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Lewis AG, Carmichael L, Wang RY, Gibney PA. Characterizing a panel of amino acid auxotrophs under auxotrophic starvation conditions. Yeast 2024; 41:5-18. [PMID: 37997284 DOI: 10.1002/yea.3910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Auxotrophic strains starving for their cognate nutrient, termed auxotrophic starvation, are characterized by a shorter lifespan, higher glucose wasting phenotype, and inability to accomplish cell cycle arrest when compared to a "natural starvation," where a cell is starving for natural environmental growth-limiting nutrients such as phosphate. Since evidence of this physiological response is limited to only a subset of auxotrophs, we evaluated a panel of auxotrophic mutants to determine whether these responses are characteristic of a broader range of amino acid auxotrophs. Based on the starvation survival kinetics, the panel of strains was grouped into three categories-short-lived strains, strains with survival similar to a prototrophic wild type strain, and long-lived strains. Among the short-lived strains, we observed that the tyrosine, asparagine, threonine, and aspartic acid auxotrophs rapidly decline in viability, with all strains unable to arrest cell cycle progression. The three basic amino acid auxotrophs had a survival similar to a prototrophic strain starving in minimal media. The leucine, tryptophan, methionine, and cysteine auxotrophs displayed the longest lifespan. We also demonstrate how the phenomenon of glucose wasting is limited to only a subset of the tested auxotrophs, namely the asparagine, leucine, and lysine auxotrophs. Furthermore, we observed pleiotropic phenotypes associated with a subgroup of auxotrophs, highlighting the importance of considering unintended phenotypic effects when using auxotrophic strains especially in chronological aging experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisha G Lewis
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Laurin Carmichael
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Rebecca Y Wang
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Patrick A Gibney
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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2
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Zhang P, Fang Z, Song Y, Wang S, Bao L, Liu M, Dang Y, Wei Y, Zhang SH. Aspartate Transaminase AST2 Involved in Sporulation and Necrotrophic Pathogenesis in the Hemibiotrophs Magnaporthe oryzae and Colletotrichum graminicola. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:864866. [PMID: 35479642 PMCID: PMC9037547 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.864866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Aspartate family includes five additional amino acids other than aspartate, among which most except aspartate have been reported for their action in pathogenesis by amino acid biosynthesis. However, how aspartate, the initial substrate of this family metabolic pathway, is involved in pathogenesis remains unknown. Here, we focused on aspartate transaminase (AST) that catalyzes transamination reaction between glutamate-aspartate in Magnaporthe oryzae. Three MoAST genes were bioinformatically analyzed, of which MoAST2 was uniquely upregulated when invasive hyphae switched to necrotrophic pathogenesis. MoAST2 deletion (ΔMoast2) caused a drastic reduction in conidiogenesis and appressorium formation. Particularly, ΔMoast2 was observed to be proliferated at the biotrophic phase but inhibited at the necrotrophic stage, and with invisible symptoms detected, suggesting a critical role in necrotrophic phase. Glutamate family restored the ΔMoast2 defects but aspartate family did not, inferring that transamination occurs from aspartate to glutamine. MoAST2 is cytosolic and possessed H2O2 stress tolerance. In parallel, Colletotrichum graminicola AST2, CgAST2 was proven to be a player in necrotrophic anthracnose development. Therefore, conserved AST2 is qualified to be a drug target for disease control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penghui Zhang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhenyu Fang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yanyue Song
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shaowei Wang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Lina Bao
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Mingyu Liu
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuejia Dang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yi Wei
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shi-Hong Zhang
- College of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
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Horvath R, Hawe N, Lam C, Mestnikov K, Eji-Lasisi M, Rohde J, Sadowski I. TORC1 signaling modulates Cdk8-dependent GAL gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics 2021; 219:6381581. [PMID: 34849833 PMCID: PMC8664586 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cdk8 of the RNA polymerase II mediator kinase complex regulates gene expression by phosphorylating sequence-specific transcription factors. This function is conserved amongst eukaryotes, but the signals and mechanisms regulating Cdk8 activity and phosphorylation of its substrates are unknown. Full induction of the GAL genes in yeast requires phosphorylation of the transcriptional activator Gal4 by Cdk8. We used a screen to identify regulators of the Cdk8-dependent phosphorylation on Gal4, from which we identified multiple mutants with defects