y 1S 2P 3T 4S 5P 6S 7). During transcription, Ser2, Ser5 and Ser7 are subjected to dynamic phosphorylation and dephosphorylation by CTD kinases and phosphatases, creating a characteristic CTD phosphorylation pattern along genes. This CTD "code" allows the coupling of transcription with co-transcriptional RNA processing, through the timely recruitment of the appropriate factors at the right point of the transcription cycle. In mammals, phosphorylation of Ser7 (Ser7P) is detected on all pol II-transcribed genes, but is only essential for expression of a sub-class of genes encoding small nuclear (sn)RNAs. The molecular mechanisms by which Ser7P influences expression of these particular genes are becoming clearer. Here, I discuss our recent findings clarifying how Ser7P facilitates transcription of these genes and 3'end processing of the transcripts, through recruitment of the RPAP2 phosphatase and the snRNA gene-specific Integrator complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Egloff
- Université de Toulouse, UPS, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire Eucaryote, Toulouse, France.
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38
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Egloff S, Dienstbier M, Murphy S. Updating the RNA polymerase CTD code: adding gene-specific layers. Trends Genet 2012; 28:333-41. [PMID: 22622228 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2012.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2012] [Revised: 03/14/2012] [Accepted: 03/14/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase (pol) II comprises multiple tandem repeats with the consensus sequence Tyr(1)-Ser(2)-Pro(3)-Thr(4)-Ser(5)-Pro(6)-Ser(7) that can be extensively and reversibly modified in vivo. CTD modifications orchestrate the interplay between transcription and processing of mRNA. Although phosphorylation of Ser2 (Ser2P) and Ser5 (Ser5P) residues has been described as being essential for the expression of most pol II-transcribed genes, recent findings highlight gene-specific effects of newly discovered CTD modifications. Here, we incorporate these latest findings in an updated review of the currently known elements that contribute to the CTD code and how it is recognized by proteins involved in transcription and RNA maturation. As modification of the CTD has a major impact on gene expression, a better understanding of the CTD code is integral to the understanding of how gene expression is regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Egloff
- Université de Toulouse, UPS, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire Eucaryote, F-31000 Toulouse, France
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39
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Abstract
The largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, Rpb1, contains an unusual C-terminal domain (CTD) composed of numerous repeats of the YSPTSPS consensus sequence. This sequence is the target of post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation, glycosylation, methylation and transitions between stereoisomeric states, resulting in a vast combinatorial potential referred to as the CTD code. In order to gain insight into the biological significance of this code, several studies recently reported the genome-wide distribution of some of these modified polymerases and associated factors in either fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) or budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The resulting occupancy maps reveal that a general RNA polymerase II transcription complex exists and undergoes uniform transitions from initiation to elongation to termination. Nevertheless, CTD phosphorylation dynamics result in a gene-specific effect on mRNA expression. In this review, we focus on the gene-specific requirement of CTD phosphorylation and discuss in more detail the case of serine 2 phosphorylation (S2P) within the CTD, a modification that is dispensable for general transcription in fission yeast but strongly affects transcription reprogramming and cell differentiation in response to environmental cues. The recent discovery of Cdk12 as a genuine CTD S2 kinase and its requirement for gene-specific expression are discussed in the wider context of metazoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Drogat
- Namur Research College-NARC, Rue de Bruxelles 61, 5000 Namur, Belgium
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40
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Zhang DW, Rodríguez-Molina JB, Tietjen JR, Nemec CM, Ansari AZ. Emerging Views on the CTD Code. GENETICS RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2012; 2012:347214. [PMID: 22567385 PMCID: PMC3335543 DOI: 10.1155/2012/347214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2011] [Accepted: 11/03/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) consists of conserved heptapeptide repeats that function as a binding platform for different protein complexes involved in transcription, RNA processing, export, and chromatin remodeling. The CTD repeats are subject to sequential waves of posttranslational modifications during specific stages of the transcription cycle. These patterned modifications have led to the postulation of the "CTD code" hypothesis, where stage-specific patterns define a spatiotemporal code that is recognized by the appropriate interacting partners. Here, we highlight the role of CTD modifications in directing transcription initiation, elongation, and termination. We examine the major readers, writers, and erasers of the CTD code and examine the relevance of describing patterns of posttranslational modifications as a "code." Finally, we discuss major questions regarding the function of the newly discovered CTD modifications and the fundamental insights into transcription regulation that will necessarily emerge upon addressing those challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W. Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Juan B. Rodríguez-Molina
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Joshua R. Tietjen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Corey M. Nemec
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Aseem Z. Ansari
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
- Genome Center of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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41
