scholarly journals Telomerase biogenesis requires a novel Mex67 function and a cytoplasmic association with the Sm7 complex

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulia Vasianovich ◽  
Emmanuel Bajon ◽  
Raymund J Wellinger

The templating RNA is the core of the telomerase reverse transcriptase. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the complex life cycle and maturation of telomerase includes a cytoplasmic stage. However, timing and reason for this cytoplasmic passage are poorly understood. Here, we use inducible RNA tagging experiments to show that immediately after transcription, newly synthesized telomerase RNAs undergo one round of nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling. Their export depends entirely on Crm1/Xpo1, whereas re-import is mediated by Kap122 plus redundant, kinetically less efficient import pathways. Strikingly, Mex67 is essential to stabilize newly transcribed RNA before Xpo1-mediated nuclear export. The results further show that the Sm7 complex associates with and stabilizes the telomerase RNA in the cytoplasm and promotes its nuclear re-import. Remarkably, after this cytoplasmic passage, the nuclear stability of telomerase RNA no longer depends on Mex67. These results underscore the utility of inducible RNA tagging and challenge current models of telomerase maturation.

2000 ◽  
Vol 275 (29) ◽  
pp. 22568-22573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenkichi Masutomi ◽  
Shuichi Kaneko ◽  
Naoyuki Hayashi ◽  
Tatsuya Yamashita ◽  
Yukihiro Shirota ◽  
...  

2004 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 263-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shobhana Natarajan ◽  
Zhi Chen ◽  
Edward V. Wancewicz ◽  
Brett P. Monia ◽  
David R. Corey

1998 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1284-1295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alo Ray ◽  
Kurt W. Runge

ABSTRACT The telomeres of most organisms consist of short repeated sequences that can be elongated by telomerase, a reverse transcriptase complex that contains its own RNA template for the synthesis of telomere repeats. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the RAP1gene encodes the major telomere binding protein Rap1p. Here we use a quantitative telomere formation assay to demonstrate that Rap1p C termini can enhance telomere formation more than 30-fold when they are located at internal sites. This stimulation is distinct from protection from degradation. Enhancement of formation required the gene for telomerase RNA but not Sir1p, Sir2p, Sir3p, Sir4p, Tel1p, or the Rif1p binding site in the Rap1p C terminus. Our data suggest that Rap1p C termini enhance telomere formation by attracting or increasing the activity of telomerase near telomeres. Earlier work suggests that Rap1p molecules at the chromosome terminus inhibit the elongation of long telomeres by blocking the access of telomerase. Our results suggest a model where a balance between internal Rap1p increasing telomerase activity and Rap1p at the termini of long telomeres controlling telomerase access maintains telomeres at a constant length.


2010 ◽  
Vol 30 (20) ◽  
pp. 4965-4976 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea J. Berman ◽  
Anne R. Gooding ◽  
Thomas R. Cech

ABSTRACT The biogenesis of the Tetrahymena telomerase ribonucleoprotein particle (RNP) is enhanced by p65, a La family protein. Single-molecule and biochemical studies have uncovered a hierarchical assembly of the RNP, wherein the binding of p65 to stems I and IV of telomerase RNA (TER) causes a conformational change that facilitates the subsequent binding of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) to TER. We used purified p65 and variants of TERT and TER to investigate the conformational rearrangements that occur during RNP assembly. Nuclease protection assays and mutational analysis revealed that p65 interacts with and stimulates conformational changes in regions of TER beyond stem IV. Several TER mutants exhibited telomerase activity only in the presence of p65, revealing the importance of p65 in promoting the correct RNP assembly pathway. In addition, p65 rescued TERT assembly mutants but not TERT activity mutants. Taken together, these results suggest that p65 stimulates telomerase assembly and activity in two ways. First, by sequestering stems I and IV, p65 limits the ensemble of structural conformations of TER, thereby presenting TERT with the active conformation of TER. Second, p65 acts as a molecular buttress within the assembled RNP, mutually stabilizing TER and TERT in catalytically active conformations.


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