The Rpb4 subunit of RNA polymerase II contributes to cotranscriptional recruitment of 3' processing factors

Novel insights into RNA polymerase II transcription regulation: transcription factors, phase separation, and their roles in cardiovascular diseases

Transcription factors (TFs) are specialized proteins that bind DNA in a sequence-specific manner and modulate RNA polymerase II (Pol II) in multiple steps of the transcription process. Phase separation is a spontaneous or driven process that can form membrane-less organelles called condensates. By creating different liquid phases at active transcription sites, the formation of transcription condensates can reduce the water content of the condensate and lower the dielectric constant in biological systems, which in turn alters the structure and function of proteins and nucleic acids in the condensate. In RNA Pol II transcription, phase separation formation shortens the time at which TFs bind to target DNA sites and promotes transcriptional bursting. RNA Pol II transcription is engaged in developing several diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, by regulating different TFs and mediating the occurrence of phase separation. This review aims to summarize the advances in the molecular mechanisms of RNA Pol II transcriptional regulation, in particular the effect of TFs and phase separation. The role of RNA Pol II transcriptional regulation in cardiovascular disease will be elucidated, providing potential therapeutic targets for the management and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Nuclear mRNA export

In eukaryotic cells, gene expression begins with transcription in the nucleus, followed by the maturation of messenger RNAs (mRNAs). These mRNA molecules are then exported to the cytoplasm through the nuclear pore complex (NPC), a process that serves as a critical regulatory phase of gene expression. The export of mRNA is intricately linked to precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) processing, ensuring that only properly processed mRNA reaches the cytoplasm. This coordination is essential, as recent studies have revealed that mRNA export factors not only assist in transport but also influence upstream processing steps, adding a layer of complexity to gene regulation. Furthermore, the export process competes with RNA processing and degradation pathways, maintaining a delicate balance vital for accurate gene expression. While these mechanisms are generally conserved across eukaryotes, significant differences exist between yeast and higher eukaryotic cells, particularly due to the more genome complexity of the latter. This review delves into the current research on mRNA export in higher eukaryotic cells, focusing on its role in the broader context of gene expression regulation and highlighting how it interacts with other gene expression processes to ensure precise and efficient gene functionality in complex organisms.

Structure of the recombinant RNA polymerase from African Swine Fever Virus

African Swine Fever Virus is a Nucleo-Cytoplasmic Large DNA Virus that causes an incurable haemorrhagic fever in pigs with a high impact on global food security. ASFV replicates in the cytoplasm of the infected cell and encodes its own transcription machinery that is independent of cellular factors, however, not much is known about how this system works at a molecular level. Here, we present methods to produce recombinant ASFV RNA polymerase, functional assays to screen for inhibitors, and high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structures of the ASFV RNAP in different conformational states. The ASFV RNAP bears a striking resemblance to RNAPII with bona fide homologues of nine of its twelve subunits. Key differences include the fusion of the ASFV assembly platform subunits RPB3 and RPB11, and an unusual C-terminal domain of the stalk subunit vRPB7 that is related to the eukaryotic mRNA cap 2´-O-methyltransferase 1. Despite the high degree of structural conservation with cellular RNA polymerases, the ASFV RNAP is resistant to the inhibitors rifampicin and alpha-amanitin. The cryo-EM structures and fully recombinant RNAP system together provide an important tool for the design, development, and screening of antiviral drugs in a low biosafety containment environment.

Never a dull enzyme, RNA polymerase II

RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is composed of 12 subunits that collaborate to synthesize mRNA within the nucleus. Pol II is widely recognized as a passive holoenzyme, with the molecular functions of its subunits largely ignored. Recent studies employing auxin-inducible degron (AID) and multi-omics techniques have revealed that the functional diversity of Pol II is achieved through the differential contributions of its subunits to various transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes. By regulating these processes in a coordinated manner through its subunits, Pol II can optimize its activity for diverse biological functions. Here, we review recent progress in understanding Pol II subunits and their dysregulation in diseases, Pol II heterogeneity, Pol II clusters and the regulatory roles of RNA polymerases.

