scholarly journals Artificial Recruitment of TFIID, but Not RNA Polymerase II Holoenzyme, Activates Transcription in Mammalian Cells

2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 4350-4358 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Dorris ◽  
Kevin Struhl
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Pol Ii ◽  
Activation Domains ◽  
Synergistic Activation ◽  
The One ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii Holoenzyme

ABSTRACT In yeast cells, transcriptional activation occurs when the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) machinery is artificially recruited to a promoter by fusing individual components of this machinery to a DNA-binding domain. Here, we show that artificial recruitment of components of the TFIID complex can activate transcription in mammalian cells. Surprisingly, artificial recruitment of TATA-binding protein (TBP) activates transiently transfected and chromosomally integrated promoters with equal efficiency, whereas artificial recruitment of TBP-associated factors activates only chromosomal reporters. In contrast, artificial recruitment of various components of the mammalian Pol II holoenzyme does not confer transcriptional activation, nor does it result in synergistic activation in combination with natural activation domains. In the one case examined in more detail, the Srb7 fusion failed to activate despite being associated with the Pol II holoenzyme and being directly recruited to the promoter. Interestingly, some acidic activation domains are less effective when the promoter is chromosomally integrated rather than transiently transfected, whereas the Sp1 glutamine-rich activation domain is more effective on integrated reporters. Thus, yeast and mammalian cells differ with respect to transcriptional activation by artificial recruitment of the Pol II holoenzyme.

RNA polymerase II cofactor PC2 facilitates activation of transcription by GAL4-AH in vitro

1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 3927-3937
Author(s):  
M Kretzschmar ◽  
G Stelzer ◽  
R G Roeder ◽  
M Meisterernst
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Activation Domains ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Activation Of Transcription ◽  
Transcriptional Activation Domains ◽  
Necessary And Sufficient ◽  
Specific Pathway

We have isolated from a crude Hela cell cofactor fraction (USA) a novel positive cofactor that cooperates with the general transcription machinery to effect efficient stimulation of transcription by GAL4-AH, a derivative of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae regulatory factor GAL4. PC2 was shown to be a 500-kDa protein complex and to be functionally and biochemically distinct from native TFIID and previously identified cofactors. In the presence of native TFIID and other general factors, PC2 was necessary and sufficient for activation by GAL4-AH. Cofactor function was specific for transcriptional activation domains of GAL4-AH. The repressor histone H1 further potentiated but was not required for activation of transcription by GAL4-AH. On the basis of the observation that PC2 exerts entirely positive effects on transcription, we propose a model in which PC2 increases the activity of the preinitiation complex in the presence of an activator, thereby establishing a specific pathway during activation of RNA polymerase II.

Co-dependent recruitment of Ino80p and Snf2p is required for yeast CUP1 activation

2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roshini N. Wimalarathna ◽  
Po Yun Pan ◽  
Chang-Hui Shen
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Histone Acetylation ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Chromatin Remodeling ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Copper Toxicity ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Chromatin Remodelers ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Cup1 Promoter

In yeast, Ace1p-dependent induction of CUP1 is responsible for protecting cells from copper toxicity. Although the mechanism of yeast CUP1 induction has been studied intensively, it is still uncertain which chromatin remodelers are involved in CUP1 transcriptional activation. Here, we show that yeast cells are inviable in the presence of copper when either chromatin remodeler, Ino80p or Snf2p, is not present. This inviability is due to the lack of CUP1 expression in ino80Δ and snf2Δ cells. Subsequently, we observe that both Ino80p and Snf2p are present at the promoter and they are responsible for recruiting chromatin remodeling activity to the CUP1 promoter under induced conditions. These results suggest that they directly participate in CUP1 transcriptional activation. Furthermore, the codependent recruitment of both INO80 and SWI/SNF depends on the presence of the transcriptional activator, Ace1p. We also demonstrate that both remodelers are required to recruit RNA polymerase II and targeted histone acetylation, indicating that remodelers are recruited to the CUP1 promoter before RNA polymerase II and histone acetylases. These observations provide evidence for the mechanism of CUP1 induction. As such, we propose a model that describes novel insight into the order of events in CUP1 activation.

scholarly journals Pausing sites of RNA polymerase II on actively transcribed genes are enriched in DNA double-stranded breaks

2020 ◽  
Vol 295 (12) ◽  
pp. 3990-4000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Singh ◽  
Karol Szlachta ◽  
Arkadi Manukyan ◽  
Heather M. Raimer ◽  
Manikarna Dinda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcriptional Regulation ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Topoisomerase I ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Dna Breaks ◽  
Transcription Start ◽  
Pol Ii ◽  
Transcription Start Sites

DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) are strongly associated with active transcription, and promoter-proximal pausing of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is a critical step in transcriptional regulation. Mapping the distribution of DSBs along actively expressed genes and identifying the location of DSBs relative to pausing sites can provide mechanistic insights into transcriptional regulation. Using genome-wide DNA break mapping/sequencing techniques at single-nucleotide resolution in human cells, we found that DSBs are preferentially located around transcription start sites of highly transcribed and paused genes and that Pol II promoter-proximal pausing sites are enriched in DSBs. We observed that DSB frequency at pausing sites increases as the strength of pausing increases, regardless of whether the pausing sites are near or far from annotated transcription start sites. Inhibition of topoisomerase I and II by camptothecin and etoposide treatment, respectively, increased DSBs at the pausing sites as the concentrations of drugs increased, demonstrating the involvement of topoisomerases in DSB generation at the pausing sites. DNA breaks generated by topoisomerases are short-lived because of the religation activity of these enzymes, which these drugs inhibit; therefore, the observation of increased DSBs with increasing drug doses at pausing sites indicated active recruitment of topoisomerases to these sites. Furthermore, the enrichment and locations of DSBs at pausing sites were shared among different cell types, suggesting that Pol II promoter-proximal pausing is a common regulatory mechanism. Our findings support a model in which topoisomerases participate in Pol II promoter-proximal pausing and indicated that DSBs at pausing sites contribute to transcriptional activation.

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.

scholarly journals Stepwise Recruitment of Components of the Preinitiation Complex by Upstream Activators In Vivo

1998 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2876-2883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Song He ◽  
Steven Jay Weintraub
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Mechanism Of Action ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Tata Binding Protein ◽  
Preinitiation Complex ◽  
Functional Assays ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii Holoenzyme

ABSTRACT Recently, it was found that if either the TATA binding protein or RNA polymerase II holoenzyme is artificially tethered to a promoter, transcription is activated. This finding provided presumptive evidence that upstream activating proteins function by recruiting components of the preinitiation complex (PIC) to the promoter. To date, however, there have been no studies demonstrating that upstream factors actually recruit components of the PIC to the promoter in vivo. Therefore, we have studied the mechanism of action of two disparate transactivating domains. We present a series of in vivo functional assays that demonstrate that each of these proteins targets different components of the PIC for recruitment. We show that, by targeting different components of the PIC for recruitment, these activating domains can cooperate with each other to activate transcription synergistically and that, even within one protein, two different activating subdomains can activate transcription synergistically by cooperating to recruit different components of the PIC. Finally, considering our work together with previous studies, we propose that certain transcription factors both recruit components of the PIC and facilitate steps in transcriptional activation that occur subsequent to recruitment.

scholarly journals RNA Polymerase II Accumulation in the Promoter-Proximal Region of the Dihydrofolate Reductase and γ-Actin Genes

2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 1961-1967 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chonghui Cheng ◽  
Phillip A. Sharp
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Dihydrofolate Reductase ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Proximal Region ◽  
Heptad Repeat ◽  
Pol Ii ◽  
Actin Genes ◽  
Carboxyl Terminal ◽  
Promoter Proximal Region

ABSTRACT The carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) can be phosphorylated at serine 2 (Ser-2) and serine 5 (Ser-5) of the CTD heptad repeat YSPTSPS, and this phosphorylation is important in coupling transcription to RNA processing, including 5′ capping, splicing, and polyadenylation. The mammalian endogenous dihydrofolate reductase and γ-actin genes have been used to study the association of Pol II with different regions of transcribed genes (promoter-proximal compared to distal regions) and the phosphorylation status of its CTD. For both genes, Pol II is more concentrated in the promoter-proximal regions than in the interior regions. Moreover, different phosphorylation forms of Pol II are associated with distinct regions. Ser-5 phosphorylation of Pol II is concentrated near the promoter, while Ser-2 phosphorylation is observed throughout the gene. These results suggest that the accumulation of paused Pol II in promoter-proximal regions may be a common feature of gene regulation in mammalian cells.

scholarly journals ELA1 and CUL3 Are Required Along with ELC1 for RNA Polymerase II Polyubiquitylation and Degradation in DNA-Damaged Yeast Cells

2007 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 3211-3216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Balazs Ribar ◽  
Louise Prakash ◽  
Satya Prakash
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Ubiquitin Ligase ◽  
Ring Finger ◽  
Human Cells ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Pol Ii ◽  
Von Hippel Lindau ◽  
Ubiquitin Ligase E3 ◽  
Cullin 3

ABSTRACT Treatment of yeast and human cells with DNA-damaging agents elicits lysine 48-linked polyubiquitylation of Rpb1, the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (Pol II), which targets Pol II for proteasomal degradation. However, the ubiquitin ligase (E3) responsible for Pol II polyubiquitylation has not been identified in humans or the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Here we show that elongin A (Ela1) and cullin 3 (Cul3) are required for Pol II polyubiquitylation and degradation in yeast cells, and on the basis of these and other observations, we propose that an E3 comprised of elongin C (Elc1), Ela1, Cul3, and the RING finger protein Roc1 (Rbx1) mediates this process in yeast cells. This study provides, in addition to the identification of the E3 required for Pol II polyubiquitylation and degradation in yeast cells, the first evidence for a specific function in yeast for a member of the elongin C/BC-box protein/cullin family of ligases. Also, these observations raise the distinct possibility that the elongin C-containing ubiquitin ligase, the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor complex, promotes Pol II polyubiquitylation and degradation in human cells.

scholarly journals Identifying a species-specific region of yeast TF11B in vivo.

