scholarly journals Establishment of a fluorescent reporter of RNA-polymerase II activity to identify dormant cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasmus Freter ◽  
Paola Falletta ◽  
Omid Omrani ◽  
Mahdi Rasa ◽  
Katharine Herbert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cell ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Cellular Response ◽  
Cell Activity ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Dormant Cells

AbstractDormancy, a reversible quiescent cellular state characterized by greatly reduced metabolic activity, protects from genetic damage, prolongs survival and is crucial for tissue homeostasis and cellular response to injury or transplantation. Dormant cells have been characterized in many tissues, but their identification, isolation and characterization irrespective of tissue of origin remains elusive. Here, we develop a live cell ratiometric fluorescent Optical Stem Cell Activity Reporter (OSCAR) based on the observation that phosphorylation of RNA Polymerase II (RNApII), a hallmark of active mRNA transcription elongation, is largely absent in dormant stem cells from multiple lineages. Using the small intestinal crypt as a model, OSCAR reveals in real time the dynamics of dormancy induction and cellular differentiation in vitro, and allows the identification and isolation of several populations of transcriptionally diverse OSCARhigh and OSCARlow intestinal epithelial cell states in vivo. In particular, this reporter is able to identify a dormant OSCARhigh cell population in the small intestine. OSCAR therefore provides a tool for a better understanding of dormant stem cell biology.

scholarly journals Functional dissection of the catalytic mechanism of mammalian RNA polymerase II

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 497-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoit Coulombe ◽  
Marie-France Langelier
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Catalytic Mechanism ◽  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Structural Elements ◽  
Catalytic Mechanisms ◽  
Rnap Ii ◽  
Affinity Peptide

High resolution X-ray crystal structures of multisubunit RNA polymerases (RNAP) have contributed to our understanding of transcriptional mechanisms. They also provided a powerful guide for the design of experiments aimed at further characterizing the molecular stages of the transcription reaction. Our laboratory used tandem-affinity peptide purification in native conditions to isolate human RNAP II variants that had site-specific mutations in structural elements located strategically within the enzyme's catalytic center. Both in vitro and in vivo analyses of these mutants revealed novel features of the catalytic mechanisms involving this enzyme.Key words: RNA polymerase II, transcriptional mechanisms, mutational analysis, mRNA synthesis.

scholarly journals Direct Interaction between the Subunit RAP30 of Transcription Factor IIF (TFIIF) and RNA Polymerase Subunit 5, Which Contributes to the Association between TFIIF and RNA Polymerase II

2001 ◽  
Vol 276 (15) ◽  
pp. 12266-12273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenxiang Wei ◽  
Dorjbal Dorjsuren ◽  
Yong Lin ◽  
Weiping Qin ◽  
Takahiro Nomura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Middle Part ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Binding Region ◽  
Pol Ii ◽  
Transcription Factor Iif ◽  
B Virus

The general transcription factor IIF (TFIIF) assembled in the initiation complex, and RAP30 of TFIIF, have been shown to associate with RNA polymerase II (pol II), although it remains unclear which pol II subunit is responsible for the interaction. We examined whether TFIIF interacts with RNA polymerase II subunit 5 (RPB5), the exposed domain of which binds transcriptional regulatory factors such as hepatitis B virus X protein and a novel regulatory protein, RPB5-mediating protein. The results demonstrated that RPB5 directly binds RAP30in vitrousing purified recombinant proteins andin vivoin COS1 cells transiently expressing recombinant RAP30 and RPB5. The RAP30-binding region was mapped to the central region (amino acids (aa) 47–120) of RPB5, which partly overlaps the hepatitis B virus X protein-binding region. Although the middle part (aa 101–170) and the N-terminus (aa 1–100) of RAP30 independently bound RPB5, the latter was not involved in the RPB5 binding when RAP30 was present in TFIIF complex. Scanning of the middle part of RAP30 by clustered alanine substitutions and then point alanine substitutions pinpointed two residues critical for the RPB5 binding inin vitroandin vivoassays. Wild type but not mutants Y124A and Q131A of RAP30 coexpressed with FLAG-RAP74 efficiently recovered endogenous RPB5 to the FLAG-RAP74-bound anti-FLAG M2 resin. The recovered endogenous RPB5 is assembled in pol II as demonstrated immunologically. Interestingly, coexpression of the central region of RPB5 and wild type RAP30 inhibited recovery of endogenous pol II to the FLAG-RAP74-bound M2 resin, strongly suggesting that the RAP30-binding region of RPB5 inhibited the association of TFIIF and pol II. The exposed domain of RPB5 interacts with RAP30 of TFIIF and is important for the association between pol II and TFIIF.