Transcription elongation is finely tuned by dozens of regulatory factors

Understanding the complex network that regulates transcription elongation requires the quantitative analysis of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) activity in a wide variety of regulatory environments. We performed native elongating transcript sequencing (NET-seq) in 41 strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae lacking known elongation regulators, including RNA processing factors, transcription elongation factors, chromatin modifiers, and remodelers. We found that the opposing effects of these factors balance transcription elongation and antisense transcription. Different sets of factors tightly regulate Pol II progression across gene bodies so that Pol II density peaks at key points of RNA processing. These regulators control where Pol II pauses with each obscuring large numbers of potential pause sites that are primarily determined by DNA sequence and shape. Antisense transcription varies highly across the regulatory landscapes analyzed, but antisense transcription in itself does not affect sense transcription at the same locus. Our findings collectively show that a diverse array of factors regulate transcription elongation by precisely balancing Pol II activity.

The Association of Rpb4 with RNA Polymerase II Depends on CTD Ser5P Phosphatase Rtr1 and Influences mRNA Decay in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Rtr1 is an RNA polymerase II (RNA pol II) CTD-phosphatase that influences gene expression during the transition from transcription initiation to elongation and during transcription termination. Rtr1 interacts with the RNA pol II and this interaction depends on the phosphorylation state of the CTD of Rpb1, which may influence dissociation of the heterodimer Rpb4/7 during transcription. In addition, Rtr1 was proposed as an RNA pol II import factor in RNA pol II biogenesis and participates in mRNA decay by autoregulating the turnover of its own mRNA. Our work shows that Rtr1 acts in RNA pol II assembly by mediating the Rpb4/7 association with the rest of the enzyme. RTR1 deletion alters RNA pol II assembly and increases the amount of RNA pol II associated with the chromatin that lacks Rpb4, decreasing Rpb4-mRNA imprinting and, consequently, increasing mRNA stability. Thus, Rtr1 interplays RNA pol II biogenesis and mRNA decay regulation. Our data also indicate that Rtr1 mediates mRNA decay regulation more broadly than previously proposed by cooperating with Rpb4. Interestingly, our data include new layers in the mechanisms of gene regulation and in the crosstalk between mRNA synthesis and decay by demonstrating how the association of Rpb4/7 to the RNA pol II influences mRNA decay.

Regulation of Eukaryotic RNAPs Activities by Phosphorylation

Evolutionarily conserved kinases and phosphatases regulate RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) transcript synthesis by modifying the phosphorylation status of the carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of Rpb1, the largest subunit of RNAPII. Proper levels of Rpb1-CTD phosphorylation are required for RNA co-transcriptional processing and to coordinate transcription with other nuclear processes, such as chromatin remodeling and histone modification. Whether other RNAPII subunits are phosphorylated and influences their role in gene expression is still an unanswered question. Much less is known about RNAPI and RNAPIII phosphorylation, whose subunits do not contain functional CTDs. However, diverse studies have reported that several RNAPI and RNAPIII subunits are susceptible to phosphorylation. Some of these phosphorylation sites are distributed within subunits common to all three RNAPs whereas others are only shared between RNAPI and RNAPIII. This suggests that the activities of all RNAPs might be finely modulated by phosphorylation events and raises the idea of a tight coordination between the three RNAPs. Supporting this view, the transcription by all RNAPs is regulated by signaling pathways that sense different environmental cues to adapt a global RNA transcriptional response. This review focuses on how the phosphorylation of RNAPs might regulate their function and we comment on the regulation by phosphorylation of some key transcription factors in the case of RNAPI and RNAPIII. Finally, we discuss the existence of possible common mechanisms that could coordinate their activities.

De novo variants in POLR3B cause ataxia, spasticity, and demyelinating neuropathy

POLR3B encodes the second-largest catalytic subunit of RNA polymerase III, an enzyme involved in transcription. Bi-allelic pathogenic variants in POLR3B are a well-established cause of hypomyelinating leukodystrophy. We describe six unrelated individuals with de novo missense variants in POLR3B and a clinical presentation substantially different from POLR3-related leukodystrophy. These individuals had afferent ataxia, spasticity, variable intellectual disability and epilepsy, and predominantly demyelinating sensory motor peripheral neuropathy. Protein modeling and proteomic analysis revealed a distinct mechanism of pathogenicity; the de novo POLR3B variants caused aberrant association of individual enzyme subunits rather than affecting overall enzyme assembly or stability. We expand the spectrum of disorders associated with pathogenic variants in POLR3B to include a de novo heterozygous POLR3B-related disorder.

