Coordination of Ribosomal Protein and Ribosomal RNA Gene Expression in Response to TOR Signaling

Hmo1: A versatile member of the high mobility group box family of chromosomal architecture proteins

Eukaryotic chromatin consisting of nucleosomes connected by linker DNA is organized into higher order structures, which is facilitated by linker histone H1. Formation of chromatin compacts and protects the genome, but also hinders DNA transactions. Cells have evolved mechanisms to modify/remodel chromatin resulting in chromatin states suitable for genome functions. The high mobility group box (HMGB) proteins are non-histone chromatin architectural factors characterized by one or more HMGB motifs that bind DNA in a sequence nonspecific fashion. They play a major role in chromatin dynamics. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast hereafter) HMGB protein Hmo1 contains two HMGB motifs. However, unlike a canonical HMGB protein that has an acidic C-terminus, Hmo1 ends with a lysine rich, basic, C-terminus, resembling linker histone H1. Hmo1 exhibits characteristics of both HMGB proteins and linker histones in its multiple functions. For instance, Hmo1 promotes transcription by RNA polymerases I and II like canonical HMGB proteins but makes chromatin more compact/stable like linker histones. Recent studies have demonstrated that Hmo1 destabilizes/disrupts nucleosome similarly as other HMGB proteins in vitro and acts to maintain a common topological architecture of genes in yeast genome. This minireview reviews the functions of Hmo1 and the underlying mechanisms, highlighting recent discoveries.

Yeast Crf1p is an activator with different roles in regulation of target genes

Under stress conditions, ribosome biogenesis is downregulated. This process requires that expression of ribosomal RNA, ribosomal protein, and ribosome biogenesis genes be controlled in a coordinated fashion. The mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1) participates in sensing unfavorable conditions to effect the requisite change in gene expression. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, downregulation of ribosomal protein genes involves dissociation of the activator Ifh1p in a process that depends on Utp22p, a protein that also functions in pre-rRNA processing. Ifh1p has a paralog, Crf1p, which was implicated in communicating mTORC1 inhibition and hence was perceived as a repressor. We focus here on two ribosomal biogenesis genes, encoding Utp22p and the high mobility group protein Hmo1p, both of which are required for communication of mTORC1 inhibition to target genes. Crf1p functions as an activator on these genes as evidenced by reduced mRNA abundance and RNA polymerase II occupancy in a crf1Δ strain. Inhibition of mTORC1 has distinct effects on expression of HMO1 and UTP22; for example, on UTP22, but not on HMO1, the presence of Crf1p promotes the stable depletion of Ifh1p. Our data suggest that Crf1p functions as a weak activator, and that it may be required to prevent re-binding of Ifh1p to some gene promoters after mTORC1 inhibition in situations when Ifh1p is available. We propose that the inclusion of genes encoding proteins required for mTORC1-mediated downregulation of ribosomal protein genes in the same regulatory circuit as the ribosomal protein genes serves to optimize transcriptional responses during mTORC1 inhibition.

Transcription by the Three RNA Polymerases under the Control of the TOR Signaling Pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Ribosomes are the basis for protein production, whose biogenesis is essential for cells to drive growth and proliferation. Ribosome biogenesis is highly regulated in accordance with cellular energy status and stress signals. In eukaryotic cells, response to stress signals and the production of newly-synthesized ribosomes require elements to be transcribed by the three RNA polymerases (RNA pols). Thus, cells need the tight coordination of RNA pols to adjust adequate components production for ribosome biogenesis which depends on environmental cues. This complex coordination probably occurs through a signaling pathway that links nutrient availability with transcription. Several pieces of evidence strongly support that the Target of Rapamycin (TOR) pathway, conserved among eukaryotes, influences the transcription of RNA pols through different mechanisms to ensure proper ribosome components production. This review summarizes the connection between TOR and regulatory elements for the transcription of each RNA pol in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It also focuses on how TOR regulates transcription depending on external cues. Finally, it discusses the simultaneous coordination of the three RNA pols through common factors regulated by TOR and summarizes the most important similarities and differences between S. cerevisiae and mammals.

A High-Copy Suppressor Screen Reveals a Broad Role of Prefoldin-like Bud27 in the TOR Signaling Pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Bud27 is a prefoldin-like, a member of the family of ATP-independent molecular chaperones that associates with RNA polymerases I, II, and III in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Bud27 and its human ortholog URI perform several functions in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Both proteins participate in the TOR signaling cascade by coordinating nutrient availability with gene expression, and lack of Bud27 partially mimics TOR pathway inactivation. Bud27 regulates the transcription of the three RNA polymerases to mediate the synthesis of ribosomal components for ribosome biogenesis through the TOR cascade. This work presents a high-copy suppression screening of the temperature sensitivity of the bud27Δ mutant. It shows that Bud27 influences different TOR-dependent processes. Our data also suggest that Bud27 can impact some of these TOR-dependent processes: cell wall integrity and autophagy induction.

ADRB3 induces mobilization and inhibits differentiation of both breast cancer cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells

Metastatic tumors are mainly composed of neoplastic cells escaping from the primary tumor and inflammatory cells egressing from bone marrow. Cancer cell and inflammatory cell are remained in the state of immaturity during migration to distant organs. Here, we show that ADRB3 is crucial in cell mobilization and differentiation. Immunohistochemistry revealed ADRB3 expression is significantly more frequent in breast cancer tissues than in adjacent noncancerous tissues (92.1% vs. 31.5%). Expression of ADRB3 correlated with malignant degree, TNM stage and poor prognosis. Moreover, ADRB3 expression was markedly high in activated disseminated tumor cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), lymphocytes and neutrophil extracellular traps of patients. Importantly, ADRB3 promoted the expansion of MDSC through stimulation of bone marrow mobilization and inhibiting of the differentiation of immature myeloid cells. Furthermore, ADRB3 promoted MCF-7 cells proliferation and inhibited transdifferentiation into adipocyte-like cell by activating mTOR pathway. Ultimately, the MDSC-deficient phenotype of ADRB3 ^-/- PyMT mice was associated with impairment of mammary tumorigenesis and reduction in pulmonary metastasis. Collectively, ADRB3 promotes metastasis by inducing mobilization and inhibiting differentiation of both breast cancer cells and MDSCs.

Yeast Crf1p: An activator in need is an activator indeed

Ribosome biogenesis is an energetically costly process, and tight regulation is required for stoichiometric balance between components. This requires coordination of RNA polymerases I, II, and III. Lack of nutrients or the presence of stress leads to downregulation of ribosome biogenesis, a process for which mechanistic target of rapamycin complex I (mTORC1) is key. mTORC1 activity is communicated by means of specific transcription factors, and in yeast, which is a primary model system in which transcriptional coordination has been delineated, transcription factors involved in regulation of ribosomal protein genes include Fhl1p and its cofactors, Ifh1p and Crf1p. Ifh1p is an activator, whereas Crf1p has been implicated in maintaining the repressed state upon mTORC1 inhibition. Computational analyses of evolutionary relationships have indicated that Ifh1p and Crf1p descend from a common ancestor. Here, we discuss recent evidence, which suggests that Crf1p also functions as an activator. We propose a model that consolidates available experimental evidence, which posits that Crf1p functions as an alternate activator to prevent the stronger activator Ifh1p from re-binding gene promoters upon mTORC1 inhibition. The correlation between retention of Crf1p in related yeast strains and duplication of ribosomal protein genes suggests that this backup activation may be important to ensure gene expression when Ifh1p is limiting. With ribosome biogenesis as a hallmark of cell growth, failure to control assembly of ribosomal components leads to several human pathologies. A comprehensive understanding of mechanisms underlying this process is therefore of the essence.