Identification of rpo30, a vaccinia virus RNA polymerase gene with structural similarity to a eucaryotic transcription elongation factor

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 5433-5441
Author(s):  
B Y Ahn ◽  
P D Gershon ◽  
E V Jones ◽  
B Moss
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Vaccinia Virus ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Elongation Factor ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
In Vitro Translation ◽  
Virus Protein ◽  
Transcriptional Elongation

Eucaryotic transcription factors that stimulate RNA polymerase II by increasing the efficiency of elongation of specifically or randomly initiated RNA chains have been isolated and characterized. We have identified a 30-kilodalton (kDa) vaccinia virus-encoded protein with apparent homology to SII, a 34-kDa mammalian transcriptional elongation factor. In addition to amino acid sequence similarities, both proteins contain C-terminal putative zinc finger domains. Identification of the gene, rpo30, encoding the vaccinia virus protein was achieved by using antibody to the purified viral RNA polymerase for immunoprecipitation of the in vitro translation products of in vivo-synthesized early mRNA selected by hybridization to cloned DNA fragments of the viral genome. Western immunoblot analysis using antiserum made to the vaccinia rpo30 protein expressed in bacteria indicated that the 30-kDa protein remains associated with highly purified viral RNA polymerase. Thus, the vaccinia virus protein, unlike its eucaryotic homolog, is an integral RNA polymerase subunit rather than a readily separable transcription factor. Further studies showed that the expression of rpo30 is regulated by dual early and later promoters.

scholarly journals Isolation and characterization of a gene (CBF2) specifying a protein component of the budding yeast kinetochore.

1993 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
pp. 513-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
W Jiang ◽  
J Lechner ◽  
J Carbon
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Motors ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Budding Yeast ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Sequence Homologies ◽  
Binding Factor ◽  
Microtubule Motor

We have cloned and determined the nucleotide sequence of the gene (CBF2) specifying the large (110 kD) subunit of the 240-kD multisubunit yeast centromere binding factor CBF3, which binds selectively in vitro to yeast centromere DNA and contains a minus end-directed microtubule motor activity. The deduced amino acid sequence of CBF2p shows no sequence homologies with known molecular motors, although a consensus nucleotide binding site is present. The CBF2 gene is essential for viability of yeast and is identical to NDC10, in which a conditional mutation leads to a defect in chromosome segregation (Goh, P.-Y., and J. V. Kilmartin, in this issue of The Journal of Cell Biology). The combined in vitro and in vivo evidence indicate that CBF2p is a key component of the budding yeast kinetochore.

scholarly journals In vitro analysis of a transcription termination site for RNA polymerase II.

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 5782-5795 ◽  
Author(s):  
D K Wiest ◽  
D K Hawley
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Nuclear Extract ◽  
Transcription Unit ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Vitro Analysis

Transcription from the adenovirus major late (ML) promoter has previously been shown to pause or terminate prematurely in vivo and in vitro at a site within the first intron of the major late transcription unit. We are studying the mechanism of elongation arrest at this site in vitro to define the DNA sequences and proteins that determine the elongation behavior of RNA polymerase II. Our assay system consists of a nuclear extract prepared from cultured human cells. With standard reaction conditions, termination is not observed downstream of the ML promoter. However, in the presence of Sarkosyl, up to 80% of the transcripts terminate 186 nucleotides downstream of the start site. Using this assay, we showed that the DNA sequences required to promote maximal levels of termination downstream of the ML promoter reside within a 65-base-pair region and function in an orientation-dependent manner. To test whether elongation complexes from the ML promoter were functionally homogeneous, we determined the termination efficiency at each of two termination sites placed in tandem. We found that the behavior of the elongation complexes was different at these sites, with termination being greater at the downstream site over a wide range of Sarkosyl concentrations. This result ruled out a model in which the polymerases that read through the first site were stably modified to antiterminate. We also demonstrated that the ability of the elongation complexes to respond to the ML termination site was promoter specific, as the site did not function efficiently downstream of a heterologous promoter. Taken together, the results presented here are not consistent with the simplest class of models that have been proposed previously for the mechanism of Sarkosyl-induced termination.

