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Liu S, Li X, Liu X, Wang J, Li L, Kong D. RNA polymerase III directly participates in DNA homologous recombination. Trends Cell Biol 2022; 32:988-995. [PMID: 35811227 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2022.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
A recent study showed that RNA transcription is directly involved in DNA homologous recombination (HR). The first step in HR is end resection, which degrades a few kilobases or more from the 5'-end strand at DNA breaks, but the 3'-end strand remains strictly intact. Such protection of the 3'-end strand is achieved by the transient formation of an RNA-DNA hybrid structure. The RNA strand in the hybrid is newly synthesized by RNA polymerase III. The revelation of the existence of an RNA-DNA hybrid intermediate should further help resolve several long-standing questions of HR. In this article, we also put forward our views on some controversial issues related to RNA-DNA hybrids, RNA polymerases, and the protection of 3'-end strands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijie Liu
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, The National Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Xizhou Li
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Changhai Hospital, The Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoqin Liu
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, The National Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University, Datong 037009, China
| | - Jingna Wang
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, The National Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Lingyan Li
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, The National Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Daochun Kong
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, The National Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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Wang Q, Daiß JL, Xu Y, Engel C. Snapshots of RNA polymerase III in action - A mini review. Gene 2022; 821:146282. [PMID: 35149153 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
RNA polymerase (Pol) III is responsible for the transcription of tRNAs, 5S rRNA, U6 snRNA, and other non-coding RNAs. Transcription factors such as TFIIIA, -B, -C, SNAPc, and Maf1 are required for promoter recognition, promoter opening, and Pol III activity regulation. Recent developments in cryo-electron microscopy and advanced purification approaches for endogenous multi-subunit complexes accelerated structural studies resulting in detailed structural insights which allowed an in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying Pol III transcription. Here, we summarize structural data on Pol III and its regulating factors providing a three-dimensional framework to guide further analysis of RNA polymerase III.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianmin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China; Present address: Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Julia L Daiß
- Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Youwei Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Christoph Engel
- Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
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Kessler AC, Maraia RJ. The nuclear and cytoplasmic activities of RNA polymerase III, and an evolving transcriptome for surveillance. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:12017-12034. [PMID: 34850129 PMCID: PMC8643620 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A 1969 report that described biochemical and activity properties of the three eukaryotic RNA polymerases revealed Pol III as highly distinguishable, even before its transcripts were identified. Now known to be the most complex, Pol III contains several stably-associated subunits referred to as built-in transcription factors (BITFs) that enable highly efficient RNA synthesis by a unique termination-associated recycling process. In vertebrates, subunit RPC7(α/β) can be of two forms, encoded by POLR3G or POLR3GL, with differential activity. Here we review promoter-dependent transcription by Pol III as an evolutionary perspective of eukaryotic tRNA expression. Pol III also provides nonconventional functions reportedly by promoter-independent transcription, one of which is RNA synthesis from DNA 3'-ends during repair. Another is synthesis of 5'ppp-RNA signaling molecules from cytoplasmic viral DNA in a pathway of interferon activation that is dysfunctional in immunocompromised patients with mutations in Pol III subunits. These unconventional functions are also reviewed, including evidence that link them to the BITF subunits. We also review data on a fraction of the human Pol III transcriptome that evolved to include vault RNAs and snaRs with activities related to differentiation, and in innate immune and tumor surveillance. The Pol III of higher eukaryotes does considerably more than housekeeping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan C Kessler
- Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892 USA
| | - Richard J Maraia
- Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892 USA