Numerous Post-translational Modifications of RNA Polymerase II Subunit Rpb4/7 Link Transcription to Post-transcriptional Mechanisms

Rpb4/7 binds RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) transcripts co-transcriptionally and accompanies them throughout their lives. By virtue of its capacity to interact with key regulators (e.g., RNA Pol II, eIF3, and Pat1) temporally and spatially, Rpb4/7 regulates the major stages of the mRNA life cycle. Here we show that Rpb4/7 can undergo more than 100 combinations of post-translational modifications (PTMs). Remarkably, the Rpb4/7 PTM repertoire changes as the mRNA/Rpb4/7 complex progresses from one stage to the next. These temporal PTMs regulate Rpb4 interactions with key regulators of gene expression that control transcriptional and post-transcriptional stages. Moreover, one mutant type specifically affects mRNA synthesis, whereas the other affects mRNA synthesis and decay; both types disrupt the balance between mRNA synthesis and decay ("mRNA buffering") and the cell's capacity to respond to the environment. We propose that temporal Rpb4/7 PTMs mediate the cross-talk among the various stages of the mRNA life cycle.

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.

RNA polymerase II phosphorylation and gene looping: new roles for the Rpb4/7 heterodimer in regulating gene expression

In eukaryotes, cellular RNAs are produced by three nuclear RNA polymerases (RNAPI, II, and III), which are multisubunit complexes. They share structural and functional features, although they are specialized in the synthesis of specific RNAs. RNAPII transcribes the vast majority of cellular RNAs, including mRNAs and a large number of noncoding RNAs. The structure of RNAPII is highly conserved in all eukaryotes, consisting of 12 subunits (Rpb1-12) organized into five structural modules, among which the Rpb4 and Rpb7 subunits form the stalk. Early studies suggested an accessory role for Rpb4, because is required for specific gene transcription pathways. Far from this initial hypothesis, it is now well established that the Rpb4/7 heterodimer plays much wider roles in gene expression regulation. It participates in nuclear and cytosolic processes ranging from transcription to translation and mRNA degradation in a cyclical process. For this reason, Rpb4/7 is considered a coordinator of gene expression. New functions have been added to the list of stalk functions during transcription, which will be reviewed herein: first, a role in the maintenance of proper RNAPII phosphorylation levels, and second, a role in the establishment of a looped gene architecture in actively transcribed genes.

Mechanistic Dissection of RNA-Binding Proteins in Regulated Gene Expression at Chromatin Levels

Eukaryotic genomes are known to prevalently transcribe diverse classes of RNAs, virtually all of which, including nascent RNAs from protein-coding genes, are now recognized to have regulatory functions in gene expression, suggesting that RNAs are both the products and the regulators of gene expression. Their functions must enlist specific RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) to execute their regulatory activities, and recent evidence suggests that nearly all biochemically defined chromatin regions in the human genome, whether defined for gene activation or silencing, have the involvement of specific RBPs. Interestingly, the boundary between RNA- and DNA-binding proteins is also melting, as many DNA-binding proteins traditionally studied in the context of transcription are able to bind RNAs, some of which may simultaneously bind both DNA and RNA to facilitate network interactions in three-dimensional (3D) genome. In this review, we focus on RBPs that function at chromatin levels, with particular emphasis on their mechanisms of action in regulated gene expression, which is intended to facilitate future functional and mechanistic dissection of chromatin-associated RBPs.

RNA polymerase II plays an active role in the formation of gene loops through the Rpb4 subunit

Gene loops are formed by the interaction of initiation and termination factors occupying the distal ends of a gene during transcription. RNAPII is believed to affect gene looping indirectly owing to its essential role in transcription. The results presented here, however, demonstrate a direct role of RNAPII in gene looping through the Rpb4 subunit. 3C analysis revealed that gene looping is abolished in the rpb4Δ mutant. In contrast to the other looping-defective mutants, rpb4Δ cells do not exhibit a transcription termination defect. RPB4 overexpression, however, rescued the transcription termination and gene looping defect of sua7-1, a mutant of TFIIB. Furthermore, RPB4 overexpression rescued the ssu72-2 gene looping defect, while SSU72 overexpression restored the formation of gene loops in rpb4Δ cells. Interestingly, the interaction of TFIIB with Ssu72 is compromised in rpb4Δ cells. These results suggest that the TFIIB-Ssu72 interaction, which is critical for gene loop formation, is facilitated by Rpb4. We propose that Rpb4 is promoting the transfer of RNAPII from the terminator to the promoter for reinitiation of transcription through TFIIB-Ssu72 mediated gene looping.