scholarly journals CTCF Interacts with and Recruits the Largest Subunit of RNA Polymerase II to CTCF Target Sites Genome-Wide

2007 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 1631-1648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor Chernukhin ◽  
Shaharum Shamsuddin ◽  
Sung Yun Kang ◽  
Rosita Bergström ◽  
Yoo-Wook Kwon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Gene Activation ◽  
Ctcf Binding ◽  
Pol Ii ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Target Sites ◽  
On Chip

ABSTRACT CTCF is a transcription factor with highly versatile functions ranging from gene activation and repression to the regulation of insulator function and imprinting. Although many of these functions rely on CTCF-DNA interactions, it is an emerging realization that CTCF-dependent molecular processes involve CTCF interactions with other proteins. In this study, we report the association of a subpopulation of CTCF with the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) protein complex. We identified the largest subunit of Pol II (LS Pol II) as a protein significantly colocalizing with CTCF in the nucleus and specifically interacting with CTCF in vivo and in vitro. The role of CTCF as a link between DNA and LS Pol II has been reinforced by the observation that the association of LS Pol II with CTCF target sites in vivo depends on intact CTCF binding sequences. “Serial” chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis revealed that both CTCF and LS Pol II were present at the β-globin insulator in proliferating HD3 cells but not in differentiated globin synthesizing HD3 cells. Further, a single wild-type CTCF target site (N-Myc-CTCF), but not the mutant site deficient for CTCF binding, was sufficient to activate the transcription from the promoterless reporter gene in stably transfected cells. Finally, a ChIP-on-ChIP hybridization assay using microarrays of a library of CTCF target sites revealed that many intergenic CTCF target sequences interacted with both CTCF and LS Pol II. We discuss the possible implications of our observations with respect to plausible mechanisms of transcriptional regulation via a CTCF-mediated direct link of LS Pol II to the DNA.

Genetic interaction between transcription elongation factor TFIIS and RNA polymerase II

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 4142-4152
Author(s):  
J Archambault ◽  
F Lacroute ◽  
A Ruet ◽  
J D Friesen
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Genetic Interaction ◽  
Elongation Factor ◽  
Chemical Mutagenesis ◽  
Yeast Genome ◽  
Transcript Elongation

Little is known about the regions of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) that are involved in the process of transcript elongation and interaction with elongation factors. One elongation factor, TFIIS, stimulates transcript elongation by binding to RNAPII and facilitating its passage through intrinsic pausing sites in vitro. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, TFIIS is encoded by the PPR2 gene. Deletion of PPR2 from the yeast genome is not lethal but renders cells sensitive to the uracil analog 6-azauracil (6AU). Here, we show that mutations conferring 6AU sensitivity can also be isolated in the gene encoding the largest subunit of S. cerevisiae RNAPII (RPO21). A screen for mutations in RPO21 that confer 6AU sensitivity identified seven mutations that had been generated by either linker-insertion or random chemical mutagenesis. All seven mutational alterations are clustered within one region of the largest subunit that is conserved among eukaryotic RNAPII. The finding that six of the seven rpo21 mutants failed to grow at elevated temperature underscores the importance of this region for the functional and/or structural integrity of RNAPII. We found that the 6AU sensitivity of the rpo21 mutants can be suppressed by increasing the dosage of the wild-type PPR2 gene, presumably as a result of overexpression of TFIIS. These results are consistent with the proposal that in the rpo21 mutants, the formation of the RNAPII-TFIIS complex is rate limiting for the passage of the mutant enzyme through pausing sites. In addition to implicating a region of the largest subunit of RNAPII in the process of transcript elongation, our observations provide in vivo evidence that TFIIS is involved in transcription by RNAPII.