in TORC1 signaling. One mutant, designated gal four throttle 1 (gft1) was identified as a recessive allele of hom3, encoding aspartokinase, and mutations in hom3 caused effects typical of inhibition of TORC1, including rapamycin sensitivity and enhanced nuclear localization of the TORC1-responsive transcription factor Gat1. Mutations in hom3 also inhibit phosphorylation of Gal4 in vivo at the Cdk8-dependent site on Gal4, as did mutations of tor1, but these mutations did not affect activity of Cdk8 assayed in vitro. Disruption of cdc55, encoding a regulatory subunit of the TORC1-regulated protein phosphatase PP2A, suppressed the effect of hom3 and tor1 mutations on GAL expression, and also restored phosphorylation of Gal4 at the Cdk8-dependent site in vivo. These observations demonstrate that TORC1 signaling regulates GAL induction through the activity of PP2A/Cdc55 and suggest that Cdk8-dependent phosphorylation of Gal4 is opposed by PP2A/Cdc55 dephosphorylation. These results provide insight into how induction of transcription by a specific inducer can be modulated by global nutritional signals through regulation of Cdk8-dependent phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley Horvath
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Epigenetics Group, LSI, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Nicole Hawe
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Epigenetics Group, LSI, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Cindy Lam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Epigenetics Group, LSI, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Konstantin Mestnikov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Epigenetics Group, LSI, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Mariam Eji-Lasisi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Epigenetics Group, LSI, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - John Rohde
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Ivan Sadowski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Epigenetics Group, LSI, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
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Lee YT, Fang YY, Sun YW, Hsu HC, Weng SM, Tseng TL, Lin TH, Shieh JC. THR1 mediates GCN4 and CDC4 to link morphogenesis with nutrient sensing and the stress response in Candida albicans. Int J Mol Med 2018; 42:3193-3208. [PMID: 30320368 PMCID: PMC6202100 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2018.3930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Candida albicans (C. albicans) CDC4 (CaCDC4), encoding the F-box protein for the substrate specificity of the Skp1-cullin-F-box E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, suppresses the yeast-to-filament transition in C. albicans. In our previous study, Thr1 was identified as a CaCdc4-associated protein using affinity purification. THR1 encodes a homoserine kinase, which is involved in the threonine biosynthesis pathway. The present study generated a strain with repressible CaCDC4 expression and continuous THR1 expression. Colony and cell morphology analyses, as well as immunoblotting, revealed that the Thr1 protein was detectable under conditions in which the expression of CaCDC4 was repressed and that the filaments resulting from the repressed expression of CaCDC4 were suppressed by the constitutive expression of THR1 in C. albicans. Additionally, by using the CaSAT1-flipper method, the present study produced null mutants of THR1, GCN4, and CaCDC4. The phenotypic consequences were evaluated by growth curves, spotting assays, microscopic analysis, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and XTT-based biofilm formation ability. The results revealed that fewer cells lacking THR1 entered the stationary phase but had no apparent morphological alteration. It was observed that the expression of THR1 was upregulated concurrently with GCN4 during nutrient depletion and that cells lacking GCN4 rescued the lethality of cells in the absence of THR1 in conditions accumulating homoserine in the threonine biosynthesis pathway. Of note, it was found that cells with either CaCDC4 or THR1 loss were sensitive to oxidative stress and osmotic stress, with those with THR1 loss being more sensitive. In addition, it was observed that cells with loss of either CaCDC4 or THR1 exhibited the ability to increase biofilm formation, with those lacking CaCDC4 exhibiting a greater extent of enhancement. It was concluded that CaCDC4 is important in the coordination of morphogenesis, nutrient sensing, and the stress response through THR1 in C. albicans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Ti Lee
- Institute of Medicine and School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Yi-Ya Fang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Yu Wen Sun
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Hsiao-Chi Hsu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Shan-Mei Weng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Tzu-Ling Tseng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Ting-Hui Lin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Jia-Ching Shieh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung City 40201, Taiwan, R.O.C