Localization and Functional Roles of Components of the Translation Apparatus in the Eukaryotic Cell Nucleus

Components of the translation apparatus, including ribosomal proteins, have been found in cell nuclei in various organisms. Components of the translation apparatus are involved in various nuclear processes, particularly those associated with genome integrity control and the nuclear stages of gene expression, such as transcription, mRNA processing, and mRNA export. Components of the translation apparatus control intranuclear trafficking; the nuclear import and export of RNA and proteins; and regulate the activity, stability, and functional recruitment of nuclear proteins. The nuclear translocation of these components is often involved in the cell response to stimulation and stress, in addition to playing critical roles in oncogenesis and viral infection. Many components of the translation apparatus are moonlighting proteins, involved in integral cell stress response and coupling of gene expression subprocesses. Thus, this phenomenon represents a significant interest for both basic and applied molecular biology. Here, we provide an overview of the current data regarding the molecular functions of translation factors and ribosomal proteins in the cell nucleus.

Genome-scale reconstruction of Gcn4/ATF4 networks driving a growth program

Growth and starvation are considered opposite ends of a spectrum. To sustain growth, cells use coordinated gene expression programs and manage biomolecule supply in order to match the demands of metabolism and translation. Global growth programs complement increased ribosomal biogenesis with sufficient carbon metabolism, amino acid and nucleotide biosynthesis. How these resources are collectively managed is a fundamental question. The role of the Gcn4/ATF4 transcription factor has been best studied in contexts where cells encounter amino acid starvation. However, high Gcn4 activity has been observed in contexts of rapid cell proliferation, and the roles of Gcn4 in such growth contexts are unclear. Here, using a methionine-induced growth program in yeast, we show that Gcn4/ATF4 is the fulcrum that maintains metabolic supply in order to sustain translation outputs. By integrating matched transcriptome and ChIP-Seq analysis, we decipher genome-wide direct and indirect roles for Gcn4 in this growth program. Genes that enable metabolic precursor biosynthesis indispensably require Gcn4; contrastingly ribosomal genes are partly repressed by Gcn4. Gcn4 directly binds promoter-regions and transcribes a subset of metabolic genes, particularly driving lysine and arginine biosynthesis. Gcn4 also globally represses lysine and arginine enriched transcripts, which include genes encoding the translation machinery. The Gcn4 dependent lysine and arginine supply thereby maintains the synthesis of the translation machinery. This is required to maintain translation capacity. Gcn4 consequently enables metabolic-precursor supply to bolster protein synthesis, and drive a growth program. Thus, we illustrate how growth and starvation outcomes are both controlled using the same Gcn4 transcriptional outputs that function in distinct contexts.

Regulation of ribosomal protein genes: An ordered anarchy

Ribosomal protein genes are among the most highly expressed genes in most cell types. Their products are generally essential for ribosome synthesis, which is the cornerstone for cell growth and proliferation. Many cellular resources are dedicated to producing ribosomal proteins and thus this process needs to be regulated in ways that carefully balance the supply of nascent ribosomal proteins with the demand for new ribosomes. Ribosomal protein genes have classically been viewed as a uniform interconnected regulon regulated in eukaryotic cells by target of rapamycin and protein kinase A pathway in response to changes in growth conditions and/or cellular status. However, recent literature depicts a more complex picture in which the amount of ribosomal proteins produced varies between genes in response to two overlapping regulatory circuits. The first includes the classical general ribosome‐producing program and the second is a gene‐specific feature responsible for fine‐tuning the amount of ribosomal proteins produced from each individual ribosomal gene. Unlike the general pathway that is mainly controlled at the level of transcription and translation, this specific regulation of ribosomal protein genes is largely achieved through changes in pre‐mRNA splicing efficiency and mRNA stability. By combining general and specific regulation, the cell can coordinate ribosome production, while allowing functional specialization and diversity. Here we review the many ways ribosomal protein genes are regulated, with special focus on the emerging role of posttranscriptional regulatory events in fine‐tuning the expression of ribosomal protein genes and its role in controlling the potential variation in ribosome functions.

This article is categorized under:

Translation > Ribosome Biogenesis

Translation > Ribosome Structure/Function

Translation > Translation Regulation

Prefoldin-like Bud27 influences the transcription of ribosomal components and ribosome biogenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Understanding the functional connection that occurs for the three nuclear RNA polymerases to synthesize ribosome components during the ribosome biogenesis process has been the focal point of extensive research. To preserve correct homeostasis on the production of ribosomal components, cells might require the existence of proteins that target a common subunit of these RNA polymerases to impact their respective activities. This work describes how the yeast prefoldin-like Bud27 protein, which physically interacts with the Rpb5 common subunit of the three RNA polymerases, is able to modulate the transcription mediated by the RNA polymerase I, likely by influencing transcription elongation, the transcription of the RNA polymerase III, and the processing of ribosomal RNA. Bud27 also regulates both RNA polymerase II-dependent transcription of ribosomal proteins and ribosome biogenesis regulon genes, likely by occupying their DNA ORFs, and the processing of the corresponding mRNAs. With RNA polymerase II, this association occurs in a transcription rate-dependent manner. Our data also indicate that Bud27 inactivation alters the phosphorylation kinetics of ribosomal protein S6, a readout of TORC1 activity. We conclude that Bud27 impacts the homeostasis of the ribosome biogenesis process by regulating the activity of the three RNA polymerases and, in this way, the synthesis of ribosomal components. This quite likely occurs through a functional connection of Bud27 with the TOR signaling pathway.

The Autism-Related Protein SETD5 Controls Neural Cell Proliferation through Epigenetic Regulation of rDNA Expression

Haploinsufficiency of SETD5 is implicated in syndromic autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the molecular mechanism underlying the pathological role of this protein has remained unclear. We have now shown that Setd5^+/– mice manifest ASD-related behavioral phenotypes and that the expression of ribosomal protein genes and rDNA is disturbed in the brain of these mice. SETD5 recruited the HDAC3 complex to the rDNA promoter, resulting in removal of the histone mark H4K16ac and its reader protein TIP5, a repressor of rDNA expression. Depletion of SETD5 attenuated rDNA expression, translational activity, and neural cell proliferation, whereas ablation of TIP5 in SETD5-deficient cells rescued these effects. Translation of cyclin D1 mRNA was specifically down-regulated in SETD5-insufficient cells. Our results thus suggest that SETD5 positively regulates rDNA expression via an HDAC3-mediated epigenetic mechanism and that such regulation is essential for translation of cyclin D1 mRNA and neural cell proliferation.

