scholarly journals Cohesion promotes nucleolar structure and function

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 337-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bethany Harris ◽  
Tania Bose ◽  
Kenneth K. Lee ◽  
Fei Wang ◽  
Shuai Lu ◽  
...  

The cohesin complex contributes to ribosome function, although the molecular mechanisms involved are unclear. Compromised cohesin function is associated with a class of diseases known as cohesinopathies. One cohesinopathy, Roberts syndrome (RBS), occurs when a mutation reduces acetylation of the cohesin Smc3 subunit. Mutation of the cohesin acetyltransferase is associated with impaired rRNA production, ribosome biogenesis, and protein synthesis in yeast and human cells. Cohesin binding to the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) is evolutionarily conserved from bacteria to human cells. We report that the RBS mutation in yeast (eco1-W216G) exhibits a disorganized nucleolus and reduced looping at the rDNA. RNA polymerase I occupancy of the genes remains normal, suggesting that recruitment is not impaired. Impaired rRNA production in the RBS mutant coincides with slower rRNA cleavage. In addition to the RBS mutation, mutations in any subunit of the cohesin ring are associated with defects in ribosome biogenesis. Depletion or artificial destruction of cohesion in a single cell cycle is associated with loss of nucleolar integrity, demonstrating that the defects at the rDNA can be directly attributed to loss of cohesion. Our results strongly suggest that organization of the rDNA provided by cohesion is critical for formation and function of the nucleolus.

2008 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 619-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna L. Birch ◽  
Joost C.B.M. Zomerdijk

Transcription of the major ribosomal RNAs by Pol I (RNA polymerase I) is a key determinant of ribosome biogenesis, driving cell growth and proliferation in eukaryotes. Hundreds of copies of rRNA genes are present in each cell, and there is evidence that the cellular control of Pol I transcription involves adjustments to the number of rRNA genes actively engaged in transcription, as well as to the rate of transcription from each active gene. Chromatin structure is inextricably linked to rRNA gene activity, and the present review highlights recent advances in this area.


2001 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenying Shou ◽  
Kathleen M Sakamoto ◽  
John Keener ◽  
Kenji W Morimoto ◽  
Edwin E Traverso ◽  
...  

2000 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 2175-2189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphanie Trumtel ◽  
Isabelle Léger-Silvestre ◽  
Pierre-Emmanuel Gleizes ◽  
Frédéric Teulières ◽  
Nicole Gas

Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with genetically modified nucleoli, we show here that changing parameters as critical as the tandem organization of the ribosomal genes and the polymerase transcribing rDNA, although profoundly modifying the position and the shape of the nucleolus, only partially alter its functional subcompartmentation. High-resolution morphology achieved by cryofixation, together with ultrastructural localization of nucleolar proteins and rRNA, reveals that the nucleolar structure, arising upon transcription of rDNA from plasmids by RNA polymerase I, is still divided in functional subcompartments like the wild-type nucleolus. rRNA maturation is restricted to a fibrillar component, reminiscent of the dense fibrillar component in wild-type cells; a granular component is also present, whereas no fibrillar center can be distinguished, which directly links this latter substructure to rDNA chromosomal organization. Although morphologically different, the mininucleoli observed in cells transcribing rDNA with RNA polymerase II also contain a fibrillar subregion of analogous function, in addition to a dense core of unknown nature. Upon repression of rDNA transcription in this strain or in an RNA polymerase I thermosensitive mutant, the nucleolar structure falls apart (in a reversible manner), and nucleolar constituents partially relocate to the nucleoplasm, indicating that rRNA is a primary determinant for the assembly of the nucleolus.


2013 ◽  
Vol 394 (9) ◽  
pp. 1133-1143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaspar Burger ◽  
Dirk Eick

Abstract The production and processing of ribosomal RNA is a complex and well-coordinated nucleolar process for ribosome biogenesis. Progress in understanding nucleolar structure and function has lead to the unexpected discovery of the nucleolus as a highly sensitive sensor of cellular stress and an important regulator of the tumor suppressor p53. Inhibition of ribosomal RNA metabolism has been shown to activate a signaling pathway for p53 induction. This review elucidates the potential of classical and recently developed chemotherapeutic drugs to stabilize p53 by inhibiting nucleolar functions.


