Transcription factor TFII-I conducts a cytoplasmic orchestra

In response to extracellular ligands, surface receptor tyrosine kinases and G-protein-coupled receptors activate isoforms of phospholipase C (PLC) and initiate calcium signaling. PLC can activate expression of surface transient receptor potential channels (TRPC) such as TRPC3, which modulate calcium entry through the plasma membrane. A recent paper shows that competitive binding of cytoplasmic TFII-I, a transcription factor, to PLC-gamma results in inhibition of TRPC3-mediated agonist-induced Ca(2+) entry. These results establish a novel cytoplasmic function for TFII-I.

A novel Krüppel related factor consisting of only a KRAB domain is expressed in the murine trigeminal ganglion

The largest family of zinc-finger (ZnF) transcription factors is that containing the Krüppel-associated box, or KRAB domain. The amino-terminal KRAB domain of these proteins functions as a transcriptional repressor with the downstream ZnF motifs providing DNA-binding specificity. Here we report the identification and characterization of a novel murine Krüppel-related factor (KLF), MIF1, which contains a KRAB domain but lacks a ZnF motif. Western blot analysis identified MIF1-like proteins in the murine trigeminal ganglion (TG) and immunostaining localized these proteins primarily to the cytoplasm of TG neuronal cell bodies. In situ hybridization for Mif1 transcripts confirms the selective expression of Mif1 in TG neurons. Consistent with the non-nuclear localization of MIF1 we could detect no transcriptional repressor activity of the MIF1 protein. However MIF1 appears to be capable of interacting with the co-repressor TIF1beta and exhibits transcription repressor activity when fused to yeast GAL4 binding domain protein. Genomic analysis of Mif1 sequence suggests that the Mif1 transcript may result from splicing of a longer KRAB-ZnF containing transcript.

UBF activates RNA polymerase I transcription by stimulating promoter escape

Ribosomal RNA gene transcription by RNA polymerase I (Pol I) is the driving force behind ribosome biogenesis, vital to cell growth and proliferation. The key activator of Pol I transcription, UBF, has been proposed to act by facilitating recruitment of Pol I and essential basal factor SL1 to rDNA promoters. However, we found no evidence that UBF could stimulate recruitment or stabilization of the pre-initiation complex (PIC) in reconstituted transcription assays. In this, UBF is fundamentally different from archetypal activators of transcription. Our data imply that UBF exerts its stimulatory effect on RNA synthesis, after PIC formation, promoter opening and first phosphodiester bond formation and before elongation. We provide evidence to suggest that UBF activates transcription in the transition between initiation and elongation, at promoter escape by Pol I. This novel role for UBF in promoter escape would allow control of rRNA synthesis at active rDNA repeats, independent of and complementary to the promoter-specific targeting of SL1 and Pol I during PIC assembly. We posit that stimulation of promoter escape could be a general mechanism of activator function.

Growth factor signaling regulates elongation of RNA polymerase I transcription in mammals via UBF phosphorylation and r-chromatin remodeling

Synthesis of the 45S rRNA by RNA polymerase I limits cell growth. Knowledge of the mechanism of its regulation is therefore key to understanding growth control. rRNA transcription is believed to be regulated solely at initiation/promoter release. However, we found that stimulation of endogenous 45S rRNA synthesis by epidermal growth factor (EGF) and serum failed to induce an increase in RNA polymerase I engagement on the rRNA genes, despite robust enhancement of 45S rRNA synthesis. Further, endogenous transcription elongation rates were measured and found to be directly proportional to 45S rRNA synthesis. Thus, elongation is a rate-limiting step for rRNA synthesis in vivo. ERK phosphorylation of the HMG boxes of UBF, an RNA polymerase I factor essential for transcription enhancement, was shown to directly regulate elongation by inducing the remodeling of ribosomal gene chromatin. The data suggest a mechanism for coordinating the cotranscriptional assembly of preribosomal particles.

PTEN represses RNA Polymerase I transcription by disrupting the SL1 complex

PTEN is a tumor suppressor whose function is frequently lost in human cancer. It possesses a lipid phosphatase activity that represses the activation of PI3 kinase/Akt signaling, leading to decreased cell growth, proliferation, and survival. The potential for PTEN to regulate transcription of the large rRNAs by RNA polymerase I (RNA Pol I) was investigated. As increased synthesis of rRNAs is a hallmark of neoplastic transformation, the ability of PTEN to control the transcription of rRNAs might be crucial for its tumor suppressor function. The expression of PTEN in PTEN-deficient cells represses RNA Pol I transcription, while decreasing PTEN expression enhances transcription. PTEN-mediated repression requires its lipid phosphatase activity and is independent of the p53 status of the cell. This event can be uncoupled from PTEN's ability to regulate the cell cycle. RNA Pol I is regulated through PI3 kinase/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin/S6 kinase, and the expression of constitutively activated S6 kinase is able to abrogate transcription repression by PTEN. No change in the expression of the RNA Pol I transcription components, upstream binding factor or SL1, was observed upon PTEN expression. However, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrate that PTEN differentially reduces the occupancy of the SL1 subunits on the rRNA gene promoter. Furthermore, PTEN induces dissociation of the SL1 subunits. Together, these results demonstrate that PTEN represses RNA Pol I transcription through a novel mechanism that involves disruption of the SL1 complex.

