SPN1, a Conserved Gene Identified by Suppression of a Postrecruitment-Defective Yeast TATA-Binding Protein Mutant

Genetics ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 162 (4) ◽  
pp. 1605-1616
Author(s):  
Julie A Fischbeck ◽  
Susan M Kraemer ◽  
Laurie A Stargell

Abstract Little is known about TATA-binding protein (TBP) functions after recruitment to the TATA element, although several TBP mutants display postrecruitment defects. Here we describe a genetic screen for suppressors of a postrecruitment-defective TBP allele. Suppression was achieved by a single point mutation in a previously uncharacterized Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene, SPN1 (suppresses postrecruitment functions gene number 1). SPN1 is an essential yeast gene that is highly conserved throughout evolution. The suppressing mutation in SPN1 substitutes an asparagine for an invariant lysine at position 192 (spn1K192N). The spn1K192N strain is able to suppress additional alleles of TBP that possess postrecruitment defects, but not a TBP allele that is postrecruitment competent. In addition, Spn1p does not stably associate with TFIID in vivo. Cells containing the spn1K192N allele exhibit a temperature-sensitive phenotype and some defects in activated transcription, whereas constitutive transcription appears relatively robust in the mutant background. Consistent with an important role in postrecruitment functions, transcription from the CYC1 promoter, which has been shown to be regulated by postrecruitment mechanisms, is enhanced in spn1K192N cells. Moreover, we find that SPN1 is a member of the SPT gene family, further supporting a functional requirement for the SPN1 gene product in transcriptional processes.

1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 3951-3957 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan T. Ranallo ◽  
Kevin Struhl ◽  
Laurie A. Stargell

ABSTRACT Using an intragenic complementation screen, we have identified a temperature-sensitive TATA-binding protein (TBP) mutant (K151L,K156Y) that is defective for interaction with certain yeast TBP-associated factors (TAFs) at the restrictive temperature. The K151L,K156Y mutant appears to be functional for RNA polymerase I (Pol I) and Pol III transcription, and it is capable of supporting Gal4-activated and Gcn4-activated transcription by Pol II. However, transcription from certain TATA-containing and TATA-less Pol II promoters is reduced at the restrictive temperature. Immunoprecipitation analysis of extracts prepared after culturing cells at the restrictive temperature for 1 h indicates that the K151L,K156Y derivative is severely compromised in its ability to interact with TAF130, TAF90, TAF68/61, and TAF25 while remaining functional for interaction with TAF60 and TAF30. Thus, a TBP mutant that is compromised in its ability to form TFIID can support the response to Gcn4 but is defective for transcription from specific promoters in vivo.


2001 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1737-1746 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan M. Kraemer ◽  
Ryan T. Ranallo ◽  
Ryan C. Ogg ◽  
Laurie A. Stargell

ABSTRACT TFIIA and TATA-binding protein (TBP) associate directly at the TATA element of genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II. In vivo, TBP is complexed with approximately 14 TBP-associated factors (TAFs) to form the general transcription factor TFIID. How TFIIA and TFIID communicate is not well understood. We show that in addition to making direct contacts with TBP, yeast TAF40 interacts directly and specifically with TFIIA. Mutational analyses of the Toa2 subunit of TFIIA indicate that loss of functional interaction between TFIIA and TAF40 results in conditional growth phenotypes and defects in transcription. These results demonstrate that the TFIIA-TAF40 interaction is important in vivo and indicate a functional role for TAF40 as a bridging factor between TFIIA and TFIID.


2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (24) ◽  
pp. 8735-8743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin M. Buratowski ◽  
Jessica Downs ◽  
Stephen Buratowski

ABSTRACT Temperature-sensitive mutants of TFIIB that are defective for essential interactions were isolated. One mutation (G204D) results in disruption of a protein-protein contact between TFIIB and TATA binding protein (TBP), while the other (K272I) disrupts an interaction between TFIIB and DNA. The TBP gene was mutagenized, and alleles that suppress the slow-growth phenotypes of the TFIIB mutants were isolated. TFIIB with the G204D mutation [TFIIB(G204D)] was suppressed by hydrophobic substitutions at lysine 239 of TBP. These changes led to increased affinity between TBP and TFIIB. TFIIB(K272I) was weakly suppressed by TBP mutants in which K239 was changed to hydrophobic residues. However, this mutant TFIIB was strongly suppressed by conservative substitutions in the DNA binding surface of TBP. Biochemical characterization showed that these TBP mutants had increased affinity for a TATA element. The TBPs with increased affinity could not suppress TFIIB(G204D), leading us to propose a two-step model for the interaction between TFIIB and the TBP-DNA complex.


