scholarly journals Cohesin removal reprograms gene expression upon mitotic entry

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Perea-Resa ◽  
Leah Bury ◽  
Iain Cheeseman ◽  
Michael D. Blower

SummaryEntering mitosis, the genome is restructured to facilitate chromosome segregation, accompanied by dramatic changes in gene expression. However, the mechanisms that underlie mitotic transcriptional regulation are unclear. In contrast to transcribed genes, centromere regions retain transcriptionally active RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) in mitosis. Here, we demonstrate that chromatin-bound cohesin is sufficient to retain RNAPII at centromeres while WAPL-mediated removal of cohesin during prophase is required for RNAPII dissociation from chromosome arms. Failure to remove cohesin from chromosome arms results in a failure to release elongating RNAPII and nascent transcripts from mitotic chromosomes and dramatically alters gene expression. We propose that prophase cohesin removal is the key step in reprogramming gene expression as cells transition from G2 to mitosis, and is temporally coupled with chromosome condensation to coordinate chromosome segregation with changes in gene expression.HighlightsMitotic centromere transcription requires cohesinCohesin removal releases elongating RNA Pol II and nascent RNA from chromatinThe prophase pathway reprograms gene expression during mitosis

2008 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. nrs.06005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miltiadis Kininis ◽  
W. Lee Kraus

Recent genomic analyses of transcription factor binding, histone modification, and gene expression have provided a global view of transcriptional regulation by nuclear receptors (NRs) that complements an existing large body of literature on gene-specific studies. The picture emerging from these genomic studies indicates that NRs bind at promoter-proximal and promoter-distal enhancers in conjunction with other transcription factors (e.g., activator protein-1, Sp1 and FOXA1). This binding promotes the recruitment of coregulators that mediate the posttranslational modification of histones at promoters and enhancers. Ultimately, signaling through liganded NRs stimulates changes in the occupancy of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) or the activation of preloaded Pol II at target promoters. Chromosomal looping and/or Pol II tracking may underlie promoter-enhancer communication. Interestingly, the direct target genes of NR signaling represent a limited subset of all the genes regulated by NR ligands, with the rest being regulated through secondary effects. As suggested by previous gene-specific analyses, NR-mediated outcomes are highly cell type- and promoter-specific, highlighting the complexity of transcriptional regulation by NRs and the value of genomic analyses for identifying commonly shared patterns. Overall, NRs share common themes in their patterns of localization and transcriptional regulation across mammalian genomes. In this review, we provide an overview of recent advances in the understanding of NR-mediated transcription garnered from genomic analyses of gene expression, factor localization, and target DNA sequences.


2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 1043-1057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kannanganattu V. Prasanth ◽  
Paula A. Sacco-Bubulya ◽  
Supriya G. Prasanth ◽  
David L. Spector

In eukaryotic cells, RNA polymerase II (RNA pol II) transcription and pre-mRNA processing are coordinated events. We have addressed how individual components of the transcription and pre-mRNA processing machinery are organized during mitosis and subsequently recruited into the newly formed daughter nuclei. Interestingly, localization studies of numerous RNA pol II transcription and pre-mRNA processing factors revealed a nonrandom and sequential entry of these factors into daughter nuclei after nuclear envelope/lamina formation. The initiation competent form of RNA pol II and general transcription factors appeared in the daughter nuclei simultaneously, but prior to pre-mRNA processing factors, whereas the elongation competent form of RNA pol II was detected even later. The differential entry of these factors rules out the possibility that they are transported as a unitary complex. Telophase nuclei were competent for transcription and pre-mRNA splicing concomitant with the initial entry of the respective factors. In addition, our results revealed a low turnover rate of transcription and pre-mRNA splicing factors during mitosis. We provide evidence to support a model in which the entry of the RNA pol II gene expression machinery into newly forming daughter nuclei is a staged and ordered process.


