Modification Of RNA Polymerase Research Articles

A lineage-specific nascent RNA assay unveils principles of gene regulation in tissue biology.

Gene regulatory mechanisms that modulate RNA Polymerase II activity are difficult to access in mammalian tissues composed of multiple cell lineages. Here, we develop a nascent RNA assay (PReCIS-seq) that measures lineage-specific transcriptionally-engaged Pol II on genes and DNA enhancer elements in intact mouse tissue. By employing keratinocytes as a prototype lineage, we unearth Pol II promoter-recruitment versus pause-release mechanisms operating in adult skin homeostasis. Moreover, we relate active enhancer proximity and transcription factor binding motifs on promoters to Pol II activity and promoter-proximal pausing level. Finally, we find Pol II firing rapidly into elongation on lineage identity genes and highly paused on cellular safeguarding genes in a context-dependent manner. Our work provides a basic platform to investigate mechanistic principles of gene regulation in individual lineages of complex mammalian tissues.

(p)ppGpp modifies RNAP function to confer β-lactam resistance in a peptidoglycan-independent manner.

(p)ppGpp is a nucleotide alarmone that controls bacterial response to nutrient deprivation. Since elevated (p)ppGpp levels confer mecillinam resistance and are essential for broad-spectrum β-lactam resistance as mediated by the β-lactam-insensitive transpeptidase YcbB (LdtD), we hypothesized that (p)ppGpp might affect cell wall peptidoglycan metabolism. Here we report that (p)ppGpp-dependent β-lactam resistance does not rely on any modification of peptidoglycan metabolism, as established by analysis of Escherichia coli peptidoglycan structure using high-resolution mass spectrometry. Amino acid substitutions in the β or β' RNA polymerase (RNAP) subunits, alone or in combination with the CRISPR interference-mediated downregulation of three of seven ribosomal RNA operons, were sufficient for resistance, although β-lactams have no known impact on the RNAP or ribosomes. This implies that modifications of RNAP and ribosome functions are critical to prevent downstream effects of the inactivation of peptidoglycan transpeptidases by β-lactams.

Leishmania PNUTS discriminates between PP1 catalytic subunits through an RVxF–ΦΦ–F motif and polymorphisms in the PP1 C-tail and catalytic domain

PP1 phosphatases associate with specific regulatory subunits to achieve, among other functions, substrate selectivity. Among the eight PP1 isotypes in Leishmania, PP1-8e associates with the regulatory protein PNUTS along with the structural factors JBP3 and Wdr82 in the PJW/PP1 complex that modulates RNA polymerase II (Pol II) phosphorylation and transcription termination. Little is known regarding interactions involved in PJW/PP1 complex formation, including how PP1-8e is the selective isotype associated with PNUTS. Here, we show that PNUTS uses an established RVxF-ΦΦ-F motif to bind the PP1 catalytic domain with similar interfacial interactions as mammalian PP1-PNUTS and non-canonical motifs. These atypical interactions involve residues within the PP1-8e catalytic domain and N- and C-terminus for isoform specific regulator binding. This work advances our understanding of PP1 isoform selectivity and reveals key roles of PP1 residues in regulator binding. We also explore the role of PNUTS as a scaffold protein for the complex by identifying the C-terminal region involved in binding JBP3 and Wdr82, and impact of PNUTS on the stability of complex components and function in Pol II transcription in vivo. Taken together, these studies provide a potential mechanism where multiple motifs within PNUTS are used combinatorially to tune binding affinity to PP1, and the C-termini for independent binding of JBP3 and Wdr82, in the Leishmania PJW/PP1 complex. Overall, our data provide insights in the formation of the PJW/PP1 complex involved in regulating Pol II transcription in divergent protozoans where little is understood.

Different elongation factors distinctly modulate RNA polymerase II transcription in Arabidopsis.