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Rawal Y, Chereji RV, Valabhoju V, Qiu H, Ocampo J, Clark DJ, Hinnebusch AG. Gcn4 Binding in Coding Regions Can Activate Internal and Canonical 5' Promoters in Yeast. Mol Cell 2018; 70:297-311.e4. [PMID: 29628310 PMCID: PMC6133248 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2018.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Revised: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Gcn4 is a yeast transcriptional activator induced by amino acid starvation. ChIP-seq analysis revealed 546 genomic sites occupied by Gcn4 in starved cells, representing ∼30% of Gcn4-binding motifs. Surprisingly, only ∼40% of the bound sites are in promoters, of which only ∼60% activate transcription, indicating extensive negative control over Gcn4 function. Most of the remaining ∼300 Gcn4-bound sites are within coding sequences (CDSs), with ∼75 representing the only bound sites near Gcn4-induced genes. Many such unconventional sites map between divergent antisense and sub-genic sense transcripts induced within CDSs adjacent to induced TBP peaks, consistent with Gcn4 activation of cryptic bidirectional internal promoters. Mutational analysis confirms that Gcn4 sites within CDSs can activate sub-genic and full-length transcripts from the same or adjacent genes, showing that functional Gcn4 binding is not confined to promoters. Our results show that internal promoters can be regulated by an activator that functions at conventional 5'-positioned promoters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yashpal Rawal
- Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Development, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Răzvan V Chereji
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Vishalini Valabhoju
- Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Development, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Hongfang Qiu
- Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Development, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Josefina Ocampo
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - David J Clark
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Alan G Hinnebusch
- Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Development, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Regulation of Sensing, Transportation, and Catabolism of Nitrogen Sources in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2018; 82:82/1/e00040-17. [PMID: 29436478 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00040-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrogen is one of the most important essential nutrient sources for biogenic activities. Regulation of nitrogen metabolism in microorganisms is complicated and elaborate. For this review, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was chosen to demonstrate the regulatory mechanism of nitrogen metabolism because of its relative clear genetic background. Current opinions on the regulation processes of nitrogen metabolism in S. cerevisiae, including nitrogen sensing, transport, and catabolism, are systematically reviewed. Two major upstream signaling pathways, the Ssy1-Ptr3-Ssy5 sensor system and the target of rapamycin pathway, which are responsible for sensing extracellular and intracellular nitrogen, respectively, are discussed. The ubiquitination of nitrogen transporters, which is the most general and efficient means for controlling nitrogen transport, is also summarized. The following metabolic step, nitrogen catabolism, is demonstrated at two levels: the transcriptional regulation process related to GATA transcriptional factors and the translational regulation process related to the general amino acid control pathway. The interplay between nitrogen regulation and carbon regulation is also discussed. As a model system, understanding the meticulous process by which nitrogen metabolism is regulated in S. cerevisiae not only could facilitate research on global regulation mechanisms and yeast metabolic engineering but also could provide important insights and inspiration for future studies of other common microorganisms and higher eukaryotic cells.
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Diversification of Transcriptional Regulation Determines Subfunctionalization of Paralogous Branched Chain Aminotransferases in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics 2017; 207:975-991. [PMID: 28912343 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.117.300290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Saccharomyces cerevisiae harbors BAT1 and BAT2 paralogous genes that encode branched chain aminotransferases and have opposed expression profiles and physiological roles . Accordingly, in primary nitrogen sources such as glutamine, BAT1 expression is induced, supporting Bat1-dependent valine-isoleucine-leucine (VIL) biosynthesis, while BAT2 expression is repressed. Conversely, in the presence of VIL as the sole nitrogen source, BAT1 expression is hindered while that of BAT2 is activated, resulting in Bat2-dependent VIL catabolism. The presented results confirm that BAT1 expression is determined by transcriptional activation through the action of the Leu3-α-isopropylmalate (α-IPM) active isoform, and uncovers the existence of a novel α-IPM biosynthetic pathway operating in a put3Δ mutant grown on VIL, through Bat2-Leu2-Leu1 consecutive action. The classic α-IPM biosynthetic route operates in glutamine through the action of the leucine-sensitive α-IPM synthases. The presented results also show that BAT2 repression in glutamine can be alleviated in a ure2Δ mutant or through Gcn4-dependent transcriptional activation. Thus, when S. cerevisiae is grown on glutamine, VIL biosynthesis is predominant and is preferentially achieved through BAT1; while on VIL as the sole nitrogen source, catabolism prevails and is mainly afforded by BAT2.