Biochemical methods to characterize RNA polymerase II elongation complexes

Transcription of DNA into RNA is critical for all life, and RNA polymerases are enzymes tasked with this activity. In eukaryotes, RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) is responsible for transcription of all protein coding genes and many non-coding RNAs. RNAPII carries out the remarkable feat of unwinding the stable double-stranded DNA template, synthesizing the transcript and re-forming the double helix behind it with great precision and speed. In vitro, RNAPII is capable of carrying out templated RNA chain elongation in the absence of any accessory proteins. However, in cells, the transcription of genes is influenced by several factors, including DNA structure, chromatin, co-transcriptional processes, and DNA binding proteins, which impede the smooth progression of RNAPII down the template. Many transcription elongation proteins have evolved to mitigate the complications and barriers encountered by polymerase during transcription. Many of these elongation factors physically interact with components of the RNAPII elongation complex, including the growing RNA transcript and the DNA template entering and exiting RNAPII. To better understand how transcription elongation factors (EFs) regulate RNAPII, elegant methods are required to probe the structure of the elongation complex. Here, we describe a collection of biochemical assays to interrogate the structure of the RNAPII elongation complex of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that are capable of providing insights into the function of EFs and the elongation process.

Tunable Expression Systems for Orthogonal DNA Replication

We recently developed an orthogonal DNA replication (OrthoRep) system capable of driving the rapid continuous evolution of genes in vivo. However, OrthoRep uses a special transcription system, the components of which (e.g., promoters) have previously limited the strength with which OrthoRep-encoded genes can be expressed. Here, we report a collection of synthetic and evolved OrthoRep expression parts that allow OrthoRep-encoded genes to span expression levels matching those of endogenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes. Specifically, we found that various promoter mutations as well as a genetically encoded poly(A) tail enable us to tune the expression level of OrthoRep-encoded genes over a large range and up to levels 43-fold higher than were previously attained, reaching at least ∼40% of the strength of the genomic TDH3 promoter. We further show that expression level gains using our new parts are stable over passaging and consistent across multiple genes and OrthoRep systems of different mutation rates. This new set of expression parts further expands OrthoRep's applicability to the continuous in vivo evolution of proteins and pathways.

Dissociation of Rpb4 from RNA polymerase II is important for yeast functionality

Rpb4 is an RNA polymerase II (Pol II) subunit that binds Pol II transcripts co-transcriptionally, accompanies them to the cytoplasm and modulates mRNA export, translation and decay by interacting with cytoplasmic RNA modulators. The importance of the cytoplasmic roles of Rpb4 was challenged by a study reporting that the phenotype of rpb2Δ rpb4Δ cells can be rescued by an Rpb2-Rpb4 fusion protein, assuming that its Rpb4 moiety cannot dissociate from Pol II and functions in the cytoplasm. Here we demonstrate that although the fusion protein supports normal transcription, it adversely affects mRNA decay, cell proliferation and adaptability-e.g., response to stress. These defects are similar, albeit milder, than the defects that characterize rpb4Δ cells. At least two mechanisms alleviate the deleterious effect of the fusion protein. First, a portion of this fusion protein is cleaved into free Rpb2 and Rpb4. The free Rpb4 is functional, as it binds mRNAs and polysomes, like WT Rpb4. Second, the fusion protein is also capable of binding poly(A)+ mRNAs in the cytoplasm, in an Rpb7-mediated manner, probably complementing the functions of the diminished Rpb4. Collectively, normal coupling between mRNA synthesis and decay requires wild-type configuration of Rpb4, and fusing Rpb4 to Rpb2 compromises this coupling.

The structure of transcription termination factor Nrd1 reveals an original mode for GUAA recognition

Transcription termination of non-coding RNAs is regulated in yeast by a complex of three RNA binding proteins: Nrd1, Nab3 and Sen1. Nrd1 is central in this process by interacting with Rbp1 of RNA polymerase II, Trf4 of TRAMP and GUAA/G terminator sequences. We lack structural data for the last of these binding events. We determined the structures of Nrd1 RNA binding domain and its complexes with three GUAA-containing RNAs, characterized RNA binding energetics and tested rationally designed mutants in vivo. The Nrd1 structure shows an RRM domain fused with a second α/β domain that we name split domain (SD), because it is formed by two non-consecutive segments at each side of the RRM. The GUAA interacts with both domains and with a pocket of water molecules, trapped between the two stacking adenines and the SD. Comprehensive binding studies demonstrate for the first time that Nrd1 has a slight preference for GUAA over GUAG and genetic and functional studies suggest that Nrd1 RNA binding domain might play further roles in non-coding RNAs transcription termination.