Various transcript elongation factors (TEFs) including modulators of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) activity and histone chaperones tune the efficiency of transcription in the chromatin context. TEFs are involved in establishing gene expression patterns during growth and development in Arabidopsis, while little is known about the genomic distribution of the TEFs and the way they facilitate transcription. We have mapped the genome-wide occupancy of the elongation factors SPT4-SPT5, PAF1C and FACT, relative to that of elongating RNAPII phosphorylated at residues S2/S5 within the carboxyterminal domain. The distribution of SPT4-SPT5 along transcribed regions closely resembles that of RNAPII-S2P, while the occupancy of FACT and PAF1C is rather related to that of RNAPII-S5P. Under transcriptionally challenging heat stress conditions, mutant plants lacking the corresponding TEFs are differentially impaired in transcript synthesis. Strikingly, in plants deficient in PAF1C, defects in transcription across intron/exon borders are observed that are cumulative along transcribed regions. Upstream of transcriptional start sites, the presence of FACT correlates with nucleosomal occupancy. Under stress conditions FACT is particularly required for transcriptional upregulation and to promote RNAPII transcription through+1 nucleosomes. Thus, Arabidopsis TEFs are differently distributed along transcribed regions, and are distinctly required during transcript elongation especially upon transcriptional reprogramming.

The P-body component DECAPPING5 and the floral repressor SISTER OF FCA regulate FLOWERING LOCUS C transcription in Arabidopsis.

Flowering is the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth and is critical for plant adaptation and reproduction. FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) plays a central role in flowering time control, and dissecting its regulation mechanism provides essential information for crop improvement. Here, we report that DECAPPING5 (DCP5), a component of processing bodies (P-bodies), regulates FLC transcription and flowering time in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). DCP5 and its interacting partner SISTER OF FCA (SSF) undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) that is mediated by their prion-like domains (PrDs). Enhancing or attenuating the LLPS of both proteins using transgenic methods greatly affects their ability to regulate FLC and flowering time. DCP5 regulates FLC transcription by modulating RNA polymerase II enrichment at the FLC locus. DCP5 requires SSF for FLC regulation, and loss of SSF or its PrD disrupts DCP5 function. Our results reveal that DCP5 interacts with SSF, and the nuclear DCP5-SSF complex regulates FLC expression at the transcriptional level.

Roles of the leader-trailer helix and antitermination complex in biogenesis of the 30S ribosomal subunit.

Ribosome biogenesis occurs co-transcriptionally and entails rRNA folding, ribosomalprotein binding, rRNA processing, and rRNA modification. In most bacteria, the 16S, 23Sand 5S rRNAs are co-transcribed, often with one or more tRNAs. Transcription involves a modified RNA polymerase, called the antitermination complex, which forms in response to cis-acting elements (boxB, boxAand boxC) in the nascent pre-rRNA. Sequences flanking the rRNAs are complementary and form long helices known as leader-trailer helices. Here, we employed an orthogonal translation system to interrogate the functional roles of these RNA elements in 30S subunit biogenesis in Escherichia coli. Mutations that disrupt the leader-trailer helix caused complete loss of translation activity, indicating that this helix is absolutely essential for active subunit formation in the cell. Mutations of boxA also reduced translation activity, but by only 2- to 3-fold, suggesting a smaller role for the antitermination complex. Similarly modest drops in activity were seen upon deletion of either or both of two leader helices, termed here hA and hB. Interestingly, subunits formed in the absence of these leader features exhibited defects in translational fidelity. These data suggest that the antitermination complex and precursor RNA elements help to ensure quality control during ribosome biogenesis.

The impact of SWI/SNF and NuRD inactivation on gene expression is tightly coupled with levels of RNA polymerase II occupancy at promoters.