1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 4456-4464 ◽  
Author(s):  
L A Stargell ◽  
K Struhl

Using a genetic screen, we isolated four TATA-binding protein (TBP) mutants that are specifically defective in vivo for the response to acidic activators. In contrast to previously described activation-defective TBP mutants, these TBP derivatives are not specifically defective for interactions with TATA elements or TFIIA. Three of these derivatives interact normally with a TATA element, TFIIA, TFIIB, or an acidic activation domain; presumably, they affect another protein-protein interaction important for transcriptional activation. The remaining derivative (with F-237 replaced by D) binds a TATA element with wild-type affinity, but the TBP-TATA complex has an altered electrophoretic mobility and interacts poorly with TFIIA and TFIIB; this suggests that the conformation of the TBP-TATA element complex plays a role in transcriptional activation. To determine the step at which the TBP derivatives were unable to activate transcription, we utilized an artificial recruitment assay in which TBP is targeted to the promoter via fusion to the LexA DNA-binding domain. Consistent with previous evidence that acidic activators can increase recruitment of TBP to the promoter in vivo, the activation defect of some of these TBP derivatives can be corrected by artificial recruitment. In contrast, the activation defect of the other TBP derivatives is not bypassed by artificial recruitment. Thus, these TBP mutants define two steps in the process of transcriptional stimulation by acidic activators: efficient recruitment to the TATA element and a postrecruitment interaction with a component(s) of the initiation complex.


2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafal Donczew ◽  
Steven Hahn

ABSTRACT A yeast in vitro system was developed that is active for transcription at both TATA-containing and TATA-less promoters. Transcription with extracts made from cells depleted of TFIID subunit Taf1 demonstrated that promoters of both classes are TFIID dependent, in agreement with recent in vivo findings. TFIID depletion can be complemented in vitro by additional recombinant TATA binding protein (TBP) at only the TATA-containing promoters. In contrast, high levels of TBP did not complement Taf1 depletion in vivo and instead repressed transcription from both promoter types. We also demonstrate the importance of the TATA-like sequence found at many TATA-less promoters and describe how the presence or absence of the TATA element is likely not the only feature that distinguishes these two types of promoters.


1997 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 2973-2984 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Weis ◽  
D Reinberg

Two promoter elements, the TATA element and initiator (Inr), are capable of directing specific transcription initiation of protein-encoding genes by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII). Although binding to the TATA element by the TATA-binding protein (TBP) has been shown to be the initial recognition step in transcription complex formation in vitro, the mechanism through which the basal machinery assembles into a functional complex on TATA-less promoters is controversial. Evidence supporting numerous models of Inr-mediated transcription complex formation exists, including the nucleation of a complex by Inr-binding proteins, a component of the TFIID complex, or a specific upstream activator common to many TATA-less promoters, Sp1. Using various techniques, we have undertaken a systematic analysis of the natural TATA-less human DNA polymerase beta (beta-pol) gene promoter. Although the beta-pol promoter contains upstream Sp1 elements and a functional Inr that binds YY1, neither of these factors is essential for Inr-mediated transcription complex formation. A complex containing TBP, TFIIB, TFIIF, and RNAPII (DBPolF complex) is capable of forming on the promoter in an Inr-dependent manner. A single point mutation within the Inr that affects DBPolF complex formation diminishes beta-pol transcriptional activity.