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Setd5^+/– mice manifest syndromic autism-related phenotypes

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SETD5 recruits the HDAC3 complex to the rDNA promoter

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SETD5 deficiency reduces rRNA abundance and attenuates translational activity

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SETD5 deficiency inhibits cyclin D1 mRNA translation and neural cell proliferation

Differential expression of duplicated ribosomal protein genes modifies ribosome composition in response to stress

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, most ribosomal proteins are synthesized from duplicated genes, increasing the potential for ribosome heterogeneity. However, the contribution of these duplicated genes to ribosome production and the mechanism determining their relative expression remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that in most cases, one of the two gene copies generate the bulk of the active ribosomes under normal growth conditions, while the other copy is favored only under stress. To understand the origin of these differences in paralog expression and their contribution to ribosome heterogeneity we used RNA polymerase II ChIP-Seq, RNA-seq, polyribosome association and peptide-based mass-spectrometry to compare their transcription potential, splicing, mRNA abundance, translation potential, protein abundance and incorporation into ribosomes. In normal conditions a post-transcriptional expression hierarchy of the duplicated ribosomal protein genes is the product of the efficient splicing, high stability and efficient translation of the major paralog mRNA. Exposure of the cell to stress modifies the expression ratio of the paralogs by repressing the expression of the major paralog and thus increasing the number of ribosomes carrying the minor paralog. Together the data indicate that duplicated ribosomal protein genes underlie a modular network permitting the modification of ribosome composition in response to changing growth conditions.

Ribosome biogenesis in skeletal muscle: coordination of transcription and translation

Skeletal muscle mass responds in a remarkable manner to alterations in loading and use. It has long been clear that skeletal muscle hypertrophy can be prevented by inhibiting RNA synthesis. Since 80% of the cell's total RNA has been estimated to be rRNA, this finding indicates that de novo production of rRNA via transcription of the corresponding genes is important for such hypertrophy to occur. Transcription of rDNA by RNA Pol I is the rate-limiting step in ribosome biogenesis, indicating in turn that this biogenesis strongly influences the hypertrophic response. The present minireview focuses on 1) a brief description of the key steps in ribosome biogenesis and the relationship of this process to skeletal muscle mass and 2) the coordination of ribosome biogenesis and protein synthesis for growth or atrophy, as exemplified by the intracellular AMPK and mTOR pathways.

Global translation inhibition yields condition-dependent de-repression of ribosome biogenesis mRNAs

Ribosome biogenesis (RiBi) is an extremely energy intensive process that is critical for gene expression. It is thus highly regulated, including through the tightly coordinated expression of over 200 RiBi genes by positive and negative transcriptional regulators. We investigated RiBi regulation as cells initiated meiosis in budding yeast and noted early transcriptional activation of RiBi genes, followed by their apparent translational repression 1 hour (h) after stimulation to enter meiosis. Surprisingly, in the representative genes examined, measured translational repression depended on their promoters rather than mRNA regions. Further investigation revealed that the signature of this regulation in our data depended on pre-treating cells with the translation inhibitor, cycloheximide (CHX). This treatment, at 1 h in meiosis, but not earlier, rapidly resulted in accumulation of RiBi mRNAs that were not translated. This effect was also seen in with CHX pre-treatment of cells grown in media lacking amino acids. For NSR1, this effect depended on the -150 to -101 region of the promoter, as well as the RiBi transcriptional repressors Dot6 and Tod6. Condition-specific RiBi mRNA accumulation was also seen with translation inhibitors that are dissimilar from CHX, suggesting that this phenomenon might represent a feedback response to global translation inhibition.

Target of rapamycin, a master regulator of multiple signalling pathways and a potential candidate gene for crop improvement

The target of rapamycin (TOR) protein regulates growth and development in photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic eukaryotes. Although the TOR regulatory networks are involved in nutrient and energy signalling, and transcriptional and translational control of multiple signalling pathways, the molecular mechanism of TOR regulation of plant abiotic stress responses is still unclear. The TOR-mediated transcriptional regulation of genes encoding ribosomal proteins (RP) is a necessity under stress conditions for balanced growth and productivity in plants. The activation of SnRKs (sucrose non-fermenting-related kinases) and the inactivation of TOR signalling in abiotic stresses is in line with the accumulation of ABA and transcriptional activation of stress responsive genes. Autophagy is induced under abiotic stress conditions, which results in degradation of proteins and the release of amino acids, which might possibly induce phosphorylation of TOR and, hence, its activation. TOR signalling also has a role in regulating ABA biosynthesis for transcriptional regulation of stress-related genes. The switch between activation and inactivation of TOR by its phosphorylation and de-phosphorylation maintains balanced growth in response to stresses. In the present review, we discuss the important signalling pathways that are regulated by TOR and try to assess the relationship between TOR signalling and tolerance to abiotic stresses in plants. The review also discusses possible cross-talk between TOR and RP genes in response to abiotic stresses.

Sphingolipid/Pkh1/2-TORC1/Sch9 Signaling Regulates Ribosome Biogenesis in Tunicamycin-Induced Stress Response in Yeast

Reduced ribosome biogenesis in response to environmental conditions is a key feature of cell adaptation to stress. For example, ribosomal genes are transcriptionally repressed when cells are exposed to tunicamycin, a protein glycosylation inhibitor that induces endoplasmic reticulum stress and blocks vesicular trafficking in the secretory pathway. Here, we describe a novel regulatory model, in which tunicamycin-mediated stress induces the accumulation of long-chain sphingoid bases and subsequent activation of Pkh1/2 signaling, which leads to decreased expression of ribosomal protein genes via the downstream effectors Pkc1 and Sch9. Target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1), an upstream activator of Sch9, is also required. This pathway links ribosome biogenesis to alterations in membrane lipid composition under tunicamycin-induced stress conditions. Our results suggest that sphingolipid/Pkh1/2-TORC1/Sch9 signaling is an important determinant for adaptation to tunicamycin-induced stress.

Dual Transcriptomics of Host-Pathogen Interaction of Cystic Fibrosis Isolate Pseudomonas aeruginosa PASS1 With Zebrafish

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a significant cause of mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). To explore the interaction of the CF isolate P. aeruginosa PASS1 with the innate immune response, we have used Danio rerio (zebrafish) as an infection model. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) enabled visualization of direct interactions between zebrafish macrophages and P. aeruginosa PASS1. Dual RNA-sequencing of host-pathogen was undertaken to profile RNA expression simultaneously in the pathogen and the host during P. aeruginosa infection. Following establishment of infection in zebrafish embryos with PASS1, 3 days post infection (dpi), there were 6739 genes found to be significantly differentially expressed in zebrafish and 176 genes in PASS1. A range of virulence genes were upregulated in PASS1, including genes encoding pyoverdine biosynthesis, flagellin, non-hemolytic phospholipase C, proteases, superoxide dismutase and fimbrial subunits. Additionally, iron and phosphate acquisition genes were upregulated in PASS1 cells in the zebrafish. Transcriptional changes in the host immune response genes highlighted phagocytosis as a key response mechanism to PASS1 infection. Transcriptional regulators of neutrophil and macrophage phagocytosis were upregulated alongside transcriptional regulators governing response to tissue injury, infection, and inflammation. The zebrafish host showed significant downregulation of the ribosomal RNAs and other genes involved in translation, suggesting that protein translation in the host is affected by PASS1 infection.