SWI/SNF and NuRD are protein complexes that antagonistically regulate DNA accessibility. However, repression of their activities often leads to unanticipated changes in target gene expression (paradoxical), highlighting our incomplete understanding of their activities. Here we show that SWI/SNF and NuRD are in a tug-of-war to regulate PRC2 occupancy at lowly expressed and bivalent genes in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). In contrast, at promoters of average or highly expressed genes, SWI/SNF and NuRD antagonistically modulate RNA polymerase II (Pol II) release kinetics, arguably owing to accompanying alterations in H3.3 and H2A.Z levels at promoter-flanking nucleosomes, leading to paradoxical changes in gene expression. Owing to this mechanism, the relative activities of the two remodelers potentiate gene promoters toward Pol II-dependent open or PRC2-dependent closed chromatin states. Our results highlight RNA Pol II occupancy as the key parameter in determining the direction of gene expression changes in response to SWI/SNF and NuRD inactivation at gene promoters in mESCs.

Transcriptomic profiling implicates PAF1 in both active and repressive immune regulatory networks

BackgroundSitting at the interface of gene expression and host-pathogen interaction, polymerase associated factor 1 complex (PAF1C) is a rising player in the innate immune response. The complex localizes to the nucleus and associates with chromatin to modulate RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) elongation of gene transcripts. Performing this function at both proximal and distal regulatory elements, PAF1C interacts with many host factors across such sites, along with several microbial proteins during infection. Therefore, translating the ubiquity of PAF1C into specific impacts on immune gene expression remains especially relevant.ResultsAdvancing past work, we treat PAF1 knockout cells with a slate of immune stimuli to identify key trends in PAF1-dependent gene expression with broad analytical depth. From our transcriptomic data, we confirm PAF1 is an activator of traditional immune response pathways as well as other cellular pathways correlated with pathogen defense. With this model, we employ computational approaches to refine how PAF1 may contribute to both gene activation and suppression. Specifically focusing on transcriptional motifs and regulons, we predict gene regulatory elements strongly associated with PAF1, including those implicated in an immune response. Overall, our results suggest PAF1 is involved in innate immunity at several distinct axes of regulation.ConclusionsBy identifying PAF1-dependent gene expression across several pathogenic contexts, we confirm PAF1C to be a key mediator of innate immunity. Combining these transcriptomic profiles with potential regulatory networks corroborates the previously identified functions of PAF1C. With this, we foster new avenues for its study as a regulator of innate immunity, and our results will serve as a basis for targeted study of PAF1C in future validation studies.

RNA Polymerase II "Pause" Prepares Promoters for Upcoming Transcription during Drosophila Development.

According to previous studies, during Drosophila embryogenesis, the recruitment of RNA polymerase II precedes active gene transcription. This work is aimed at exploring whether this mechanism is used during Drosophila metamorphosis. In addition, the composition of the RNA polymerase II “paused” complexes associated with promoters at different developmental stages are described in detail. For this purpose, we performed ChIP-Seq analysis using antibodies for various modifications of RNA polymerase II (total, Pol II CTD Ser5P, and Pol II CTD Ser2P) as well as for subunits of the NELF, DSIF, and PAF complexes and Brd4/Fs(1)h that control transcription elongation. We found that during metamorphosis, similar to mid-embryogenesis, the promoters were bound by RNA polymerase II in the “paused” state, preparing for activation at later stages of development. During mid-embryogenesis, RNA polymerase II in a “pause” state was phosphorylated at Ser5 and Ser2 of Pol II CTD and bound the NELF, DSIF, and PAF complexes, but not Brd4/Fs(1)h. During metamorphosis, the “paused” RNA polymerase II complex included Brd4/Fs(1)h in addition to NELF, DSIF, and PAF. The RNA polymerase II in this complex was phosphorylated at Ser5 of Pol II CTD, but not at Ser2. These results indicate that, during mid-embryogenesis, RNA polymerase II stalls in the “post-pause” state, being phosphorylated at Ser2 of Pol II CTD (after the stage of p-TEFb action). During metamorphosis, the “pause” mechanism is closer to classical promoter-proximal pausing and is characterized by a low level of Pol II CTD Ser2P.