Sub1 and RNAPII, until termination does them part

Sub1 was initially identified as a coactivator factor with a role during transcription initiation. However, over the last years, many evidences showed that it influences processes downstream during mRNA biogenesis, such as elongation, termination, and RNAPII phosphorylation. The recent discover that Sub1 directly interacts with the RNAPII stalk adds new insights into how it achieves all these tasks.

Sub1 contacts the RNA polymerase II stalk to modulate mRNA synthesis

Biogenesis of messenger RNA is critically influenced by the phosphorylation state of the carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) in the largest RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) subunit. Several kinases and phosphatases are required to maintain proper CTD phosphorylation levels and, additionally, several other proteins modulate them, including Rpb4/7 and Sub1. The Rpb4/7 heterodimer, constituting the RNAPII stalk, promote phosphatase functions and Sub1 globally influences CTD phosphorylation, though its mechanism remains mostly unknown. Here, we show that Sub1 physically interacts with the RNAPII stalk domain, Rpb4/7, likely through its C-terminal region, and associates with Fcp1. While Rpb4 is not required for Sub1 interaction with RNAPII complex, a fully functional heterodimer is required for Sub1 association to promoters. We also demonstrate that a complete CTD is necessary for proper association of Sub1 to chromatin and to the RNAPII. Finally, genetic data show a functional relationship between Sub1 and the RNAPII clamp domain. Altogether, our results indicate that Sub1, Rpb4/7 and Fcp1 interaction modulates CTD phosphorylation. In addition, Sub1 interaction with Rpb4/7 can also modulate transcription start site selection and transcription elongation rate likely by influencing the clamp function.

The interplay between transcription and mRNA degradation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The cellular transcriptome is shaped by both the rates of mRNA synthesis in the nucleus and mRNA degradation in the cytoplasm under a specified condition. The last decade witnessed an exciting development in the field of post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression which underscored a strong functional coupling between the transcription and mRNA degradation. The functional integration is principally mediated by a group of specialized promoters and transcription factors that govern the stability of their cognate transcripts by “marking” them with a specific factor termed “coordinator.” The “mark” carried by the message is later decoded in the cytoplasm which involves the stimulation of one or more mRNA-decay factors, either directly by the “coordinator” itself or in an indirect manner. Activation of the decay factor(s), in turn, leads to the alteration of the stability of the marked message in a selective fashion. Thus, the integration between mRNA synthesis and decay plays a potentially significant role to shape appropriate gene expression profiles during cell cycle progression, cell division, cellular differentiation and proliferation, stress, immune and inflammatory responses, and may enhance the rate of biological evolution.

Antagonistic roles for the ubiquitin ligase Asr1 and the ubiquitin-specific protease Ubp3 in subtelomeric gene silencing

Ubiquitin, and components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, feature extensively in the regulation of gene transcription. Although there are many examples of how ubiquitin controls the activity of transcriptional regulators and coregulators, there are few examples of core components of the transcriptional machinery that are directly controlled by ubiquitin-dependent processes. The budding yeast protein Asr1 is the prototypical member of the RPC (RING, PHD, CBD) family of ubiquitin-ligases, characterized by the presence of amino-terminal RING (really interesting new gene) and PHD (plant homeo domain) fingers and a carboxyl-terminal domain that directly binds the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (pol II), Rpb1, in response to phosphorylation events tied to the initiation of transcription. Asr1-mediated oligo-ubiquitylation of pol II leads to ejection of two core subunits of the enzyme and is associated with inhibition of polymerase function. Here, we present evidence that Asr1-mediated ubiquitylation of pol II is required for silencing of subtelomeric gene transcription. We show that Asr1 associates with telomere-proximal chromatin and that disruption of the ubiquitin-ligase activity of Asr1--or mutation of ubiquitylation sites within Rpb1--induces transcription of silenced gene sequences. In addition, we report that Asr1 associates with the Ubp3 deubiquitylase and that Asr1 and Ubp3 play antagonistic roles in setting transcription levels from silenced genes. We suggest that control of pol II by nonproteolytic ubiquitylation provides a mechanism to enforce silencing by transient and reversible inhibition of pol II activity at subtelomeric chromatin.