TOR Facilitates the Targeting of the 19S Proteasome Subcomplex To Enhance Transcription Complex Assembly at the Promoters of the Ribosomal Protein Genes

TOR (target of rapamycin) has been previously implicated in transcriptional stimulation of the ribosomal protein (RP) genes via enhanced recruitment of NuA4 (nucleosome acetyltransferase of H4) to the promoters. However, it is not clearly understood how TOR enhances NuA4 recruitment to the promoters of the RP genes. Here we show that TOR facilitates the recruitment of the 19S proteasome subcomplex to the activator to enhance the targeting of NuA4 to the promoters of the RP genes. NuA4, in turn, promotes the recruitment of TFIID (transcription factor IID, composed of TATA box-binding protein [TBP] and a set of TBP-associated factors [TAFs]) and RNA polymerase II to the promoters of the RP genes to enhance transcriptional initiation. Therefore, our results demonstrate that TOR facilitates the recruitment of the 19S proteasome subcomplex to the promoters of the RP genes to promote the targeting of NuA4 for enhanced preinitiation complex (PIC) formation and consequently transcriptional initiation, hence illuminating TOR regulation of RP gene activation. Further, our results reveal that TOR differentially regulates PIC formation (and hence transcription) at the non-RP genes, thus demonstrating a complex regulation of gene activation by TOR.

Plant S6 kinases do not require hydrophobic motif phosphorylation for activity in yeast lacking Ypk3

The ribosomal protein S6 kinases (S6K) are among the major substrates and crucial effectors of the target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase, which is an evolutionarily conserved regulator of cell growth and proliferation. Recent research indicates that yeast Ypk3 is an ortholog of mammalian S6Ks. Here, we find that plant S6Ks restore ribosomal protein S6 phosphorylation in a rapamycin-sensitive manner in yeast cells lacking Ypk3. However, phosphorylation of a hydrophobic motif, which is mediated through TOR signaling and essential for mammalian S6K activity, is not detected in plant S6Ks. Furthermore, deletion of the N-terminal region of rice S6Ks shows phosphorylation of the hydrophobic motif and reduced rapamycin sensitivity. Our findings suggest a mechanism of plant S6K activation distinct from that of mammalian S6Ks.

Heterozygous De Novo UBTF Gain-of-Function Variant Is Associated with Neurodegeneration in Childhood

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is transcribed from rDNA by RNA polymerase I (Pol I) to produce the 45S precursor of the 28S, 5.8S, and 18S rRNA components of the ribosome. Two transcription factors have been defined for Pol I in mammals, the selectivity factor SL1, and the upstream binding transcription factor (UBF), which interacts with the upstream control element to facilitate the assembly of the transcription initiation complex including SL1 and Pol I. In seven unrelated affected individuals, all suffering from developmental regression starting at 2.5-7 years, we identified a heterozygous variant, c.628G>A in UBTF, encoding p.Glu210Lys in UBF, which occurred de novo in all cases. While the levels of UBF, Ser388 phosphorylated UBF, and other Pol I-related components (POLR1E, TAF1A, and TAF1C) remained unchanged in cells of an affected individual, the variant conferred gain of function to UBF, manifesting by markedly increased UBF binding to the rDNA promoter and to the 5'- external transcribed spacer. This was associated with significantly increased 18S expression, and enlarged nucleoli which were reduced in number per cell. The data link neurodegeneration in childhood with altered rDNA chromatin status and rRNA metabolism.

The replicative lifespan-extending deletion of SGF73 results in altered ribosomal gene expression in yeast

Sgf73, a core component of SAGA, is the yeast orthologue of ataxin‐7, which undergoes CAG–polyglutamine repeat expansion leading to the human neurodegenerative disease spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7). Deletion of SGF73 dramatically extends replicative lifespan (RLS) in yeast. To further define the basis for Sgf73‐mediated RLS extension, we performed ChIP‐Seq, identified 388 unique genomic regions occupied by Sgf73, and noted enrichment in promoters of ribosomal protein (RP)‐encoding genes. Of 388 Sgf73 binding sites, 33 correspond to 5′ regions of genes implicated in RLS extension, including 20 genes encoding RPs. Furthermore, half of Sgf73‐occupied, RLS‐linked RP genes displayed significantly reduced expression in sgf73Δ mutants, and double null strains lacking SGF73 and a Sgf73‐regulated, RLS‐linked RP gene exhibited no further increase in replicative lifespan. We also found that sgf73Δ mutants display altered acetylation of Ifh1, an important regulator of RP gene transcription. These findings implicate altered ribosomal protein expression in sgf73Δ yeast RLS and highlight altered acetylation as a pathway of relevance for SCA7 neurodegeneration.

DNA damage regulates direct association of TOR kinase with the RNA polymerase II-transcribed HMO1 gene

In yeast, Hmo1p is important for communicating target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase activity to downstream targets. Results show that TOR kinase controls expression of the HMO1 gene and that an important component of this regulation is its direct association with the HMO1 gene. The implications are that TOR kinase may have more elaborate nuclear functions.

The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) senses nutrient sufficiency and cellular stress. When mTORC1 is inhibited, protein synthesis is reduced in an intricate process that includes a concerted down-regulation of genes encoding rRNA and ribosomal proteins. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae high-mobility group protein Hmo1p has been implicated in coordinating this response to mTORC1 inhibition. We show here that Tor1p binds directly to the HMO1 gene (but not to genes that are not linked to ribosome biogenesis) and that the presence of Tor1p is associated with activation of gene activity. Persistent induction of DNA double-strand breaks or mTORC1 inhibition by rapamycin results in reduced levels of HMO1 mRNA, but only in the presence of Tor1p. This down-regulation is accompanied by eviction of Ifh1p and recruitment of Crf1p, followed by concerted dissociation of Hmo1p and Tor1p. These findings uncover a novel role for TOR kinase in control of gene activity by direct association with an RNA polymerase II–transcribed gene.

Autophagy is a signature of a signaling network that maintains hematopoietic stem cells

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are able to self-renew and to differentiate into all blood cells. HSCs reside in a low-perfusion niche and depend on local signals to survive and to maintain the capacity for self-renewal. HSCs removed from the niche are unable to survive without addition of hematopoietic cytokines and rapidly lose their ability to self-renew. We reported previously that inhibition of both GSK-3 and mTORC1 is essential to maintain long-term HSCs ex vivo. Although Wnt/β-catenin signaling downstream of GSK-3 is required for this response, the downstream effectors of mTORC1 remain undefined. We now report that HSCs express a pro-autophagic gene signature and accumulate LC3 puncta only when both mTORC1 and GSK-3 are inhibited, identifying autophagy as a signature for a signaling network that maintains HSCs ex vivo. In addition, these conditions sustain HSC repopulating function despite an increased rate of global translation. Together, these findings provide new insight into the relative contributions of various mTORC1 outputs toward the maintenance of HSC function and build upon the growing body of literature implicating autophagy and tightly controlled protein synthesis as important modulators of diverse stem cell populations.

Identification of Genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that Are Haploinsufficient for Overcoming Amino Acid Starvation

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.