Hydrophobic-cationic peptides modulate RNA polymerase ribozyme activity by accretion

Accretion and the resulting increase in local concentration is a widespread mechanism in biology to enhance biomolecular functions (for example, in liquid-liquid demixing phases). Such macromolecular aggregation phases (e.g., coacervates, amyloids) may also have played a role in the origin of life. Here, we report that a hydrophobic-cationic RNA binding peptide selected by phage display (P43: AKKVWIIMGGS) forms insoluble amyloid-containing aggregates, which reversibly accrete RNA on their surfaces in an RNA-length and Mg2+-concentration dependent manner. The aggregates formed by P43 or its sequence-simplified version (K2V6: KKVVVVVV) inhibited RNA polymerase ribozyme (RPR) activity at 25 mM MgCl2, while enhancing it significantly at 400 mM MgCl2. Our work shows that such hydrophobic-cationic peptide aggregates can reversibly concentrate RNA and enhance the RPR activity, and suggests that they could have aided the emergence and evolution of longer and functional RNAs in the fluctuating environments of the prebiotic earth.

Xenogeneic silencing strategies in bacteria are dictated by RNA polymerase promiscuity

Horizontal gene transfer facilitates dissemination of favourable traits among bacteria. However, foreign DNA can also reduce host fitness: incoming sequences with a higher AT content than the host genome can misdirect transcription. Xenogeneic silencing proteins counteract this by modulating RNA polymerase binding. In this work, we compare xenogeneic silencing strategies of two distantly related model organisms: Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. In E. coli, silencing is mediated by the H-NS protein that binds extensively across horizontally acquired genes. This prevents spurious non-coding transcription, mostly intragenic in origin. By contrast, binding of the B. subtilis Rok protein is more targeted and mostly silences expression of functional mRNAs. The difference reflects contrasting transcriptional promiscuity in E. coli and B. subtilis, largely attributable to housekeeping RNA polymerase σ factors. Thus, whilst RNA polymerase specificity is key to the xenogeneic silencing strategy of B. subtilis, transcriptional promiscuity must be overcome to silence horizontally acquired DNA in E. coli.

Disrupting the Cdk9/Cyclin T1 heterodimer of 7SK snRNP for the Brd4 and AFF1/4 guided reconstitution of active P-TEFb

P-TEFb modulates RNA polymerase II elongation through alternative interaction with negative and positive regulation factors. While inactive P-TEFbs are mainly sequestered in the 7SK snRNP complex in a chromatin-free state, most of its active forms are in complex with its recruitment factors, Brd4 and SEC, in a chromatin-associated state. Thus, switching from inactive 7SK snRNP to active P-TEFb (Brd4/P-TEFb or SEC/P-TEFb) is essential for global gene expression. Although it has been shown that cellular signaling stimulates the disruption of 7SK snRNP, releasing dephosphorylated and catalytically inactive P-TEFb, little is known about how the inactive released P-TEFb is reactivated. Here, we show that the Cdk9/CycT1 heterodimer released from 7SK snRNP is completely dissociated into monomers in response to stress. Brd4 or SEC then recruits monomerized Cdk9 and CycT1 to reassemble the core P-TEFb. Meanwhile, the binding of monomeric dephosphorylated Cdk9 to either Brd4 or SEC induces the autophosphorylation of T186 of Cdk9. Finally, the same mechanism is employed during nocodazole released entry into early G1 phase of cell cycle. Therefore, our studies demonstrate a novel mechanism by which Cdk9 and CycT1 monomers are reassembled on chromatin to form active P-TEFb by its interaction with Brd4 or SEC to regulate transcription.