2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (17) ◽  
pp. 4435-4440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lili Li ◽  
Guangmei Tian ◽  
Hai Peng ◽  
Dan Meng ◽  
Liang Wang ◽  
...  

Cells have developed regulatory mechanisms that underlie flagellar assembly and maintenance, including the transcriptional regulation of flagellar genes, an initial step for making flagella. Although transcriptional regulation of flagellar gene expression is required for flagellar assembly in Chlamydomonas, no transcription factor that regulates the transcription of flagellar genes has been identified. We report that X chromosome-associated protein 5 (XAP5) acts as a transcription factor to regulate flagellar assembly in Chlamydomonas. While XAP5 proteins are evolutionarily conserved across diverse organisms and play vital roles in diverse biological processes, nothing is known about the biochemical function of any member of this important protein family. Our data show that loss of XAP5 leads to defects in flagellar assembly. Posttranslational modifications of XAP5 track flagellar length during flagellar assembly, suggesting that cells possess a feedback system that modulates modifications to XAP5. Notably, XAP5 regulates flagellar gene expression via directly binding to a motif containing a CTGGGGTG-core. Furthermore, recruitment of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) machinery for transcriptional activation depends on the activities of XAP5. Our data demonstrate that, through recruitment of Pol II, XAP5 defines a class of transcription factors for transcriptional regulation of ciliary genes. This work provides insights into the biochemical function of the XAP5 family and the fundamental biology of the flagellar assembly, which enhance our understanding of the signaling and functions of flagella.


2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 1274-1286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pili Zhang ◽  
Mallikarjurna R. Metukuri ◽  
Sharell M. Bindom ◽  
Edward V. Prochownik ◽  
Robert M. O'Doherty ◽  
...  

Abstract Glucose regulates programs of gene expression that orchestrate changes in cellular phenotype in several metabolically active tissues. Carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP) and its binding partner, Mlx, mediate glucose-regulated gene expression by binding to carbohydrate response elements on target genes, such as the prototypical glucose-responsive gene, liver-type pyruvate kinase (Pklr). c-Myc is also required for the glucose response of the Pklr gene, although the relationship between c-Myc and ChREBP has not been defined. Here we describe the molecular events of the glucose-mediated activation of Pklr and determine the effects of decreasing the activity or abundance of c-Myc on this process. Time-course chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed a set of transcription factors [hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)1α, HNF4α, and RNA polymerase II (Pol II)] constitutively resident on the Pklr promoter, with a relative enrichment of acetylated histones 3 and 4 in the same region of the gene. Glucose did not affect HNF1α binding or the acetylation of histones H3 or H4. By contrast, glucose promoted the recruitment of ChREBP and c-Myc and increased the occupancy of HNF4α and RNA Pol II, which were coincident with the glucose-mediated increase in transcription as determined by a nuclear run-on assay. Depletion of c-Myc activity using a small molecule inhibitor (10058-F4/1RH) abolished the glucose-mediated recruitment of HNF4α, ChREBP, and RNA Pol II, without affecting basal gene expression, histone acetylation, and HNF1α or basal HNF4α occupancy. The activation and recruitment of ChREBP to several glucose-responsive genes were blocked by 1RH, indicating a general necessity for c-Myc in this process.


2007 ◽  
Vol 27 (11) ◽  
pp. 3900-3910 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meritxell Zapater ◽  
Marc Sohrmann ◽  
Matthias Peter ◽  
Francesc Posas ◽  
Eulàlia de Nadal