Dancing with Hormones: A Current Perspective of Nitrate Signaling and Regulation in Arabidopsis

In nature and agriculture, nitrate availability is a main environmental cue for plant growth, development and stress responses. Nitrate signaling and regulation are hence at the center of communications between plant intrinsic programs and the environment. It is also well known that endogenous phytohormones play numerous critical roles in integrating extrinsic cues and intrinsic responses, regulating and refining almost all aspects of plant growth, development and stress responses. Therefore, interaction between nitrate and phytohormones, such as auxins, cytokinins, abscisic acid, gibberellins, and ethylene, is prevalent. The growing evidence indicates that biosynthesis, de-conjugation, transport, and signaling of hormones are partly controlled by nitrate signaling. Recent advances with nitrate signaling and transcriptional regulation in Arabidopsis give rise to new paradigms. Given the comprehensive nitrate transport, sensing, signaling and regulations at the level of the cell and organism, nitrate itself is a local and long-distance signal molecule, conveying N status at the whole-plant level. A direct molecular link between nitrate signaling and cell cycle progression was revealed with TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR1-20 (TCP20) - NIN-LIKE PROTEIN 6/7 (NLP6/7) regulatory nexus. NLPs are key regulators of nitrogen responses in plants. TCPs function as the main regulators of plant morphology and architecture, with the emerging role as integrators of plant developmental responses to the environment. By analogy with auxin being proposed as a plant morphogen, nitrate may be an environmental morphogen. The morphogen-gradient-dependent and cell-autonomous mechanisms of nitrate signaling and regulation are an integral part of cell growth and cell identification. This is especially true in root meristem growth that is regulated by intertwined nitrate, phytohormones, and glucose-TOR signaling pathways. Furthermore, the nitrate transcriptional hierarchy is emerging. Nitrate regulators in primary nitrate signaling can individually and combinatorially control downstream transcriptional networks and hormonal pathways for signal propagation and amplification. Under the new paradigms, nitrate-induced hormone metabolism and signaling deserve fresh examination. The close interplay and convergent regulation of nitrate and hormonal signaling at morphological, physiological, and molecular levels have significant effects on important agronomic traits, especially nutrient-dependent adaptive root system growth and architecture.

Yeast HMO1: Linker Histone Reinvented

Eukaryotic genomes are packaged in chromatin. The higher-order organization of nucleosome core particles is controlled by the association of the intervening linker DNA with either the linker histone H1 or high mobility group box (HMGB) proteins. While H1 is thought to stabilize the nucleosome by preventing DNA unwrapping, the DNA bending imposed by HMGB may propagate to the nucleosome to destabilize chromatin. For metazoan H1, chromatin compaction requires its lysine-rich C-terminal domain, a domain that is buried between globular domains in the previously characterized yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae linker histone Hho1p. Here, we discuss the functions of S. cerevisiae HMO1, an HMGB family protein unique in containing a terminal lysine-rich domain and in stabilizing genomic DNA. On ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and genes encoding ribosomal proteins, HMO1 appears to exert its role primarily by stabilizing nucleosome-free regions or "fragile" nucleosomes. During replication, HMO1 likewise appears to ensure low nucleosome density at DNA junctions associated with the DNA damage response or the need for topoisomerases to resolve catenanes. Notably, HMO1 shares with the mammalian linker histone H1 the ability to stabilize chromatin, as evidenced by the absence of HMO1 creating a more dynamic chromatin environment that is more sensitive to nuclease digestion and in which chromatin-remodeling events associated with DNA double-strand break repair occur faster; such chromatin stabilization requires the lysine-rich extension of HMO1. Thus, HMO1 appears to have evolved a unique linker histone-like function involving the ability to stabilize both conventional nucleosome arrays as well as DNA regions characterized by low nucleosome density or the presence of noncanonical nucleosomes.

Massive rearrangements of cellular MicroRNA signatures are key drivers of hepatocyte dedifferentiation

Hepatocytes are dynamic cells that, upon injury, can alternate between nondividing differentiated and dedifferentiated proliferating states in vivo. However, in two-dimensional cultures, primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) rapidly dedifferentiate, resulting in loss of hepatic functions that significantly limits their usefulness as an in vitro model of liver biology, liver diseases, as well as drug metabolism and toxicity. Thus, understanding the underlying mechanisms and stalling of the dedifferentiation process would be highly beneficial to establish more-accurate and relevant long-term in vitro hepatocyte models. Here, we present comprehensive analyses of whole proteome and transcriptome dynamics during the initiation of dedifferentiation during the first 24 hours of culture. We report that early major rearrangements of the noncoding transcriptome, hallmarked by increased expression of small nucleolar RNAs, long noncoding RNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs), and ribosomal genes, precede most changes in coding genes during dedifferentiation of PHHs, and we speculated that these modulations could drive the hepatic dedifferentiation process. To functionally test this hypothesis, we globally inhibited the miRNA machinery using two established chemically distinct compounds, acriflavine and poly-l-lysine. These inhibition experiments resulted in a significantly impaired miRNA response and, most important, in a pronounced reduction in the down-regulation of hepatic genes with importance for liver function. Thus, we provide strong evidence for the importance of noncoding RNAs, in particular, miRNAs, in hepatic dedifferentiation, which can aid the development of more-efficient differentiation protocols for stem-cell-derived hepatocytes and broaden our understanding of the dynamic properties of hepatocytes with respect to liver regeneration.

CONCLUSION

miRNAs are important drivers of hepatic dedifferentiation, and our results provide valuable information regarding the mechanisms behind liver regeneration and possibilities to inhibit dedifferentiation in vitro. (Hepatology 2016;64:1743-1756).

The high mobility group protein HMO1 functions as a linker histone in yeast

Background

Eukaryotic chromatin consists of nucleosome core particles connected by linker DNA of variable length. Histone H1 associates with the linker DNA to stabilize the higher-order chromatin structure and to modulate the ability of regulatory factors to access their nucleosomal targets. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the protein with greatest sequence similarity to H1 is Hho1p. However, during vegetative growth, hho1∆ cells do not show any discernible cell growth defects or the changes in bulk chromatin structure that are characteristic of chromatin from multicellular eukaryotes in which H1 is depleted. In contrast, the yeast high mobility group (HMGB) protein HMO1 has been reported to compact chromatin, as evidenced by increased nuclease sensitivity in hmo1∆ cells. HMO1 has an unusual domain architecture compared to vertebrate HMGB proteins in that the HMG domains are followed by a lysine-rich extension instead of an acidic domain. We address here the hypothesis that HMO1 serves the role of H1 in terms of chromatin compaction and that this function requires the lysine-rich extension.

Results

We show here that HMO1 fulfills this function of a linker histone. For histone H1, chromatin compaction requires its basic C-terminal domain, and we find that the same pertains to HMO1, as deletion of its C-terminal lysine-rich extension renders chromatin nuclease sensitive. On rDNA, deletion of both HMO1 and Hho1p is required for significantly increased nuclease sensitivity. Expression of human histone H1 completely reverses the nuclease sensitivity characteristic of chromatin isolated from hmo1∆ cells. While chromatin remodeling events associated with repair of DNA double-strand breaks occur faster in the more dynamic chromatin environment created by the hmo1 deletion, expression of human histone H1 results in chromatin remodeling and double-strand break repair similar to that observed in wild-type cells.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that S. cerevisiae HMO1 protects linker DNA from nuclease digestion, a property also characteristic of mammalian linker histone H1. Notably, association with HMO1 creates a less dynamic chromatin environment that depends on its lysine-rich domain. That HMO1 has linker histone function has implications for investigations of chromatin structure and function as well as for evolution of proteins with roles in chromatin compaction.