CTD Kinases’ structural elements enable them to phosphorylate specific residues in the CTD of RNA Polymerase II

The phosphorylation states of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) coordinate the process of eukaryotic transcription by recruitment of transcription regulators. The largest subunit of pol II consists of a highly disordered C-Terminal Domain (CTD). Individual residues of repetitive heptads (Consensus sequence - Tyr1-Ser2-Pro3-Thr4-Ser5-Pro6-Ser7) of the CTD are phosphorylated temporally at different stages of transcription. Intriguingly, despite similar flanking residues, phosphorylation of Ser2 and Ser5 in CTD heptads play dramatically different roles. The uncanny ability of kinases to recognize the correct serine is not well understood. In this paper, we use biochemical assays, mass spectrometry, molecular modeling, and structural analysis to understand the structural elements determining which serine of the CTD heptad is subject to phosphorylation. We identified three motifs in the activation/P+1 loops differentiating the intrinsic specificity of CTD in various CTD kinases. We characterized the enzyme specificity of the CTD kinases, CDK7 as Ser5-specific, Erk2 with dual specificity for Ser2 and Ser5, and Dyrk1a as a Ser2-specific kinase. We also show that the specificities of kinases are malleable and can be modified by incorporating mutations in their activation/P+1 loops that alter the interactions of the three motifs. Our results provide an important clue to the understanding of post-translational modification of RNA polymerase II temporally during active transcription.

Lytic Infection with Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 Activates Host and Viral RNA Polymerase III Promoters and Enhances Noncoding RNA Expression.

ABSTRACTRNA polymerase III (pol III) transcribes multiple noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that are essential for cellular function. Pol III-dependent transcription is also engaged during certain viral infections, including those of the gammaherpesviruses (γHVs), where pol III-dependent viral ncRNAs promote pathogenesis. Additionally, several host ncRNAs are upregulated during γHV infection and play integral roles in pathogenesis by facilitating viral establishment and gene expression. Here, we sought to investigate how pol III promoters and transcripts are regulated during gammaherpesvirus infection using the murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (γHV68) system. To compare the transcription of host and viral pol III-dependent ncRNAs, we analyzed a series of pol III promoters for host and viral ncRNAs using a luciferase reporter optimized to measure pol III activity. We measured promoter activity from the reporter gene at the translation level via luciferase activity and at the transcription level via reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). We further measured endogenous ncRNA expression at single-cell resolution by flow cytometry. These studies demonstrated that lytic infection with γHV68 increased the transcription from multiple host and viral pol III promoters and further identified the ability of accessory sequences to influence both baseline and inducible promoter activity after infection. RNA flow cytometry revealed the induction of endogenous pol III-derived ncRNAs that tightly correlated with viral gene expression. These studies highlight how lytic gammaherpesvirus infection alters the transcriptional landscape of host cells to increase pol III-derived RNAs, a process that may further modify cellular function and enhance viral gene expression and pathogenesis.IMPORTANCE Gammaherpesviruses are a prime example of how viruses can alter the host transcriptional landscape to establish infection. Despite major insights into how these viruses modify RNA polymerase II-dependent generation of messenger RNAs, how these viruses influence the activity of host RNA polymerase III remains much less clear. Small noncoding RNAs produced by RNA polymerase III are increasingly recognized to play critical regulatory roles in cell biology and virus infection. Studies of RNA polymerase III-dependent transcription are complicated by multiple promoter types and diverse RNAs with variable stability and processing requirements. Here, we characterized a reporter system to directly study RNA polymerase III-dependent responses during gammaherpesvirus infection and utilized single-cell flow cytometry-based methods to reveal that gammaherpesvirus lytic replication broadly induces pol III activity to enhance host and viral noncoding RNA expression within the infected cell.

