scholarly journals The N-terminal Domain of the Yeast Mitochondrial RNA Polymerase Regulates Multiple Steps of Transcription

2011 ◽  
Vol 286 (18) ◽  
pp. 16109-16120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swaroopa Paratkar ◽  
Aishwarya P. Deshpande ◽  
Guo-Qing Tang ◽  
Smita S. Patel
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Rna Synthesis ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Mitochondrial Rna ◽  
Terminal Domain ◽  
Mitochondrial Rna Polymerase

Transcription of the yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) mitochondrial (mt) genome is catalyzed by nuclear-encoded proteins that include the core RNA polymerase (RNAP) subunit Rpo41 and the transcription factor Mtf1. Rpo41 is homologous to the single-subunit bacteriophage T7/T3 RNAP. Its ∼80-kDa C-terminal domain is highly conserved among mt RNAPs, but its ∼50-kDa N-terminal domain (NTD) is less conserved and not present in T7/T3 RNAP. To understand the role of the NTD, we have biochemically characterized a series of NTD deletion mutants of Rpo41. Our studies show that NTD regulates multiple steps of transcription initiation. Interestingly, NTD functions in an autoinhibitory manner during initiation, and its partial deletion increases the efficiency of RNA synthesis. Deletion of 1–270 amino acids (DN270) reduces abortive synthesis and increases full-length to abortive RNA ratio relative to full-length (FL) Rpo41. A larger deletion of 1–380 amino acids (DN380), decreases RNA synthesis on duplex but not on premelted promoter. We show that DN380 is defective in promoter opening near the transcription start site. Most strikingly, both DN270 and DN380 catalyze highly processive RNA synthesis on the premelted promoter, and unlike the FL Rpo41, the mutants are not inhibited by Mtf1. Both mutants show weaker interactions with Mtf1, which explains many of our results, and particularly the ability of the mutants to efficiently transition from initiation to elongation. We propose that in vivo the accessory proteins that bind NTD may modulate interactions of Rpo41 with the promoter/Mtf1 to activate and allow timely release from Mtf1 for transition into elongation.

scholarly journals Cryo-EM structures reveal transcription initiation steps by yeast mitochondrial RNA polymerase

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent De Wijngaert ◽  
Shemaila Sultana ◽  
Chhaya Dharia ◽  
Hans Vanbuel ◽  
Jiayu Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Rna Synthesis ◽  
Mitochondrial Rna ◽  
Initiation Complex ◽  
Mitochondrial Rna Polymerase ◽  
Catalytically Active ◽  
Promoter Melting ◽  
Antiviral Nucleosides

Cryo-EM structures of transcription pre-initiation complex (PIC) and initiation complex (IC) of yeast mitochondrial RNA polymerase show fully resolved transcription bubbles and explain promoter melting, template alignment, DNA scrunching, transition into elongation, and abortive synthesis. Promoter melting initiates in PIC with MTF1 trapping the −4 to −2 non-template (NT) bases in its NT-groove. Transition to IC is marked by a large-scale movement that aligns the template with RNA at the active site. RNA synthesis scrunches the NT strand into an NT-loop, which interacts with centrally positioned MTF1 C-tail. Steric clashes of the C-tail with RNA:DNA and NT-loop, and dynamic scrunching-unscrunching of DNA explain abortive synthesis and transition into elongation. Capturing the catalytically active IC-state with UTPαS poised for incorporation enables modeling toxicity of antiviral nucleosides/nucleotides.

scholarly journals Mitochondrial RNA capping: highly efficient 5’-RNA capping with NAD+ and NADH by yeast and human mitochondrial RNA polymerase

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy G. Bird ◽  
Urmimala Basu ◽  
David Kuster ◽  
Aparna Ramachandran ◽  
Ewa Grudzien-Nogalska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Mitochondrial Gene ◽  
Promoter Sequence ◽  
Mitochondrial Rna ◽  
Sensors And Actuators ◽  
Mitochondrial Rna Polymerase ◽  
Mitochondrial Transcripts ◽  
Rna Capping ◽  
Reduced Forms

AbstractBacterial and eukaryotic nuclear RNA polymerases (RNAPs) cap RNA with the oxidized and reduced forms of the metabolic effector nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, NAD+ and NADH, using NAD+ and NADH as non-canonical initiating nucleotides for transcription initiation. Here, we show that mitochondrial RNAPs (mtRNAPs) cap RNA with NAD+ and NADH, and do so more efficiently than nuclear RNAPs. Direct quantitation of NAD+- and NADH-capped RNA demonstrates remarkably high levels of capping in vivo: up to ~60% NAD+ and NADH capping of yeast mitochondrial transcripts, and up to ~10% NAD+ capping of human mitochondrial transcripts. The capping efficiency is determined by promoter sequence at, and upstream of, the transcription start site and, in yeast and human cells, by intracellular NAD+ and NADH levels. Our findings indicate mtRNAPs serve as both sensors and actuators in coupling cellular metabolism to mitochondrial gene expression, sensing NAD+ and NADH levels and adjusting transcriptional outputs accordingly.

scholarly journals Cotranscriptional splicing of a group I intron is facilitated by the Cbp2 protein.