ABSTRACT Regulation of gene expression by the Hog1 stress-activated protein kinase is essential for proper cell adaptation to osmostress. Hog1 coordinates an extensive transcriptional program through the modulation of transcription. To identify systematically novel components of the transcriptional machinery required for osmostress-mediated gene expression, we performed an exhaustive genome-wide genetic screening, searching for mutations that render cells osmosensitive at high osmolarity and that are associated with reduced expression of osmoresponsive genes. The SAGA and Mediator complexes were identified as putative novel regulators of osmostress-mediated transcription. Interestingly, whereas Mediator is essential for osmostress gene expression, the requirement for SAGA is different depending on the strength of the extracellular osmotic conditions. At mild osmolarity, SAGA mutants show only very slight defects on RNA polymerase II (Pol II) recruitment and gene expression, whereas at severe osmotic conditions, SAGA mutants show completely impaired RNA Pol II recruitment and transcription of osmoresponsive genes. Thus, our results define an essential role for Mediator in osmostress gene expression and a selective role for SAGA under severe osmostress. Our results indicate that the requirement for a transcriptional complex to regulate a promoter might be determined by the strength of the stimuli perceived by the cell through the regulation of interactions between transcriptional complexes.


Author(s):  
Rui Sousa-Luis ◽  
Gwendal Dujardin ◽  
Inna Zukher ◽  
Hiroshi Kimura ◽  
Maria Carmo-Fonseca ◽  
...  

SUMMARYMammalian chromatin is the site of both RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription and coupled RNA processing. However, molecular details of such co-transcriptional mechanisms remain obscure, partly due to technical limitations in purifying authentic nascent transcripts. We present a new approach to purify and profile nascent RNA, called Polymerase Intact Nascent Transcript (POINT) technology. This three-pronged methodology maps nascent RNA 5’ends (POINT-5), establishes the kinetics of co-transcriptional splicing patterns (POINT-nano) and profiles whole transcription units (POINT-seq). In particular we show by depletion of the nuclear exonuclease Xrn2 that this activity acts selectively on cleaved 5’P-RNA at polyadenylation sites. Furthermore POINT-nano reveals that splicing occurs either immediately after splice site transcription or is delayed until Pol II transcribes downstream sequences. Finally, we connect RNA cleavage and splicing with either premature or full-length transcript termination. We anticipate that POINT technology will afford full dissection of the complexity of co-transcriptional RNA processing.HIGHLIGHTSPOINT methodology dissects intact nascent RNA processingSpecificity of Xrn2 exonuclease in co-transcriptional RNA degradationSplicing suppresses Xrn2-dependent premature terminationDifferent kinetic classes of co-transcriptional splicing in human genes


2006 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 3149-3163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christophe Leroy ◽  
Laëtitia Cormier ◽  
Laurent Kuras

ABSTRACT Mediator is a key RNA polymerase II (Pol II) cofactor in the regulation of eukaryotic gene expression. It is believed to function as a coactivator linking gene-specific activators to the basal Pol II initiation machinery. In support of this model, we provide evidence that Mediator serves in vivo as a coactivator for the yeast activator Met4, which controls the gene network responsible for the biosynthesis of sulfur-containing amino acids and S-adenosylmethionine. In addition, we show that SAGA (Spt-Ada-Gcn5-acetyltransferase) is also recruited to Met4 target promoters, where it participates in the recruitment of Pol II by a mechanism involving histone acetylation. Interestingly, we find that SAGA is not required for Mediator recruitment by Met4 and vice versa. Our results provide a novel example of functional interplay between Mediator and coactivators involved in histone modification.


2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (46) ◽  
pp. 12172-12177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Malvezzi ◽  
Lucas Farnung ◽  
Claudia M. N. Aloisi ◽  
Todor Angelov ◽  
Patrick Cramer ◽  
...  