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Bartkowiak B, Mackellar AL, Greenleaf AL. Updating the CTD Story: From Tail to Epic. GENETICS RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2011; 2011:623718. [PMID: 22567360 PMCID: PMC3335468 DOI: 10.4061/2011/623718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2011] [Accepted: 08/10/2011] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) not only synthesizes mRNA but also coordinates transcription-related processes via its unique C-terminal repeat domain (CTD). The CTD is an RNAPII-specific protein segment consisting of repeating heptads with the consensus sequence Y1S2P3T4S5P6S7 that has been shown to be extensively post-transcriptionally modified in a coordinated, but complicated, manner. Recent discoveries of new modifications, kinases, and binding proteins have challenged previously established paradigms. In this paper, we examine results and implications of recent studies related to modifications of the CTD and the respective enzymes; we also survey characterizations of new CTD-binding proteins and their associated processes and new information regarding known CTD-binding proteins. Finally, we bring into focus new results that identify two additional CTD-associated processes: nucleocytoplasmic transport of mRNA and DNA damage and repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartlomiej Bartkowiak
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for RNA Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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42
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Schwer B, Shuman S. Deciphering the RNA polymerase II CTD code in fission yeast. Mol Cell 2011; 43:311-8. [PMID: 21684186 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2011.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2011] [Revised: 05/09/2011] [Accepted: 05/27/2011] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The RNA polymerase II carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) consists of tandem Y(1)S(2)P(3)T(4)S(5)P(6)S(7) repeats. Dynamic remodeling of the CTD, especially its serine phosphorylation pattern, conveys informational cues about the transcription apparatus to a large ensemble of CTD-binding proteins. Our genetic dissection of fission yeast CTD function provides insights to the "CTD code." Two concepts stand out. First, the Ser2 requirement for transcription during sexual differentiation is bypassed by subtracting Ser7, signifying that imbalance in the phosphorylation array, not absence of a phospho-CTD cue, underlies a CTD-associated pathology. Second, the essentiality of Ser5 for vegetative growth is circumvented by covalently tethering mRNA capping enzymes to the CTD, thus proving that capping enzyme recruitment is a chief function of the Ser5-PO(4) mark. This illustrates that a key "letter" in the CTD code can be neutralized by delivering its essential cognate receptor to the transcription complex via an alternative route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate Schwer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
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43
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An empirical strategy for characterizing bacterial proteomes across species in the absence of genomic sequences. PLoS One 2010; 5:e13968. [PMID: 21103051 PMCID: PMC2980473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0013968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2010] [Accepted: 08/24/2010] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Global protein identification through current proteomics methods typically depends on the availability of sequenced genomes. In spite of increasingly high throughput sequencing technologies, this information is not available for every microorganism and rarely available for entire microbial communities. Nevertheless, the protein-level homology that exists between related bacteria makes it possible to extract biological information from the proteome of an organism or microbial community by using the genomic sequences of a near neighbor organism. Here, we demonstrate a trans-organism search strategy for determining the extent to which near-neighbor genome sequences can be applied to identify proteins in unsequenced environmental isolates. In proof of concept testing, we found that within a CLUSTAL W distance of 0.089, near-neighbor genomes successfully identified a high percentage of proteins within an organism. Application of this strategy to characterize environmental bacterial isolates lacking sequenced genomes, but having 16S rDNA sequence similarity to Shewanella resulted in the identification of 300-500 proteins in each strain. The majority of identified pathways mapped to core processes, as well as to processes unique to the Shewanellae, in particular to the presence of c-type cytochromes. Examples of core functional categories include energy metabolism, protein and nucleotide synthesis and cofactor biosynthesis, allowing classification of bacteria by observation of conserved processes. Additionally, within these core functionalities, we observed proteins involved in the alternative lactate utilization pathway, recently described in Shewanella.
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44
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Sun M, Larivière L, Dengl S, Mayer A, Cramer P. A tandem SH2 domain in transcription elongation factor Spt6 binds the phosphorylated RNA polymerase II C-terminal repeat domain (CTD). J Biol Chem 2010; 285:41597-603. [PMID: 20926372 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m110.144568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Spt6 is an essential transcription elongation factor and histone chaperone that binds the C-terminal repeat domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II. We show here that Spt6 contains a tandem SH2 domain with a novel structure and CTD-binding mode. The tandem SH2 domain binds to a serine 2-phosphorylated CTD peptide in vitro, whereas its N-terminal SH2 subdomain, which we previously characterized, does not. CTD binding requires a positively charged crevice in the C-terminal SH2 subdomain, which lacks the canonical phospho-binding pocket of SH2 domains and had previously escaped detection. The tandem SH2 domain is apparently required for transcription elongation in vivo as its deletion in cells is lethal in the presence of 6-azauracil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai Sun
- Gene Center Munich and Department of Biochemistry, Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 25, 81377 Munich, Germany
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