scholarly journals Cytoplasmic mRNA decay represses RNA polymerase II transcription during early apoptosis

eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Duncan-Lewis ◽  
Ella Hartenian ◽  
Valeria King ◽  
Britt A Glaunsinger
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Mrna Decay ◽  
Protein Import ◽  
Mrna Degradation ◽  
Early Apoptosis ◽  
Promoter Dna ◽  
Conserved Gene ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii Transcription

RNA abundance is generally sensitive to perturbations in decay and synthesis rates, but crosstalk between RNA polymerase II transcription and cytoplasmic mRNA degradation often leads to compensatory changes in gene expression. Here, we reveal that widespread mRNA decay during early apoptosis represses RNAPII transcription, indicative of positive (rather than compensatory) feedback. This repression requires active cytoplasmic mRNA degradation, which leads to impaired recruitment of components of the transcription preinitiation complex to promoter DNA. Importin a/b-mediated nuclear import is critical for this feedback signaling, suggesting that proteins translocating between the cytoplasm and nucleus connect mRNA decay to transcription. We also show that an analogous pathway activated by viral nucleases similarly depends on nuclear protein import. Collectively, these data demonstrate that accelerated mRNA decay leads to the repression of mRNA transcription, thereby amplifying the shutdown of gene expression. This highlights a conserved gene regulatory mechanism by which cells respond to threats.

scholarly journals Cytoplasmic mRNA decay represses RNA polymerase II transcription during early apoptosis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Duncan-Lewis ◽  
Ella Hartenian ◽  
Britt A. Glaunsinger
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Mrna Decay ◽  
Protein Import ◽  
Early Apoptosis ◽  
Importin Α ◽  
Promoter Dna ◽  
Conserved Gene ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii Transcription

SUMMARYRNA abundance is generally sensitive to perturbations in decay and synthesis rates, but crosstalk between RNA polymerase II transcription and cytoplasmic mRNA degradation often leads to compensatory changes in gene expression. Here, we reveal that widespread mRNA decay during early apoptosis represses RNAPII transcription, indicative of positive (rather than compensatory) feedback. This repression requires active degradation of cytoplasmic mRNA, which leads to impaired recruitment of components of the transcription preinitiation complex to promoter DNA. Importin α/β-mediated nuclear import is critical for this feedback signaling, suggesting that proteins translocating between the cytoplasm and nucleus connect mRNA decay to transcription. We also show that an analogous pathway activated by viral nucleases similarly depends on nuclear protein import. Collectively, these data demonstrate that accelerated mRNA decay leads to the repression of mRNA transcription, thereby amplifying the shutdown of gene expression. This highlights a conserved gene regulatory mechanism by which cells respond to threats.GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Nutrient-regulated gene expression in eukaryotes

2006 ◽  
Vol 73 ◽  
pp. 85-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Reece ◽  
Laila Beynon ◽  
Stacey Holden ◽  
Amanda D. Hughes ◽  
Karine Rébora ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Transcriptional Control ◽  
Direct Interaction ◽  
Signalling Pathways ◽  
A Cell ◽  
One Step ◽  
Higher Eukaryotes ◽  
Regulated Gene Expression

The recognition of changes in environmental conditions, and the ability to adapt to these changes, is essential for the viability of cells. There are numerous well characterized systems by which the presence or absence of an individual metabolite may be recognized by a cell. However, the recognition of a metabolite is just one step in a process that often results in changes in the expression of whole sets of genes required to respond to that metabolite. In higher eukaryotes, the signalling pathway between metabolite recognition and transcriptional control can be complex. Recent evidence from the relatively simple eukaryote yeast suggests that complex signalling pathways may be circumvented through the direct interaction between individual metabolites and regulators of RNA polymerase II-mediated transcription. Biochemical and structural analyses are beginning to unravel these elegant genetic control elements.

scholarly journals The Ras/PKA Signaling Pathway May Control RNA Polymerase II Elongation via the Spt4p/Spt5p Complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Genetics ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 165 (3) ◽  
pp. 1059-1070
Author(s):  
Susie C Howard ◽  
Arelis Hester ◽  
Paul K Herman
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Cell Growth ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Signaling Pathway ◽  
Elongation Factor ◽  
Ras Signaling ◽  
Elongation Step ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii Transcription

Abstract The Ras signaling pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae controls cell growth via the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, PKA. Recent work has indicated that these effects on growth are due, in part, to the regulation of activities associated with the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II. However, the precise target of these Ras effects has remained unknown. This study suggests that Ras/PKA activity regulates the elongation step of the RNA polymerase II transcription process. Several lines of evidence indicate that Spt5p in the Spt4p/Spt5p elongation factor is the likely target of this control. First, the growth of spt4 and spt5 mutants was found to be very sensitive to changes in Ras/PKA signaling activity. Second, mutants with elevated levels of Ras activity shared a number of specific phenotypes with spt5 mutants and vice versa. Finally, Spt5p was efficiently phosphorylated by PKA in vitro. Altogether, the data suggest that the Ras/PKA pathway might be directly targeting a component of the elongating polymerase complex and that this regulation is important for the normal control of yeast cell growth. These data point out the interesting possibility that signal transduction pathways might directly influence the elongation step of RNA polymerase II transcription.

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