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Lata E, Choquet K, Sagliocco F, Brais B, Bernard G, Teichmann M. RNA Polymerase III Subunit Mutations in Genetic Diseases. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:696438. [PMID: 34395528 PMCID: PMC8362101 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.696438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA polymerase (Pol) III transcribes small untranslated RNAs such as 5S ribosomal RNA, transfer RNAs, and U6 small nuclear RNA. Because of the functions of these RNAs, Pol III transcription is best known for its essential contribution to RNA maturation and translation. Surprisingly, it was discovered in the last decade that various inherited mutations in genes encoding nine distinct subunits of Pol III cause tissue-specific diseases rather than a general failure of all vital functions. Mutations in the POLR3A, POLR3C, POLR3E and POLR3F subunits are associated with susceptibility to varicella zoster virus-induced encephalitis and pneumonitis. In addition, an ever-increasing number of distinct mutations in the POLR3A, POLR3B, POLR1C and POLR3K subunits cause a spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases, which includes most notably hypomyelinating leukodystrophy. Furthermore, other rare diseases are also associated with mutations in genes encoding subunits of Pol III (POLR3H, POLR3GL) and the BRF1 component of the TFIIIB transcription initiation factor. Although the causal relationship between these mutations and disease development is widely accepted, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying disease pathogenesis remain enigmatic. Here, we review the current knowledge on the functional impact of specific mutations, possible Pol III-related disease-causing mechanisms, and animal models that may help to better understand the links between Pol III mutations and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Lata
- Bordeaux University, Inserm U 1212, CNRS UMR 5320, ARNA laboratory, Bordeaux, France
| | - Karine Choquet
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Francis Sagliocco
- Bordeaux University, Inserm U 1212, CNRS UMR 5320, ARNA laboratory, Bordeaux, France
| | - Bernard Brais
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Geneviève Bernard
- Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Pediatrics and Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Specialized Medicine, Division of Medical Genetics, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Child Health and Human Development Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Martin Teichmann
- Bordeaux University, Inserm U 1212, CNRS UMR 5320, ARNA laboratory, Bordeaux, France
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Wang Q, Li S, Wan F, Xu Y, Wu Z, Cao M, Lan P, Lei M, Wu J. Structural insights into transcriptional regulation of human RNA polymerase III. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2021; 28:220-227. [PMID: 33558766 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-021-00557-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
RNA polymerase III (Pol III) synthesizes structured, essential small RNAs, such as transfer RNA, 5S ribosomal RNA and U6 small nuclear RNA. Pol III, the largest nuclear RNA polymerase, is composed of a conserved core region and eight constitutive regulatory subunits, but how these factors jointly regulate Pol III transcription remains unclear. Here, we present cryo-EM structures of human Pol III in both apo and elongating states, which unveil both an orchestrated movement during the apo-to-elongating transition and an unexpected apo state in which the RPC7 subunit tail occupies the DNA-RNA-binding cleft of Pol III, suggesting that RPC7 plays important roles in both autoinhibition and transcription initiation. The structures also reveal a proofreading mechanism for the TFIIS-like subunit RPC10, which stably retains its catalytic position in the secondary channel, explaining the high fidelity of Pol III transcription. Our work provides an integrated picture of the mechanism of Pol III transcription regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianmin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shaobai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Futang Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Youwei Xu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenfang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mi Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Pengfei Lan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. .,Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Ming Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. .,Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China. .,Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. .,Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Abstract
RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcribes all protein-coding genes and many noncoding RNAs in eukaryotic genomes. Although Pol II is a complex, 12-subunit enzyme, it lacks the ability to initiate transcription and cannot consistently transcribe through long DNA sequences. To execute these essential functions, an array of proteins and protein complexes interact with Pol II to regulate its activity. In this review, we detail the structure and mechanism of over a dozen factors that govern Pol II initiation (e.g., TFIID, TFIIH, and Mediator), pausing, and elongation (e.g., DSIF, NELF, PAF, and P-TEFb). The structural basis for Pol II transcription regulation has advanced rapidly in the past decade, largely due to technological innovations in cryoelectron microscopy. Here, we summarize a wealth of structural and functional data that have enabled a deeper understanding of Pol II transcription mechanisms; we also highlight mechanistic questions that remain unanswered or controversial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison C Schier
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA
| | - Dylan J Taatjes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA
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