1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. 6971-6978 ◽  
Author(s):  
A S Lewin ◽  
J Thomas ◽  
H K Tirupati
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Synthesis ◽  
Group I Intron ◽  
Splice Junction ◽  
Functional Coupling ◽  
Mitochondrial Rna ◽  
Mitochondrial Rna Polymerase ◽  
Group I ◽  
Monovalent Salt ◽  
High Concentrations

The nuclear CBP2 gene encodes a protein essential for the splicing of a mitochondrial group I intron in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This intron (bI5) is spliced autocatalytically in the presence of high concentrations of magnesium and monovalent salt but requires the Cbp2 protein for splicing under physiological conditions. Addition of Cbp2 during RNA synthesis permitted cotranscriptional splicing. Splicing did not occur in the transcription buffer in the absence of synthesis. The Cbp2 protein appeared to modify the folding of the intron during RNA synthesis: pause sites for RNA polymerase were altered in the presence of the protein, and some mutant transcripts that did not splice after transcription did so during transcription in the presence of Cbp2. Cotranscriptional splicing also reduced hydrolysis at the 3' splice junction. These results suggest that Cbp2 modulates the sequential folding of the ribozyme during its synthesis. In addition, splicing during transcription led to an increase in RNA synthesis with both T7 RNA polymerase and mitochondrial RNA polymerase, implying a functional coupling between transcription and splicing.

scholarly journals A novel intermediate in transcription initiation by human mitochondrial RNA polymerase

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 3884-3893 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaroslav I. Morozov ◽  
Karen Agaronyan ◽  
Alan C. M. Cheung ◽  
Michael Anikin ◽  
Patrick Cramer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Mitochondrial Rna ◽  
Mitochondrial Rna Polymerase

scholarly journals Highly efficient 5' capping of mitochondrial RNA with NAD+ and NADH by yeast and human mitochondrial RNA polymerase

eLife ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy G Bird ◽  
Urmimala Basu ◽  
David Kuster ◽  
Aparna Ramachandran ◽  
Ewa Grudzien-Nogalska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Promoter Sequence ◽  
Mitochondrial Rna ◽  
Sensors And Actuators ◽  
Mitochondrial Rna Polymerase ◽  
Nuclear Rna ◽  
Mitochondrial Transcripts ◽  
Reduced Forms ◽  
Do So

Bacterial and eukaryotic nuclear RNA polymerases (RNAPs) cap RNA with the oxidized and reduced forms of the metabolic effector nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, NAD+ and NADH, using NAD+ and NADH as non-canonical initiating nucleotides for transcription initiation. Here, we show that mitochondrial RNAPs (mtRNAPs) cap RNA with NAD+ and NADH, and do so more efficiently than nuclear RNAPs. Direct quantitation of NAD+- and NADH-capped RNA demonstrates remarkably high levels of capping in vivo: up to ~60% NAD+ and NADH capping of yeast mitochondrial transcripts, and up to ~15% NAD+ capping of human mitochondrial transcripts. The capping efficiency is determined by promoter sequence at, and upstream of, the transcription start site and, in yeast and human cells, by intracellular NAD+ and NADH levels. Our findings indicate mtRNAPs serve as both sensors and actuators in coupling cellular metabolism to mitochondrial transcriptional outputs, sensing NAD+ and NADH levels and adjusting transcriptional outputs accordingly.

scholarly journals Role of the C-Terminal Domain of the Alpha Subunit of RNA Polymerase in LuxR-Dependent Transcriptional Activation of the lux Operon during Quorum Sensing

2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (16) ◽  
pp. 4520-4528 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela H. Finney ◽  
Robert J. Blick ◽  
Katsuhiko Murakami ◽  
Akira Ishihama ◽  
Ann M. Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Homoserine Lactone ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Terminal Domain

ABSTRACT During quorum sensing in Vibrio fischeri, the luminescence, or lux, operon is regulated in a cell density-dependent manner by the activator LuxR in the presence of an acylated homoserine lactone autoinducer molecule [N-(3-oxohexanoyl) homoserine lactone]. LuxR, which binds to the lux operon promoter at a position centered at −42.5 relative to the transcription initiation site, is thought to function as an ambidextrous activator making multiple contacts with RNA polymerase (RNAP). The specific role of the α-subunit C-terminal domain (αCTD) of RNAP in LuxR-dependent transcriptional activation of the lux operon promoter has been investigated. The effects of 70 alanine substitution variants of the α subunit were determined in vivo by measuring the rate of transcription of the lux operon via luciferase assays in recombinant Escherichia coli. The mutant RNAPs from strains exhibiting at least twofold-increased or -decreased activity in comparison to the wild type were further examined by in vitro assays. Since full-length LuxR has not been purified, an autoinducer-independent N-terminally truncated form of LuxR, LuxRΔN, was used for in vitro studies. Single-round transcription assays were performed using reconstituted mutant RNAPs in the presence of LuxRΔN, and 14 alanine substitutions in the αCTD were identified as having negative effects on the rate of transcription from the lux operon promoter. Five of these 14 α variants were also involved in the mechanisms of both LuxR- and LuxRΔN-dependent activation in vivo. The positions of these residues lie roughly within the 265 and 287 determinants in α that have been identified through studies of the cyclic AMP receptor protein and its interactions with RNAP. This suggests a model where residues 262, 265, and 296 in α play roles in DNA recognition and residues 290 and 314 play roles in α-LuxR interactions at the lux operon promoter during quorum sensing.

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