Introns regulate the production of ribosomal proteins by modulating splicing of duplicated ribosomal protein genes

Most budding yeast introns exist in the many duplicated ribosomal protein genes (RPGs) and it has been posited that they remain there to modulate the expression of RPGs and cell growth in response to stress. However, the mechanism by which introns regulate the expression of RPGs and their impact on the synthesis of ribosomal proteins remain unclear. In this study, we show that introns determine the ratio of ribosomal protein isoforms through asymmetric paralog-specific regulation of splicing. Exchanging the introns and 3′ untranslated regions of the duplicated RPS9 genes altered the splicing efficiency and changed the ratio of the ribosomal protein isoforms. Mutational analysis of the RPS9 genes indicated that splicing is regulated by variations in the intron structure and the 3′ untranslated region. Together these data suggest that preferential splicing of duplicated RPGs provides a means for adjusting the ratio of different ribosomal protein isoforms, while maintaining the overall expression level of each ribosomal protein.

Condensin and Hmo1 Mediate a Starvation-Induced Transcriptional Position Effect within the Ribosomal DNA Array

Repetitive DNA arrays are important structural features of eukaryotic genomes that are often heterochromatinized to suppress repeat instability. It is unclear, however, whether all repeats within an array are equally subject to heterochromatin formation and gene silencing. Here, we show that in starving Saccharomyces cerevisiae, silencing of reporter genes within the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) array is less pronounced in outer repeats compared with inner repeats. This position effect is linked to the starvation-induced contraction of the nucleolus. We show that the chromatin regulators condensin and Hmo1 redistribute within the rDNA upon starvation; that Hmo1, like condensin, is required for nucleolar contraction; and that the position effect partially depends on both proteins. Starvation-induced nucleolar contraction and differential desilencing of the outer rDNA repeats may provide a mechanism to activate rDNA-encoded RNAPII transcription units without causing general rDNA instability.

Parameter Estimation for Gene Regulatory Networks from Microarray Data: Cold Shock Response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We investigated the dynamics of a gene regulatory network controlling the cold shock response in budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The medium-scale network, derived from published genome-wide location data, consists of 21 transcription factors that regulate one another through 31 directed edges. The expression levels of the individual transcription factors were modeled using mass balance ordinary differential equations with a sigmoidal production function. Each equation includes a production rate, a degradation rate, weights that denote the magnitude and type of influence of the connected transcription factors (activation or repression), and a threshold of expression. The inverse problem of determining model parameters from observed data is our primary interest. We fit the differential equation model to published microarray data using a penalized nonlinear least squares approach. Model predictions fit the experimental data well, within the 95 % confidence interval. Tests of the model using randomized initial guesses and model-generated data also lend confidence to the fit. The results have revealed activation and repression relationships between the transcription factors. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the model is most sensitive to changes in the production rate parameters, weights, and thresholds of Yap1, Rox1, and Yap6, which form a densely connected core in the network. The modeling results newly suggest that Rap1, Fhl1, Msn4, Rph1, and Hsf1 play an important role in regulating the early response to cold shock in yeast. Our results demonstrate that estimation for a large number of parameters can be successfully performed for nonlinear dynamic gene regulatory networks using sparse, noisy microarray data.

Nucleolar stress with and without p53

A veritable explosion of primary research papers within the past 10 years focuses on nucleolar and ribosomal stress, and for good reason: with ribosome biosynthesis consuming ~80% of a cell’s energy, nearly all metabolic and signaling pathways lead ultimately to or from the nucleolus. We begin by describing p53 activation upon nucleolar stress resulting in cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. The significance of this mechanism cannot be understated, as oncologists are now inducing nucleolar stress strategically in cancer cells as a potential anti-cancer therapy. We also summarize the human ribosomopathies, syndromes in which ribosome biogenesis or function are impaired leading to birth defects or bone narrow failures; the perplexing problem in the ribosomopathies is why only certain cells are affected despite the fact that the causative mutation is systemic. We then describe p53-independent nucleolar stress, first in yeast which lacks p53, and then in other model metazoans that lack MDM2, the critical E3 ubiquitin ligase that normally inactivates p53. Do these presumably ancient p53-independent nucleolar stress pathways remain latent in human cells? If they still exist, can we use them to target >50% of known human cancers that lack functional p53?

Post-transcriptional regulation of ribosomal protein genes during serum starvation in Entamoeba histolytica

Ribosome synthesis involves all three RNA polymerases which are co-ordinately regulated to produce equimolar amounts of rRNAs and ribosomal proteins (RPs). Unlike model organisms where transcription of rRNA and RP genes slows down during stress, in E. histolytica rDNA transcription continues but pre-rRNA processing slows down and unprocessed pre-rRNA accumulates during serum starvation. To investigate the regulation of RP genes under stress we measured transcription of six selected RP genes from the small- and large-ribosomal subunits (RPS6, RPS3, RPS19, RPL5, RPL26, RPL30) representing the early-, mid-, and late-stages of ribosomal assembly. Transcripts of these genes persisted in growth-stressed cells. Expression of luciferase reporter under the control of two RP genes (RPS19 and RPL30) was studied during serum starvation and upon serum replenishment. Although luciferase transcript levels remained unchanged during starvation, luciferase activity steadily declined to 7.8% and 15% of control cells, respectively. After serum replenishment the activity increased to normal levels, suggesting post-transcriptional regulation of these genes. Mutations in the sequence -2 to -9 upstream of AUG in the RPL30 gene resulted in the phenotype expected of post-transcriptional regulation. Transcription of luciferase reporter was unaffected in this mutant, and luciferase activity did not decline during serum starvation, showing that this sequence is required to repress translation of RPL30 mRNA, and mutations in this region relieve repression. Our data show that during serum starvation E. histolytica blocks ribosome biogenesis post-transcriptionally by inhibiting pre-rRNA processing on the one hand, and the translation of RP mRNAs on the other.

Exploiting the yeast stress-activated signaling network to inform on stress biology and disease signaling

Healthy cells utilize intricate systems to monitor their environment and mount robust responses in the event of cellular stress. Whether stress arises from external insults or defects due to mutation and disease, cells must be able to respond precisely to mount the appropriate defenses. Multi-faceted stress responses are generally coupled with arrest of growth and cell-cycle progression, which both limits the transmission of damaged materials and serves to reallocate limited cellular resources toward defense. Therefore, stress defense versus rapid growth represent competing interests in the cell. How eukaryotic cells set the balance between defense versus proliferation, and in particular knowledge of the regulatory networks that control this decision, are poorly understood. In this perspective, we expand upon our recent work inferring the stress-activated signaling network in budding yeast, which captures pathways controlling stress defense and regulators of growth and cell-cycle progression. We highlight similarities between the yeast and mammalian stress responses and explore how stress-activated signaling networks in yeast can inform on signaling defects in human cancers.