All-Atomic Molecular Dynamic Studies of Human and Drosophila CDK8: Insights into Their Kinase Domains, the LXXLL Motifs, and Drug Binding Site.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) and its regulatory partner Cyclin C (CycC) play conserved roles in modulating RNA polymerase II (Pol II)-dependent gene expression. To understand the structure and function relations of CDK8, we analyzed the structures of human and Drosophila CDK8 proteins using molecular dynamics simulations, combined with functional analyses in Drosophila. Specifically, we evaluated the structural differences between hCDK8 and dCDK8 to predict the effects of the LXXLL motif mutation (AQKAA), the P154L mutations, and drug binding on local structures of the CDK8 proteins. First, we have observed that both the LXXLL motif and the kinase activity of CDK8 are required for the normal larval-to-pupal transition in Drosophila. Second, our molecular dynamic analyses have revealed that hCDK8 has higher hydrogen bond occupation of His149-Asp151 and Asp151-Asn156 than dCDK8. Third, the substructure of Asp282, Phe283, Arg285, Thr287 and Cys291 can distinguish human and Drosophila CDK8 structures. In addition, there are two hydrogen bonds in the LXXLL motif: a lower occupation between L312 and L315, and a relatively higher occupation between L312 and L316. Human CDK8 has higher hydrogen bond occupation between L312 and L316 than dCDK8. Moreover, L312, L315 and L316 in the LXXLL motif of CDK8 have the specific pattern of hydrogen bonds and geometries, which could be crucial for the binding to nuclear receptors. Furthermore, the P154L mutation dramatically decreases the hydrogen bond between L312 and L315 in hCDK8, but not in dCDK8. The mutations of P154L and AQKAA modestly alter the local structures around residues 154. Finally, we identified the inhibitor-induced conformational changes of hCDK8, and our results suggest a structural difference in the drug-binding site between hCDK8 and dCDK8. Taken together, these results provide the structural insights into the roles of the LXXLL motif and the kinase activity of CDK8 in vivo.

The yeast exoribonuclease Xrn1 and associated factors modulate RNA polymerase II processivity in 5‘ and 3‘ gene regions

mRNA levels are determined by the balance between mRNA synthesis and decay. Protein factors that mediate both processes, including the 5'-3' exonuclease Xrn1, are responsible for a cross-talk between the two processes that buffers steady-state mRNA levels. However, the roles of these proteins in transcription remain elusive and controversial. Applying native elongating transcript sequencing (NET-seq) to yeast cells, we show that Xrn1 functions mainly as a transcriptional activator and that its disruption manifests as a reduction of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) occupancy downstream of transcription start sites. By combining our sequencing data and mathematical modeling of transcription, we found that Xrn1 modulates transcription initiation and elongation of its target genes. Furthermore, Pol II occupancy markedly increased near cleavage and polyadenylation sites in xrn1Δ cells, whereas its activity decreased, a characteristic feature of backtracked Pol II. We also provide indirect evidence that Xrn1 is involved in transcription termination downstream of polyadenylation sites. We noted that two additional decay factors, Dhh1 and Lsm1, seem to function similarly to Xrn1 in transcription, perhaps as a complex, and that the decay factors Ccr4 and Rpb4 also perturb transcription in other ways. Interestingly, the decay factors could differentiate between SAGA- and TFIID-dominated promoters. These two classes of genes responded differently to XRN1 deletion in mRNA synthesis and were differentially regulated by mRNA decay pathways, raising the possibility that one distinction between these two gene classes lies in the mechanisms that balance mRNA synthesis with mRNA decay.

Structural Motifs for CTD Kinase Specificity on RNA Polymerase II during Eukaryotic Transcription.

The phosphorylation states of RNA polymerase II coordinate the process of eukaryotic transcription by recruitment of transcription regulators. The individual residues of the repetitive heptad of the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the biggest subunit of RNA polymerase II are phosphorylated temporally at different stages of transcription. Intriguingly, despite similar flanking residues, phosphorylation of Ser2 and Ser5 in CTD heptads play dramatically different roles. The mechanism of how the kinases place phosphorylation on the correct serine is not well understood. In this paper, we use biochemical assays, mass spectrometry, molecular modeling, and structural analysis to understand the structural elements determining which serine of the CTD heptad is subject to phosphorylation. We identified three motifs in the activation/P+1 loops differentiating the intrinsic specificity of CTD in various CTD kinases. We characterized the enzyme specificity of the CTD kinases-CDK7 as Ser5-specific, Erk2 with dual specificity for Ser2 and Ser5, and Dyrk1a as a Ser2-specific kinase. We also show that the specificities of kinases are malleable and can be modified by incorporating mutations in their activation/P+1 loops that alter the interactions of the three motifs. Our results provide an important clue to the understanding of post-translational modification of RNA polymerase II temporally during active transcription.