Several anticancer agents that form DNA adducts in the minor groove interfere with DNA replication and transcription to induce apoptosis. Therapeutic resistance can occur, however, when cells are proficient in the removal of drug-induced damage. Acylfulvenes are a class of experimental anticancer agents with a unique repair profile suggesting their capacity to stall RNA polymerase (Pol) II and trigger transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair. Here we show how different forms of DNA alkylation impair transcription by RNA Pol II in cells and with the isolated enzyme and unravel a mode of RNA Pol II stalling that is due to alkylation of DNA in the minor groove. We incorporated a model for acylfulvene adducts, the stable 3-deaza-3-methoxynaphtylethyl-adenosine analog (3d-Napht-A), and smaller 3-deaza-adenosine analogs, into DNA oligonucleotides to assess RNA Pol II transcription elongation in vitro. RNA Pol II was strongly blocked by a 3d-Napht-A analog but bypassed smaller analogs. Crystal structure analysis revealed that a DNA base containing 3d-Napht-A can occupy the +1 templating position and impair closing of the trigger loop in the Pol II active center and polymerase translocation into the next template position. These results show how RNA Pol II copes with minor-groove DNA alkylation and establishes a mechanism for drug resistance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 295 (12) ◽  
pp. 3990-4000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Singh ◽  
Karol Szlachta ◽  
Arkadi Manukyan ◽  
Heather M. Raimer ◽  
Manikarna Dinda ◽  
...  

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.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 3161-3161
Author(s):  
Vicky Lock ◽  
Laurence Cooke ◽  
Murray Yule ◽  
Neil T Thompson ◽  
K. Della Croce ◽  
...  

Abstract Cyclin Dependent Kinases (CDKs) play a central role in the eukaryotic cell cycle. The activation of these kinases is modulated by the expression and binding of their regulatory cyclin partners. Their key role in cell cycle progression, coupled to evidence that pathways leading to their activation are deregulated in a number of human cancers makes them attractive therapeutic targets. More recently the role of CDKs 7, 8 and 9 in the regulation of transcription has been explored. CDK9 has been shown to play a role in the regulation of transcription via phosphorylation of RNA polymerase II (RNA pol II). The outcome of transcriptional inhibition via CDK9 exhibits significant variation between cell lines. B-Cell lymphoproliferative disorders, including CLL, rely on the expression of transcripts with a short half-life such as Mcl-1, Bcl-2 and XIAP for survival. In vitro studies have demonstrated that compounds with transcriptional inhibitory effects are effective pro-apoptotic agents in models of this disease. AT7519 is a potent inhibitor of cyclin dependent kinases 1, 2 and 9 and is currently in early phase clinical development. These studies profile the mechanism of action of AT7519 on CLL cells isolated from patients. Primary cell samples were isolated from a total of 15 patients with CLL with various stages of disease (8 Stage 0, 0/I or II and 7 Stage IV) and who were either treatment naïve or had received a variety of prior therapies. Patient samples were characterised for cytogenetic abnormalities (11q, 17p and 13q deletion or trisomy 12) as well IgVH mutation and ZAP70 expression. AT7519 was shown to induce apoptosis (by MTS, morphology and PARP cleavage) in these samples at concentrations of 100–700nM. AT7519 appears equally effective at inhibiting the survival of CLL cells harbouring a variety of mutations including those representative of patients that fall within poorer prognosis treatment groups. The amount of AT7519 required to induce cell death in 50% of the CLL cell population increased as exposure time was decreased but significant cell death was obtained at doses approximating to 1uM following 4–6h of treatment. These doses are equivalent to exposures achieved in ongoing AT7519 clinical studies indicating that cytotoxic doses can be achieved in patients on well tolerated schedules. The mechanism of AT7519 cytotoxic effects was investigated by western blotting for a variety of cell cycle and apoptotic markers following incubation with compound. Short term treatments (4–6h) resulted in inhibition of phosphorylation of the transcriptional marker RNA pol II and the downregulation of the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1. Additional antiapoptotic proteins including XIAP and Bcl-2 remained unchanged. The reduction in Mcl-1 protein levels was associated with an increase in the apoptotic marker cleaved PARP. No inhibition of cell cycle markers such as phospho-retinoblastoma protein was observed in the same samples suggesting that the cytotoxic effects of AT7519 in CLL patient samples is due to its transcriptional activity alone. Together the data suggest AT7519 offers a promising treatment strategy for patients with advanced B-cell leukemia and lymphoma.


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