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Bae NS, Seberg AP, Carroll LP, Swanson MJ. Identification of Genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that Are Haploinsufficient for Overcoming Amino Acid Starvation. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2017; 7:1061-1084. [PMID: 28209762 PMCID: PMC5386856 DOI: 10.1534/g3.116.037416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae responds to amino acid deprivation by activating a pathway conserved in eukaryotes to overcome the starvation stress. We have screened the entire yeast heterozygous deletion collection to identify strains haploinsufficient for growth in the presence of sulfometuron methyl, which causes starvation for isoleucine and valine. We have discovered that cells devoid of MET15 are sensitive to sulfometuron methyl, and loss of heterozygosity at the MET15 locus can complicate screening the heterozygous deletion collection. We identified 138 cases of loss of heterozygosity in this screen. After eliminating the issues of the MET15 loss of heterozygosity, strains isolated from the collection were retested on sulfometuron methyl. To determine the general effect of the mutations for a starvation response, SMM-sensitive strains were tested for the ability to grow in the presence of canavanine, which induces arginine starvation, and strains that were MET15 were also tested for growth in the presence of ethionine, which causes methionine starvation. Many of the genes identified in our study were not previously identified as starvation-responsive genes, including a number of essential genes that are not easily screened in a systematic way. The genes identified span a broad range of biological functions, including many involved in some level of gene expression. Several unnamed proteins have also been identified, giving a clue as to possible functions of the encoded proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy S Bae
- Department of Biochemistry, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, Arizona 85308
| | - Andrew P Seberg
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4295
| | - Leslie P Carroll
- Division of Basic Medical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, Georgia 31207
| | - Mark J Swanson
- Department of Biochemistry, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, Arizona 85308
- Division of Basic Medical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, Georgia 31207
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Chromatin Association of Gcn4 Is Limited by Post-translational Modifications Triggered by its DNA-Binding in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics 2016; 204:1433-1445. [PMID: 27770033 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.194134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Saccharomyces cerevisiae transcription factor Gcn4 is expressed during amino acid starvation, and its abundance is controlled by ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. Cdk8, a kinase component of the RNA polymerase II Mediator complex, phosphorylates Gcn4, which triggers its ubiquitination/proteolysis, and is thought to link Gcn4 degradation with transcription of target genes. In addition to phosphorylation and ubiquitination, we previously showed that Gcn4 becomes sumoylated in a DNA-binding dependent manner, while a nonsumoylatable form of Gcn4 showed increased chromatin occupancy, but only if Cdk8 was present. To further investigate how the association of Gcn4 with chromatin is regulated, here we examine determinants for Gcn4 sumoylation, and how its post-translational modifications are coordinated. Remarkably, artificially targeting Gcn4 that lacks its DNA binding domain to a heterologous DNA site restores sumoylation at its natural modification sites, indicating that DNA binding is sufficient for the modification to occur in vivo Indeed, we find that neither transcription of target genes nor phosphorylation are required for Gcn4 sumoylation, but blocking its sumoylation alters its phosphorylation and ubiquitination patterns, placing Gcn4 sumoylation upstream of these Cdk8-mediated modifications. Strongly supporting a role for sumoylation in limiting its association with chromatin, a hyper-sumoylated form of Gcn4 shows dramatically reduced DNA occupancy and expression of target genes. Importantly, we find that Cdk8 is at least partly responsible for clearing hyper-sumoylated Gcn4 from DNA, further implicating sumoylation as a stimulus for Cdk8-mediated phosphorylation and degradation. These results support a novel function for SUMO in marking the DNA-bound form of a transcription factor, which triggers downstream processes that limit its association with chromatin, thus preventing uncontrolled expression of target genes.
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