Step-wise and lineage-specific diversification of plant RNA polymerase genes and origin of the largest plant-specific subunits

Proteins often function as complexes, yet little is known about the evolution of dissimilar subunits of complexes. DNA-directed RNA polymerases (RNAPs) are multisubunit complexes, with distinct eukaryotic types for different classes of transcripts. In addition to Pol I-III, common in eukaryotes, plants have Pol IV and V for epigenetic regulation. Some RNAP subunits are specific to one type, whereas other subunits are shared by multiple types. We have conducted extensive phylogenetic and sequence analyses, and have placed RNAP gene duplication events in land plant history, thereby reconstructing the subunit compositions of the novel RNAPs during land plant evolution. We found that Pol IV/V have experienced step-wise duplication and diversification of various subunits, with increasingly distinctive subunit compositions. Also, lineage-specific duplications have further increased RNAP complexity with distinct copies in different plant families and varying divergence for subunits of different RNAPs. Further, the largest subunits of Pol IV/V probably originated from a gene fusion in the ancestral land plants. We propose a framework of plant RNAP evolution, providing an excellent model for protein complex evolution.

Rpb4/7 facilitates RNA polymerase II CTD dephosphorylation

The Rpb4 and Rpb7 subunits of eukaryotic RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) participate in a variety of processes from transcription, DNA repair, mRNA export and decay, to translation regulation and stress response. However, their mechanism(s) of action remains unclear. Here, we show that the Rpb4/7 heterodimer in Saccharomyces cerevisiae plays a key role in controlling phosphorylation of the carboxy terminal domain (CTD) of the Rpb1 subunit of RNAPII. Proper phosphorylation of the CTD is critical for the synthesis and processing of RNAPII transcripts. Deletion of RPB4, and mutations that disrupt the integrity of Rpb4/7 or its recruitment to the RNAPII complex, increased phosphorylation of Ser2, Ser5, Ser7 and Thr4 within the CTD. RPB4 interacted genetically with genes encoding CTD phosphatases (SSU72, FCP1), CTD kinases (KIN28, CTK1, SRB10) and a prolyl isomerase that targets the CTD (ESS1). We show that Rpb4 is important for Ssu72 and Fcp1 phosphatases association, recruitment and/or accessibility to the CTD, and that this correlates strongly with Ser5P and Ser2P levels, respectively. Our data also suggest that Fcp1 is the Thr4P phosphatase in yeast. Based on these and other results, we suggest a model in which Rpb4/7 helps recruit and potentially stimulate the activity of CTD-modifying enzymes, a role that is central to RNAPII function.

The Rpb4/7 module of RNA polymerase II is required for carbon catabolite repressor protein 4-negative on TATA (Ccr4-not) complex to promote elongation

Gene expression relies on the balance between mRNA synthesis in the nucleus and decay in the cytoplasm, processes once thought to be separate. We now know that transcription and decay rates are coordinated, but the factors or molecular mechanisms are unclear. The Ccr4-Not complex regulates multiple stages of gene expression, from mRNA synthesis to protein destruction. One of its functions is to promote RNA polymerase II elongation by reactivating arrested elongation complexes. Here we explored the features of polymerase required for Ccr4-Not to promote elongation and found that the Rpb4/7 module is important for Ccr4-Not to associate with elongation complexes and stimulate elongation. Rpb4/7 has also been implicated in coordinating mRNA synthesis and decay, but its role in this process is controversial. The interplay between Ccr4-Not and Rpb4/7 described here suggests a mechanism for how the cell coordinates mRNA synthesis and decay.