Bud-Localization of CLB2 mRNA Can Constitute a Growth Rate Dependent Daughter Sizer

Maintenance of cellular size is a fundamental systems level process that requires balancing of cell growth with proliferation. This is achieved via the cell division cycle, which is driven by the sequential accumulation and destruction of cyclins. The regulatory network around these cyclins, particularly in G1, has been interpreted as a size control network in budding yeast, and cell size as being decisive for the START transition. However, it is not clear why disruptions in the G1 network may lead to altered size rather than loss of size control, or why the S-G2-M duration also depends on nutrients. With a mathematical population model comprised of individually growing cells, we show that cyclin translation would suffice to explain the observed growth rate dependence of cell volume at START. Moreover, we assess the impact of the observed bud-localisation of the G2 cyclin CLB2 mRNA, and find that localised cyclin translation could provide an efficient mechanism for measuring the biosynthetic capacity in specific compartments: The mother in G1, and the growing bud in G2. Hence, iteration of the same principle can ensure that the mother cell is strong enough to grow a bud, and that the bud is strong enough for independent life. Cell sizes emerge in the model, which predicts that a single CDK-cyclin pair per growth phase suffices for size control in budding yeast, despite the necessity of the cell cycle network around the cyclins to integrate other cues. Size control seems to be exerted twice, where the G2/M control affects bud size through bud-localized translation of CLB2 mRNA, explaining the dependence of the S-G2-M duration on nutrients. Taken together, our findings suggest that cell size is an emergent rather than a regulatory property of the network linking growth and proliferation.

Translational arrest due to cytoplasmic redox stress delays adaptation to growth on methanol and heterologous protein expression in a typical fed-batch culture of Pichia pastoris

Results

We have followed a typical fed-batch induction regime for heterologous protein production under the control of the AOX1 promoter using both microarray and metabolomic analysis. The genetic constructs involved 1 and 3 copies of the TRY1 gene, encoding human trypsinogen. In small-scale laboratory cultures, expression of the 3 copy-number construct induced the unfolded protein response (UPR) sufficiently that titres of extracellular trypsinogen were lower in the 3-copy construct than with the 1-copy construct. In the fed-batch-culture, a similar pattern was observed, with higher expression from the 1-copy construct, but in this case there was no significant induction of UPR with the 3-copy strain. Analysis of the microarray and metabolomic information indicates that the 3-copy strain was undergoing cytoplasmic redox stress at the point of induction with methanol. In this Crabtree-negative yeast, this redox stress appeared to delay the adaptation to growth on methanol and supressed heterologous protein production, probably due to a block in translation.

Conclusion

Although redox imbalance as a result of artificially imposed hypoxia has previously been described, this is the first time that it has been characterised as a result of a transient metabolic imbalance and shown to involve a stress response which can lead to translational arrest. Without detailed analysis of the underlying processes it could easily have been mis-interpreted as secretion stress, transmitted through the UPR.

Discovery of Chromatin-Associated Proteins via Sequence-Specific Capture and Mass Spectrometric Protein Identification in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

DNA–protein interactions play critical roles in the control of genome expression and other fundamental processes. An essential element in understanding how these systems function is to identify their molecular components. We present here a novel strategy, Hybridization Capture of Chromatin Associated Proteins for Proteomics (HyCCAPP), to identify proteins that are interacting with any given region of the genome. This technology identifies and quantifies the proteins that are specifically interacting with a genomic region of interest by sequence-specific hybridization capture of the target region from in vivo cross-linked chromatin, followed by mass spectrometric identification and quantification of associated proteins. We demonstrate the utility of HyCCAPP by identifying proteins associated with three multicopy and one single-copy loci in yeast. In each case, a locus-specific pattern of target-associated proteins was revealed. The binding of previously unknown proteins was confirmed by ChIP in 11 of 17 cases. The identification of many previously known proteins at each locus provides strong support for the ability of HyCCAPP to correctly identify DNA-associated proteins in a sequence-specific manner, while the discovery of previously unknown proteins provides new biological insights into transcriptional and regulatory processes at the target locus.

The yeast forkhead HCM1 controls life span independent of calorie restriction

Regulation of life span by members of the forkhead transcription factor family of proteins is one of the most highly investigated pathways in the field of aging. Nevertheless, despite the existence of forkhead family homologues in yeast, our knowledge of these proteins' role in yeast longevity is limited. Here, we show that yeast Hcm1p forkhead is the closest homologue of the worm PHA-4 forkhead, which regulates Caenorhabditis elegans life span. Overexpressing the yeast forkhead HCM1 or its deficiency resulted in a significant extension or reduction in yeast replicative life span, respectively. HCM1 regulates stress resistance, significantly increases the mRNA levels of several stress response genes including the catalase enzymes CTA1 and CTT1, and positively regulates life span independently of calorie restriction. Thus, HCM1 is a key regulator of life span, through a mechanism independent of calorie restriction.

Dissecting the transcriptional phenotype of ribosomal protein deficiency: implications for Diamond-Blackfan Anemia

Defects in genes encoding ribosomal proteins cause Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA), a red cell aplasia often associated with physical abnormalities. Other bone marrow failure syndromes have been attributed to defects in ribosomal components but the link between erythropoiesis and the ribosome remains to be fully defined. Several lines of evidence suggest that defects in ribosome synthesis lead to “ribosomal stress” with p53 activation and either cell cycle arrest or induction of apoptosis. Pathways independent of p53 have also been proposed to play a role in DBA pathogenesis.

We took an unbiased approach to identify p53-independent pathways activated by defects in ribosome synthesis by analyzing global gene expression in various cellular models of DBA. Ranking-Principal Component Analysis (Ranking-PCA) was applied to the identified datasets to determine whether there are common sets of genes whose expression is altered in these different cellular models. We observed consistent changes in the expression of genes involved in cellular amino acid metabolic process, negative regulation of cell proliferation and cell redox homeostasis.

These data indicate that cells respond to defects in ribosome synthesis by changing the level of expression of a limited subset of genes involved in critical cellular processes. Moreover, our data support a role for p53-independent pathways in the pathophysiology of DBA.

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Ribosomopathies such as DBA are caused by ribosome dysfunction that activates p53.

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p53-independent pathways may suggest possible treatments for DBA.

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Expression analysis was performed in three p53-null models of DBA.

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Genes involved in apoptosis and cell redox homeostasis were especially affected.

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DBA is due to cumulative effects of p53-dependent and independent pathways.

Impairing the production of ribosomal RNA activates mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 signalling and downstream translation factors

Ribosome biogenesis is a key process for maintaining protein synthetic capacity in dividing or growing cells, and requires coordinated production of ribosomal proteins and ribosomal RNA (rRNA), including the processing of the latter. Signalling through mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) activates all these processes. Here, we show that, in human cells, impaired rRNA processing, caused by expressing an interfering mutant of BOP1 or by knocking down components of the PeBoW complex elicits activation of mTORC1 signalling. This leads to enhanced phosphorylation of its substrates S6K1 and 4E-BP1, and stimulation of proteins involved in translation initiation and elongation. In particular, we observe both inactivation and downregulation of the eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase, which normally inhibits translation elongation. The latter effect involves decreased expression of the eEF2K mRNA. The mRNAs for ribosomal proteins, whose translation is positively regulated by mTORC1 signalling, also remain associated with ribosomes. Therefore, our data demonstrate that disrupting rRNA production activates mTORC1 signalling to enhance the efficiency of the translational machinery, likely to help compensate for impaired ribosome production.