TBP-TAF complex SL1 directs RNA polymerase I pre-initiation complex formation and stabilizes upstream binding factor at the rDNA promoter

Knowledge of the role of components of the RNA polymerase I transcription machinery is paramount to understanding regulation of rDNA expression. We describe key findings for the roles of essential transcription factor SL1 and activator upstream binding factor (UBF). We demonstrate that human SL1 can direct accurate Pol I transcription in the absence of UBF and can interact with the rDNA promoter independently and stably, consistent with studies of rodent SL1 but contrary to previous reports of human SL1. UBF itself does not bind stably to rDNA but rapidly associates and dissociates. We show that SL1 significantly reduces the rate of dissociation of UBF from the rDNA promoter. Our findings challenge the idea that UBF activates transcription through recruitment of SL1 at the rDNA promoter and suggest that the rate of pre-initiation complex (PIC) formation is primarily determined by the rate of association of SL1, rather than UBF, with the promoter. Therefore, we propose that SL1 directs PIC formation, functioning in core promoter binding, RNA polymerase I recruitment, and UBF stabilization and that SL1-promoter complex formation is a necessary prerequisite to the assembly of functional and stable PICs that include the UBF activator in mammalian cells.

UBF-binding site arrays form pseudo-NORs and sequester the RNA polymerase I transcription machinery

Human ribosomal genes (rDNA) are located in nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) on the short arms of acrocentric chromosomes. Metaphase NORs that were transcriptionally active in the previous cell cycle appear as prominent chromosomal features termed secondary constrictions that are achromatic in chromosome banding and positive in silver staining. The architectural RNA polymerase I (pol I) transcription factor UBF binds extensively across rDNA throughout the cell cycle. To determine if UBF binding underpins NOR structure, we integrated large arrays of heterologous UBF-binding sequences at ectopic sites on human chromosomes. These arrays efficiently recruit UBF even to sites outside the nucleolus and, during metaphase, form novel silver stainable secondary constrictions, termed pseudo-NORs, morphologically similar to NORs. We demonstrate for the first time that in addition to UBF the other components of the pol I machinery are found associated with sequences across the entire human rDNA repeat. Remarkably, a significant fraction of these same pol I factors are sequestered by pseudo-NORs independent of both transcription and nucleoli. Because of the heterologous nature of the sequence employed, we infer that sequestration is mediated primarily by protein-protein interactions with UBF. These results suggest that extensive binding of UBF is responsible for formation and maintenance of the secondary constriction at active NORs. Furthermore, we propose that UBF mediates recruitment of the pol I machinery to nucleoli independently of promoter elements.

Role of pescadillo and upstream binding factor in the proliferation and differentiation of murine myeloid cells

Pescadillo (PES1) and the upstream binding factor (UBF1) play a role in ribosome biogenesis, which regulates cell size, an important component of cell proliferation. We have investigated the effects of PES1 and UBF1 on the growth and differentiation of cell lines derived from 32D cells, an interleukin-3 (IL-3)-dependent murine myeloid cell line. Parental 32D cells and 32D IGF-IR cells (expressing increased levels of the type 1 insulin-like growth factor I [IGF-I] receptor [IGF-IR]) do not express insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) or IRS-2. 32D IGF-IR cells differentiate when the cells are shifted from IL-3 to IGF-I. Ectopic expression of IRS-1 inhibits differentiation and transforms 32D IGF-IR cells into a tumor-forming cell line. We found that PES1 and UBF1 increased cell size and/or altered the cell cycle distribution of 32D-derived cells but failed to make them IL-3 independent. PES1 and UBF1 also failed to inhibit the differentiation program initiated by the activation of the IGF-IR, which is blocked by IRS-1. 32D IGF-IR cells expressing PES1 or UBF1 differentiate into granulocytes like their parental cells. In contrast, PES1 and UBF1 can transform mouse embryo fibroblasts that have high levels of endogenous IRS-1 and are not prone to differentiation. Our results provide a model for one of the theories of myeloid leukemia, in which both a stimulus of proliferation and a block of differentiation are required for leukemia development.

Cardiac hypertrophy in vivo is associated with increased expression of the ribosomal gene transcription factor UBF

The ribosomal DNA transcription-specific factor, UBF, is a key target for the regulation of ribosomal RNA synthesis and hypertrophic growth of isolated neonatal cardiomyocytes. In this study, we have examined whether UBF expression is also an important determinant of cardiac growth rates in vivo. We show that rDNA transcription, rRNA synthesis and UBF expression in left ventricular myocytes isolated from mice 1-6 weeks following transverse aortic constriction were significantly increased (2.5-3.5-fold) compared to the levels in myocytes from the left ventricle of sham-operated mice.

Mechanism of inhibition of RNA polymerase I transcription by DNA-dependent protein kinase

DNA-dependent protein kinase represses RNA polymerase I (Pol I) transcription in vitro. To investigate the mechanism underlying transcriptional repression, we compared Pol I transcription in extracts from cells that either contain or lack the catalytic subunit of DNA-PK (DNA-PKcs). ATP-dependent repression of Pol I transcription was observed in extracts from DNA-PKcs-containing but not -deficient cells, required templates with free DNA ends, and was overcome by exogenous SL1, the factor that nucleates initiation complex formation. Order-of-addition experiments demonstrate that DNA-PKcs does not inactivate component(s) of the Poll transcription machinery. Instead, phosphorylated Ku protein competes with SL1 for binding to the rDNA promoter and, as a consequence, prevents initiation complex formation. The results reveal a novel mechanism of transcriptional regulation by DNA-PK. Once targeted to DNA, autophosphorylated Ku may displace positive- or negative-acting factors from their target sites, thereby repressing or activating transcription in a gene-specific manner.