Rpb4 subunit functions mainly in mRNA synthesis by RNA polymerase II

RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is the central enzyme that carries out eukaryotic mRNA transcription and consists of a 10-subunit catalytic core and a subcomplex of subunits Rpb4 and Rpb7 (Rpb4/7). Rpb4/7 has been proposed to dissociate from Pol II, enter the cytoplasm, and function there in mRNA translation and degradation. Here we provide evidence that Rpb4 mainly functions in nuclear mRNA synthesis by Pol II, as well as evidence arguing against an important cytoplasmic role in mRNA degradation. We used metabolic RNA labeling and comparative Dynamic Transcriptome Analysis to show that Rpb4 deletion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae causes a drastic defect in mRNA synthesis that is compensated by down-regulation of mRNA degradation, resulting in mRNA level buffering. Deletion of Rpb4 can be rescued by covalent fusion of Rpb4 to the Pol II core subunit Rpb2, which largely restores mRNA synthesis and degradation defects caused by Rpb4 deletion. Thus, Rpb4 is a bona fide Pol II core subunit that functions mainly in mRNA synthesis.

Studying DNA-protein interactions with single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer

Single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) has emerged as a powerful tool for elucidating biological structure and mechanisms on the molecular level. Here, we focus on applications of smFRET to study interactions between DNA and enzymes such as DNA and RNA polymerases. SmFRET, used as a nanoscopic ruler, allows for the detection and precise characterisation of dynamic and rarely occurring events, which are otherwise averaged out in ensemble-based experiments. In this review, we will highlight some recent developments that provide new means of studying complex biological systems either by combining smFRET with force-based techniques or by using data obtained from smFRET experiments as constrains for computer-aided modelling.

Archaeology of RNA polymerase: factor swapping during the transcription cycle

All RNAPs (RNA polymerases) repeatedly make use of their DNA template by progressing through the transcription cycle multiple times. During transcription initiation and elongation, distinct sets of transcription factors associate with multisubunit RNAPs and modulate their nucleic-acid-binding and catalytic properties. Between the initiation and elongation phases of the cycle, the factors have to be exchanged by a largely unknown mechanism. We have shown that the binding sites for initiation and elongation factors are overlapping and that the binding of the factors to RNAP is mutually exclusive. This ensures an efficient exchange or 'swapping' of factors and could furthermore assist RNAP during promoter escape, enabling robust transcription. A similar mechanism applies to the bacterial RNAP system. The elongation factors are evolutionarily conserved between the bacterial (NusG) and archaeo-eukaryotic (Spt5) systems; however, the initiation factors [σ and TBP (TATA-box-binding protein)/TF (transcription factor) B respectively] are not. Therefore we propose that this factor-swapping mechanism, operating in all three domains of life, is the outcome of convergent evolution.

DNA damage induces targeted, genome-wide variation of poly(A) sites in budding yeast

Systemic response to DNA damage and other stresses is a complex process that includes changes in the regulation and activity of nearly all stages of gene expression. One gene regulatory mechanism used by eukaryotes is selection among alternative transcript isoforms that differ in polyadenylation [poly(A)] sites, resulting in changes either to the coding sequence or to portions of the 3' UTR that govern translation, stability, and localization. To determine the extent to which this means of regulation is used in response to DNA damage, we conducted a global analysis of poly(A) site usage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae after exposure to the UV mimetic, 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO). Two thousand thirty-one genes were found to have significant variation in poly(A) site distributions following 4NQO treatment, with a strong bias toward loss of short transcripts, including many with poly(A) sites located within the protein coding sequence (CDS). We further explored one possible mechanism that could contribute to the widespread differences in mRNA isoforms. The change in poly(A) site profile was associated with an inhibition of cleavage and polyadenylation in cell extract and a decrease in the levels of several key subunits in the mRNA 3'-end processing complex. Sequence analysis identified differences in the cis-acting elements that flank putatively suppressed and enhanced poly(A) sites, suggesting a mechanism that could discriminate between variable and constitutive poly(A) sites. Our analysis indicates that variation in mRNA length is an important part of the regulatory response to DNA damage.

Uncoupling of mRNA synthesis and degradation impairs adaptation to host temperature in Cryptococcus neoformans

The pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans must overcome multiple stressors to cause disease in its human host. In this study, we report that C. neoformans rapidly and transiently repressed ribosomal protein (RP) transcripts during a transition from 30°C to host temperature. This repression was accompanied by accelerated mRNA degradation mediated by the major deadenylase, Ccr4, and influenced by the dissociable RNA polymerase II subunit, Rpb4. Destabilization and deadenylation of RP transcripts were impaired in an rpb4Δ mutant, suggesting that Rpb4 may be involved in host temperature-induced Ccr4-mediated decay. Accelerated decay of ER stress transcripts 1 h following a shift to host temperature was also impaired in the rpb4Δ mutant. In response to host temperature, Rpb4 moved from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, supporting a role for Rpb4 in coupling transcription and degradation. The PKH signalling pathway was implicated as a regulator of accelerated degradation of the RP transcripts, but not of the ER stress transcripts, revealing a further level of specificity. When transcription and degradation were uncoupled by deletion of Rpb4, growth at host temperature was impaired and virulence was attenuated. These data suggest that mRNA synthesis and decay are coupled in C. neoformans via Rpb4, and this tight coordination promotes host-temperature adaptation and pathogenicity.