2015 ◽  
Vol 308 (4) ◽  
pp. H259-H268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuhiro Maejima ◽  
Yun Chen ◽  
Mitsuaki Isobe ◽  
Åsa B. Gustafsson ◽  
Richard N. Kitsis ◽  
...  

Dysregulation of autophagy, an evolutionarily conserved process for degradation of long-lived proteins and organelles, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of human disease. Recent research has uncovered pathways that control autophagy in the heart and molecular mechanisms by which alterations in this process affect cardiac structure and function. Although initially thought to be a nonselective degradation process, autophagy, as it has become increasingly clear, can exhibit specificity in the degradation of molecules and organelles, such as mitochondria. Furthermore, it has been shown that autophagy is involved in a wide variety of previously unrecognized cellular functions, such as cell death and metabolism. A growing body of evidence suggests that deviation from appropriate levels of autophagy causes cellular dysfunction and death, which in turn leads to heart disease. Here, we review recent advances in understanding the role of autophagy in heart disease, highlight unsolved issues, and discuss the therapeutic potential of modulating autophagy in heart disease.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara Phan ◽  
Pallab Maity ◽  
Christina Ludwig ◽  
Lisa Streit ◽  
Jens Michaelis ◽  
...  

Ribosome biogenesis is a highly energy-demanding process in eukaryotes which requires the concerted action of all three RNA polymerases. In RNA polymerase II transcription, the general transcription factor TFIIH is recruited by TFIIE to the initiation site of protein-coding genes. Distinct mutations in TFIIH and TFIIE give rise to the degenerative disorder trichothiodystrophy (TTD). Here we uncovered an unexpected role of TFIIE in ribosomal RNA synthesis by RNA polymerase I. With high resolution microscopy we detected TFIIE in the nucleolus where TFIIE binds to actively transcribed rDNA. Mutations in TFIIE affects gene-occupancy of RNA polymerase I, rRNA maturation, ribosomal assembly and performance. In consequence, the elevated translational error rate with imbalanced protein synthesis and turnover results in an increase in heat-sensitive proteins. Collectively, mutations in TFIIE - due to impaired ribosomal biogenesis and translational accuracy - lead to a loss of protein homeostasis (proteostasis) which can partly explain the clinical phenotype in TTD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (11) ◽  
pp. 5891-5906 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Sorino ◽  
Valeria Catena ◽  
Tiziana Bruno ◽  
Francesca De Nicola ◽  
Stefano Scalera ◽  
...  

Abstract Originally identified as an RNA polymerase II interactor, Che-1/AATF (Che-1) has now been recognized as a multifunctional protein involved in cell-cycle regulation and cancer progression, as well as apoptosis inhibition and response to stress. This protein displays a peculiar nucleolar localization and it has recently been implicated in pre-rRNA processing and ribosome biogenesis. Here, we report the identification of a novel function of Che-1 in the regulation of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) synthesis, in both cancer and normal cells. We demonstrate that Che-1 interacts with RNA polymerase I and nucleolar upstream binding factor (UBF) and promotes RNA polymerase I-dependent transcription. Furthermore, this protein binds to the rRNA gene (rDNA) promoter and modulates its epigenetic state by contrasting the recruitment of HDAC1. Che-1 downregulation affects RNA polymerase I and UBF recruitment on rDNA and leads to reducing rDNA promoter activity and 47S pre-rRNA production. Interestingly, Che-1 depletion induces abnormal nucleolar morphology associated with re-distribution of nucleolar proteins. Finally, we show that upon DNA damage Che-1 re-localizes from rDNA to TP53 gene promoter to induce cell-cycle arrest. This previously uncharacterized function of Che-1 confirms the important role of this protein in the regulation of ribosome biogenesis, cellular proliferation and response to stress.


1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 3810-3812
Author(s):  
C S Pikaard ◽  
S D Smith ◽  
R H Reeder ◽  
L Rothblum

Rat cells contain a DNA-binding polymerase I transcription factor, rUBF, with properties similar to UBF homologs that have been purified from both human (hUBF) and frog (xUBF) cells. In this note we report the affinity purification of rUBF to apparent homogeneity and show that UBFs from both rat and frog have identical footprinting characteristics on templates from either species. Furthermore, xUBF was able to stimulate transcription from rat RNA polymerase I promoters in a partially fractionated rat extract that was UBF dependent. These results strengthen the conclusion that all vertebrate cells contain a UBF homolog whose DNA-binding specificity and function have been strongly conserved.


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