1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 5461-5469 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Lee ◽  
K Struhl

The TATA-binding protein (TBP) contains a concave surface that interacts specifically with TATA promoter elements and a convex surface that mediates protein-protein interactions with general and gene-specific transcription factors. Biochemical experiments suggest that interactions between activator proteins and TBP are important in stimulating transcription by the RNA polymerase II machinery. To gain insight into the role of TBP in mediating transcriptional activation in vivo, we implemented a genetic strategy in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that involved the use of a TBP derivative with altered specificity for TATA elements. By genetically screening a set of TBP mutant libraries that were biased to the convex surface that mediates protein-protein interactions, we identified TBP derivatives that are impaired in the response to three acidic activators (Gcn4, Gal4, and Ace1) but appear normal for constitutive polymerase II transcription. A genetic complementation assay indicates that the activation-defective phenotypes reflect specific functional properties of the TBP derivatives rather than an indirect effect on transcription. Surprisingly, three of the four activation-defective mutants affect residues that directly contact DNA. Moreover, all four mutants are defective for TATA element binding, but they interact normally with an acidic activation domain and TFIIB. In addition, we show that a subset of TBP derivatives with mutations on the DNA-binding surface of TBP are also compromised in their responses to acidic activators in vivo. These observations suggest that interactions at the TBP-TATA element interface can specifically affect the response to acidic activator proteins in vivo.


1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 5757-5761 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Xiao ◽  
J D Friesen ◽  
J T Lis

The binding of TATA-binding protein (TBP) to the TATA element is the first step in the initiation of RNA polymerase II transcription from many promoters in vitro. It has been proposed that upstream activator proteins stimulate transcription by recruiting TBP to the promoter, thus facilitating the assembly of a transcription complex. However, the role of activator proteins acting at this step to stimulate transcription in vivo remains largely speculative. To test whether recruitment of TBP to the promoter is sufficient for transcriptional activation in vivo, we constructed a hybrid protein containing TBP of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae fused to the DNA-binding domain of GAL4. Our results show that TBP recruited by the GAL4 DNA-binding domain to promoters bearing a GAL4-binding site can interact with the TATA element and direct high levels of transcription. This finding indicates that binding of TBP to promoters in S. cerevisiae is a major rate-limiting step accelerated by upstream activator proteins.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 289
Author(s):  
Kathleen K. M. Glover ◽  
Danica M. Sutherland ◽  
Terence S. Dermody ◽  
Kevin M. Coombs

Studies of conditionally lethal mutants can help delineate the structure-function relationships of biomolecules. Temperature-sensitive (ts) mammalian reovirus (MRV) mutants were isolated and characterized many years ago. Two of the most well-defined MRV ts mutants are tsC447, which contains mutations in the S2 gene encoding viral core protein σ2, and tsG453, which contains mutations in the S4 gene encoding major outer-capsid protein σ3. Because many MRV ts mutants, including both tsC447 and tsG453, encode multiple amino acid substitutions, the specific amino acid substitutions responsible for the ts phenotype are unknown. We used reverse genetics to recover recombinant reoviruses containing the single amino acid polymorphisms present in ts mutants tsC447 and tsG453 and assessed the recombinant viruses for temperature-sensitivity by efficiency-of-plating assays. Of the three amino acid substitutions in the tsG453 S4 gene, Asn16-Lys was solely responsible for the tsG453ts phenotype. Additionally, the mutant tsC447 Ala188-Val mutation did not induce a temperature-sensitive phenotype. This study is the first to employ reverse genetics to identify the dominant amino acid substitutions responsible for the tsC447 and tsG453 mutations and relate these substitutions to respective phenotypes. Further studies of other MRV ts mutants are warranted to define the sequence polymorphisms responsible for temperature sensitivity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhan Yin ◽  
Nils Burger ◽  
Duvaraka Kula-Alwar ◽  
Dunja Aksentijević ◽  
Hannah R. Bridges ◽  
...  

AbstractMitochondrial complex I is central to the pathological reactive oxygen species (ROS) production that underlies cardiac ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury. ND6-P25L mice are homoplasmic for a disease-causing mtDNA point mutation encoding the P25L substitution in the ND6 subunit of complex I. The cryo-EM structure of ND6-P25L complex I revealed subtle structural changes that facilitate rapid conversion to the “deactive” state, usually formed only after prolonged inactivity. Despite its tendency to adopt the “deactive” state, the mutant complex is fully active for NADH oxidation, but cannot generate ROS by reverse electron transfer (RET). ND6-P25L mitochondria function normally, except for their lack of RET ROS production, and ND6-P25L mice are protected against cardiac IR injury in vivo. Thus, this single point mutation in complex I, which does not affect oxidative phosphorylation but renders the complex unable to catalyse RET, demonstrates the pathological role of ROS production by RET during IR injury.


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