Visualization of two architectures in class-II CAP-dependent transcription activation.

Transcription activation by cyclic AMP (cAMP) receptor protein (CAP) is the classic paradigm of transcription regulation in bacteria. CAP was suggested to activate transcription on class-II promoters via a recruitment and isomerization mechanism. However, whether and how it modifies RNA polymerase (RNAP) to initiate transcription remains unclear. Here, we report cryo–electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of an intact Escherichia coli class-II CAP-dependent transcription activation complex (CAP-TAC) with and without de novo RNA transcript. The structures reveal two distinct architectures of TAC and raise the possibility that CAP binding may induce substantial conformational changes in all the subunits of RNAP and transiently widen the main cleft of RNAP to facilitate DNA promoter entering and formation of the initiation open complex. These structural changes vanish during further RNA transcript synthesis. The observations in this study may reveal a possible on-pathway intermediate and suggest a possibility that CAP activates transcription by inducing intermediate state, in addition to the previously proposed stabilization mechanism.

Conditional down-regulation of GreA impacts expression of rRNA and transcription factors, affecting Mycobacterium smegmatis survival

Gre, one of the conserved transcription factors in bacteria, modulates RNA polymerase (RNAP) activity to ensure processivity and fidelity of RNA synthesis. Gre factors regulate transcription by inducing the intrinsic-endonucleolytic activity of RNAP, allowing the enzyme to resume transcription from the paused and arrested sites. While Escherichia coli and a number of eubacteria harbor GreA and GreB, genus mycobacteria has a single Gre (GreA). To address the importance of the GreA in growth, physiology and gene expression of Mycobacterium smegmatis, we have constructed a conditional knock-down strain of GreA. The GreA depleted strain exhibited slow growth, drastic changes in cell surface phenotype, cell death, and increased susceptibility to front-line anti-tubercular drugs. Transcripts and 2D-gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) analysis of the GreA conditional knock-down strain showed altered expression of the genes involved in transcription regulation. Among the genes analysed, expression of RNAP subunits (β, β’ and ω), carD, hupB, lsr2, and nusA were affected to a large extent. Severe reduction in the expression of genes of rRNA operon in the knock-down strain reveal a role for GreA in regulating the core components of the translation process.

Combinatorial control of Spo11 alternative splicing by modulation of RNA polymerase II dynamics and splicing factor recruitment during meiosis

Homologous recombination and chromosome segregation in meiosis rely on the timely expression of two splice variants of the endonuclease SPO11, named α and β, which respectively skip or include exon 2. However, in spite of its physiological importance, the mechanism underlying Spo11 alternative splicing in meiosis is still unknown. By screening the activity of factors that are predicted to bind the alternatively spliced region of Spo11, we identified hnRNPH as a key regulator of SPO11α splicing in mouse spermatocytes. Although hnRNPH was not upregulated in meiosis concomitantly with the switch in splicing, its recruitment to Spo11 pre-mRNA was favored by selective modulation of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) phosphorylation and processivity in proximity of exon 2. The hnRNPH binding sites were localized near those of splicing factors that promote SPO11β splicing, suggesting that hnRNPH favors exon 2 skipping by competing out positive regulators. Indeed, hnRNPH binds proximal to a consensus motif for Sam68, a positive regulator of SPO11β splicing in vitro and in vivo, and it interferes with Sam68 binding to the Spo11 pre-mRNA. Thus, our work reveals that modulation of RNAPII dynamics in concert with hnRNPH recruitment exerts a combinatorial control of the timely regulated Spo11 splicing during meiosis.