1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 3651-3657 ◽  
Author(s):  
S P Shaw ◽  
J Wingfield ◽  
M J Dorsey ◽  
J Ma
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Specific Region ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Species Specific

The general transcription factor IIB (TFIIB) is required for RNA polymerase II transcription in eukaryotes. It provides a physical link between the TATA-binding protein (TBP) and the RNA polymerase and is a component previously suggested to respond to transcriptional activators in vitro. In this report, we compare the yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and human forms of the protein in yeast cells to study their functional differences. We demonstrate that human TFIIB fails to functionally replace yeast TFIIB in yeast cells. By analyzing various human-yeast hybrid TFIIB molecules, we show that a 14-amino-acid region at the amino terminus of the first repeat of yeast TFIIB plays an important role in determining species specificity in vivo. In addition, we identify four amino acids in this region that are critical for an amphipathic helix unique to yeast TFIIB. By site-directed mutagenesis analyses we demonstrate that these four amino acids are important for yeast TFIIB's activity in vivo. Finally, we show that mutations in the species-specific region of yeast TFIIB can differentially affect the expression of genes activated by different activators in vivo. These results provide strong evidence suggesting that yeast TFIIB is involved in the process of transcriptional activation in living cells.

scholarly journals Requirement of ELC1 for RNA Polymerase II Polyubiquitylation and Degradation in Response to DNA Damage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 3999-4005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Balazs Ribar ◽  
Louise Prakash ◽  
Satya Prakash
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Ubiquitin Ligase ◽  
Excision Repair ◽  
Uv Light ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Pol Ii ◽  
Dna Damaging Agents ◽  
Nucleotide Excision

ABSTRACT Treatment of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and human cells with DNA-damaging agents such as UV light or 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide induces polyubiquitylation of the largest RNA polymerase II (Pol II) subunit, Rpb1, which results in rapid Pol II degradation by the proteasome. Here we identify a novel role for the yeast Elc1 protein in mediating Pol II polyubiquitylation and degradation in DNA-damaged yeast cells and propose the involvement of a ubiquitin ligase, of which Elc1 is a component, in this process. In addition, we present genetic evidence for a possible involvement of Elc1 in Rad7-Rad16-dependent nucleotide excision repair (NER) of lesions from the nontranscribed regions of the genome and suggest a role for Elc1 in increasing the proficiency of repair of nontranscribed DNA, where as a component of the Rad7-Rad16-Elc1 ubiquitin ligase, it would promote the efficient turnover of the NER ensemble from the lesion site in a Rad23-19S proteasomal complex-dependent reaction.

scholarly journals Nodamura Virus RNA Replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Heterologous Gene Expression Allows Replication-Dependent Colony Formation

2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 495-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Duane Price ◽  
Lance D. Eckerle ◽  
L. Andrew Ball ◽  
Kyle L. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Heterologous Gene Expression ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Genomic Rnas ◽  
Nodamura Virus

ABSTRACT Nodamura virus (NoV) and Flock House virus (FHV) are members of the family Nodaviridae. The nodavirus genome is composed of two positive-sense RNA segments: RNA1 encodes the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and RNA2 encodes the capsid protein precursor. A small subgenomic RNA3, which encodes nonstructural proteins B1 and B2, is transcribed from RNA1 during RNA replication. Previously, FHV was shown to replicate both of its genomic RNAs and to transcribe RNA3 in transiently transfected yeast cells. FHV RNAs and their derivatives could also be expressed from plasmids containing RNA polymerase II promoters. Here we show that all of these features can be recapitulated for NoV, the only nodavirus that productively infects mammals. Inducible plasmid-based systems were used to characterize the RNA replication requirements for NoV RNA1 and RNA2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Induced NoV RNA1 replication was robust. Three previously described NoV RNA1 mutants behaved in yeast as they had in mammalian cells. Yeast colonies were selected from cells expressing NoV RNA1, and RNA2 replicons that encoded yeast nutritional markers, from plasmids. Unexpectedly, these NoV RNA replication-dependent yeast colonies were recovered at frequencies 104-fold lower than in the analogous FHV system. Molecular analysis revealed that some of the NoV RNA replication-dependent colonies contained mutations in the NoV B2 open reading frame in the replicating viral RNA. In addition, we found that NoV RNA1 could support limited replication of a deletion derivative of the heterologous FHV RNA2 that expressed the yeast HIS3 selectable marker, resulting in formation of HIS+ colonies.

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