200 TRANSPLANTATION AND IN VIVO DIFFERENTIATION OF ADIPOSE-DERIVED STEM CELLS IN SWINE

2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 208 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Lima ◽  
S. A. Malusky ◽  
M. R. B. Mello ◽  
S. J. Lane ◽  
J. R. Rivera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Flow Cytometry ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Cellular Response ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Adipose Derived Stem Cells ◽  
Subcutaneous Adipose

A primary concern in stem cell biology is that observations made in vitro may be an artifact of the in vitro culture environment. In vitro derived stem cells can be implanted into the environment from which they are derived so that their response to physiological conditions may be observed. Several important cellular characteristics need to be examined following the cell's reintroduction to the in vivo environment, including the potential for differentiation, proliferative ability, and life span. Studying implanted stem cells will assist in determining the potential for stem cell use in clinical therapies and provide further understanding of the role adult stem cells have in the adult body. Currently, the scientific literature is lacking a detailed description of the cellular response of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) reintroduced to their exact tissue of origin. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate porcine ADSC growth in vivo and to analyze cell differentiation in vivo following injection of undifferentiated ADSCs into subcutaneous fat. Subcutaneous adipose tissue was isolated from the back fat of male pigs (11 months of age) and digested with 0.075% collagenase at 37�C for 90 min. The digested tissue was centrifuged at 200g for 10 min to obtain a cell pellet. The pellet was re-suspended with DMEM and the ADSCs were plated onto 75 cm2 flasks (5000-10 000 cells per cm2) and cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and 1% gentamicin. Passage 3 ADSCs were labeled with fluorescent dye (PKH26; Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA) and sorted by flow cytometry. After sorting, positive cells were washed and re-suspended in culture medium. For transplantation, 100 �L of cell suspension in DMEM containing one of four cell concentrations (0 (control); 30 000; 300 000; and 900 000 cells) were placed in a 1-mL syringe and injected into the subcutaneous back fat of recipient pigs (n = 2). Each pig had previously been tattooed with 12 13 � 13 squares to mark injection sites. The treatments were replicated three times within each animal. Two and three weeks after transplantation, animals were euthanized, the back fat containing the transplantation site was harvested, and the cells were disaggregated as described above. The buoyant adipocytes and pelleted ADSCs cells were then analyzed by flow cytometry. The results indicated that there were dose- and time-dependent increases in labeled ADSCs and labeled adipocytes in the fat samples with increasing cell number (from 0 to 300 000 cells). There was, however, a decrease in labeled ADSCs at the 900 000-cell dose, which is likely due to excess cells being transplanted or an immune reaction. Both of these aspects are currently being evaluated. In conclusion, undifferentiated ADSCs from swine can be isolated from and returned to the subcutaneous adipose layer and differentiate into mature adipocytes. This work was supported by the Council for Food and Agricultural Research (C-FAR) Sentinel Program, University of Illinois.

scholarly journals Yeast NC2 Associates with the RNA Polymerase II Preinitiation Complex and Selectively Affects Transcription In Vivo

2001 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 2736-2742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph V. Geisberg ◽  
Frank C. Holstege ◽  
Richard A. Young ◽  
Kevin Struhl
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Preinitiation Complex ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Pol Ii ◽  
Basal Transcription Factors

ABSTRACT NC2 (Dr1-Drap1 or Bur6-Ydr1) has been characterized in vitro as a general negative regulator of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription that interacts with TATA-binding protein (TBP) and inhibits its function. Here, we show that NC2 associates with promoters in vivo in a manner that correlates with transcriptional activity and with occupancy by basal transcription factors. NC2 rapidly associates with promoters in response to transcriptional activation, and it remains associated under conditions in which transcription is blocked after assembly of the Pol II preinitiation complex. NC2 positively and negatively affects approximately 17% of Saccharomyces cerevisiaegenes in a pattern that resembles the response to general environmental stress. Relative to TBP, NC2 occupancy is high at promoters where NC2 is positively required for normal levels of transcription. Thus, NC2 is associated with the Pol II preinitiation complex, and it can play a direct and positive role at certain promoters in vivo.

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