Cloning, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray studies of HMO2 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The high-mobility group protein (HMO2) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a component of the chromatin-remodelling complex INO80, which is involved in double-strand break (DSB) repair. HMO2 can also bind DNA to protect it from exonucleolytic cleavage. Nevertheless, little structural information is available regarding these functions of HMO2. Since determination of three-dimensional structure is a powerful means to facilitate functional characterization, X-ray crystallography has been used to accomplish this task. Here, the expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of HMO2 from S. cerevisiae are reported. The crystal belonged to space group P222, with unit-cell parameters a = 39.35, b = 75.69, c = 108.03 Å, and diffracted to a resolution of 3.0 Å. The crystals are most likely to contain one molecule in the asymmetric unit, with a VM value of 3.19 Å(3) Da(-1).

Regulation of ribosome biogenesis in maize embryonic axes during germination

Ribosome biogenesis is a pre-requisite for cell growth and proliferation; it is however, a highly regulated process that consumes a great quantity of energy. It requires the coordinated production of rRNA, ribosomal proteins and non-ribosomal factors which participate in the processing and mobilization of the new ribosomes. Ribosome biogenesis has been studied in yeast and animals; however, there is little information about this process in plants. The objective of the present work was to study ribosome biogenesis in maize seeds during germination, a stage characterized for its fast growth, and the effect of insulin in this process. Insulin has been reported to accelerate germination and to induce seedling growth. It was observed that among the first events reactivated just after 3 h of imbibition are the rDNA transcription and the pre-rRNA processing and that insulin stimulates both of them (40-230%). The transcript of nucleolin, a protein which regulates rDNA transcription and pre-rRNA processing, is among the messages stored in quiescent dry seeds and it is mobilized into the polysomal fraction during the first hours of imbibition (6 h). In contrast, de novo ribosomal protein synthesis was low during the first hours of imbibition (3 and 6 h) increasing by 60 times in later stages (24 h). Insulin increased this synthesis (75%) at 24 h of imbibition; however, not all ribosomal proteins were similarly regulated. In this regard, an increase in RPS6 and RPL7 protein levels was observed, whereas RPL3 protein levels did not change even though its transcription was induced. Results show that ribosome biogenesis in the first stages of imbibition is carried out with newly synthesized rRNA and ribosomal proteins translated from stored mRNA.

Ancient evolutionary trade-offs between yeast ploidy states

The number of chromosome sets contained within the nucleus of eukaryotic organisms is a fundamental yet evolutionarily poorly characterized genetic variable of life. Here, we mapped the impact of ploidy on the mitotic fitness of baker's yeast and its never domesticated relative Saccharomyces paradoxus across wide swaths of their natural genotypic and phenotypic space. Surprisingly, environment-specific influences of ploidy on reproduction were found to be the rule rather than the exception. These ploidy–environment interactions were well conserved across the 2 billion generations separating the two species, suggesting that they are the products of strong selection. Previous hypotheses of generalizable advantages of haploidy or diploidy in ecological contexts imposing nutrient restriction, toxin exposure, and elevated mutational loads were rejected in favor of more fine-grained models of the interplay between ecology and ploidy. On a molecular level, cell size and mating type locus composition had equal, but limited, explanatory power, each explaining 12.5%–17% of ploidy–environment interactions. The mechanism of the cell size–based superior reproductive efficiency of haploids during Li⁺ exposure was traced to the Li⁺ exporter ENA. Removal of the Ena transporters, forcing dependence on the Nha1 extrusion system, completely altered the effects of ploidy on Li⁺ tolerance and evoked a strong diploid superiority, demonstrating how genetic variation at a single locus can completely reverse the relative merits of haploidy and diploidy. Taken together, our findings unmasked a dynamic interplay between ploidy and ecology that was of unpredicted evolutionary importance and had multiple molecular roots.

Organisms vary in the number of chromosome sets contained within the nucleus of each cell, but neither the reasons nor the consequences of this variation are well understood. We designed yeasts that differed in the number of chromosome sets but were otherwise identical and mapped the consequences of such ploidy variations during exposure to a large palette of environments. Contrary to commonly held assumptions, we found ploidy effects on the mitotic reproductive capacity of yeast to be the rule rather than the exception and to be highly evolutionarily conserved. Furthermore, our data rejected previously contemplated hypotheses of generalizable advantages of haploidy or diploidy when cells face nutrient starvation or are exposed to toxins or increased mutation rates. We also mapped the molecular processes mediating ploidy–environment interactions, showing that cell size and mating type locus composition had equal explanatory power. Finally we show that ploidy effects can be mechanistically very subtle, as a designed shift from one plasma membrane Li⁺ transporter to another completely altered the relative merits of having one or two chromosome sets when exposed to high Li⁺ concentrations. This complex and dynamic interplay between the number of chromosomes sets and the fluctuating environment must be taken into account when considering organismal form and behavior.

Size homeostasis can be intrinsic to growing cell populations and explained without size sensing or signalling

The cell division cycle orchestrates cellular growth and division. The machinery underpinning the cell division cycle is well characterized, but the actual cue(s) driving the cell division cycle remains unknown. In rapidly growing and dividing yeast cells, this cue has been proposed to be cell size. Presumably, a mechanism communicating cell size acts as gatekeeper for the cell division cycle via the G(1) network, which triggers G(1) exit only when a critical size has been reached. Here, we evaluate this hypothesis with a minimal core model linking metabolism, growth and the cell division cycle. Using this model, we (a) present support for coordinated regulation of G(1)/S and G(2)/M transition in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in response to altered growth conditions, (b) illustrate the intrinsic antagonism between G(1) progression and cell size and (c) provide evidence that the coupling of growth and division is sufficient to allow for size homeostasis without directly communicating or measuring cell size. We show that even with a rudimentary version of the G(1) network consisting of a single unregulated cyclin, size homeostasis is maintained in populations during autocatalytic growth when the geometric constraint on nutrient supply is considered. Taken together, our results support the notion that cell size is a consequence rather than a regulator of growth and division.

Identification of a small molecule yeast TORC1 inhibitor with a multiplex screen based on flow cytometry

TOR (target of rapamycin) is a serine/threonine kinase, evolutionarily conserved from yeast to human, which functions as a fundamental controller of cell growth. The moderate clinical benefit of rapamycin in mTOR-based therapy of many cancers favors the development of new TOR inhibitors. Here we report a high-throughput flow cytometry multiplexed screen using five GFP-tagged yeast clones that represent the readouts of four branches of the TORC1 signaling pathway in budding yeast. Each GFP-tagged clone was differentially color-coded, and the GFP signal of each clone was measured simultaneously by flow cytometry, which allows rapid prioritization of compounds that likely act through direct modulation of TORC1 or proximal signaling components. A total of 255 compounds were confirmed in dose-response analysis to alter GFP expression in one or more clones. To validate the concept of the high-throughput screen, we have characterized CID 3528206, a small molecule most likely to act on TORC1 as it alters GFP expression in all five GFP clones in a manner analogous to that of rapamycin. We have shown that CID 3528206 inhibited yeast cell growth and that CID 3528206 inhibited TORC1 activity both in vitro and in vivo with EC(50)'s of 150 nM and 3.9 μM, respectively. The results of microarray analysis and yeast GFP collection screen further support the notion that CID 3528206 and rapamycin modulate similar cellular pathways. Together, these results indicate that the HTS has identified a potentially useful small molecule for further development of TOR inhibitors.