Quantitative proteomics demonstrates that the RNA polymerase II subunits Rpb4 and Rpb7 dissociate during transcriptional elongation

Eukaryotic RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is a 12-subunit enzyme that is responsible for the transcription of messenger RNA. Two of the subunits of RNA polymerase II, Rpb4 and Rpb7, have been shown to dissociate from the enzyme under a number of specific laboratory conditions. However, a biological context for the dissociation of Rpb4 and Rpb7 has not been identified. We have found that Rpb4/7 dissociate from RNAPII upon interaction with specific transcriptional elongation-associated proteins that are recruited to the hyperphosphorylated form of the C-terminal domain. However, the dissociation of Rpb4/7 is likely short lived because a significant level of free Rpb4/7 was not detected by quantitative proteomic analyses. In addition, we have found that RNAPII that is isolated through Rpb7 is depleted in serine 2 C-terminal domain phosphorylation. In contrast to previous reports, these data indicate that Rpb4/7 are dispensable during specific stages of transcriptional elongation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The fate of the messenger is pre-determined: a new model for regulation of gene expression

Recent years have seen a rise in publications demonstrating coupling between transcription and mRNA decay. This coupling most often accompanies cellular processes that involve transitions in gene expression patterns, for example during mitotic division and cellular differentiation and in response to cellular stress. Transcription can affect the mRNA fate by multiple mechanisms. The most novel finding is the process of co-transcriptional imprinting of mRNAs with proteins, which in turn regulate cytoplasmic mRNA stability. Transcription therefore is not only a catalyst of mRNA synthesis but also provides a platform that enables imprinting, which coordinates between transcription and mRNA decay. Here we present an overview of the literature, which provides the evidence of coupling between transcription and decay, review the mechanisms and regulators by which the two processes are coupled, discuss why such coupling is beneficial and present a new model for regulation of gene expression. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: RNA Decay mechanisms.

The RNA Pol II sub-complex hsRpb4/7 is required for viability of multiple human cell lines

The evolutionarily conserved RNA Polymerase II Rpb4/7 sub-complex has been thoroughly studied in yeast and impacts gene expression at multiple levels including transcription, mRNA processing and decay. In addition Rpb4/7 exerts differential effects on gene expression in yeast and Rpb4 is not obligatory for yeast (S. cerevisiae) survival. Specialised roles for human (hs) Rpb4/7 have not been extensively described and we have probed this question by depleting hsRpb4/7 in established human cell lines using RNA interference. We find that Rpb4/7 protein levels are inter-dependent and accordingly, the functional effects of depleting either protein are co-incident. hsRpb4/7 exhibits gene-specific effects and cells initially remain viable upon hsRpb4/7 depletion. However prolonged hsRpb4/7 depletion is cytotoxic in the range of cell lines tested. Protracted cell death occurs by an unknown mechanism and in some cases is accompanied by a pronounced elongated cell morphology. In conclusion we provide evidence for a gene-specific role of hsRpb4/7 in human cell viability.

The eukaryotic transcriptional machinery regulates mRNA translation and decay in the cytoplasm

In eukaryotes, nuclear mRNA synthesis is physically separated from its cytoplasmic translation and degradation. Recent unexpected findings have revealed that, despite this separation, the transcriptional machinery can remotely control the cytoplasmic stages. Key to this coupling is the capacity of the transcriptional machinery to "imprint" the transcript with factors that escort it to the cytoplasm and regulate its localization, translation and decay. Some of these factors are known transcriptional regulators that also function in mRNA decay and are hence named "synthegradases". Imprinting can be carried out and/or regulated by RNA polymerase II or by promoter cis- and trans-acting elements. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: RNA polymerase II Transcript Elongation.

Ccr4-Not complex: the control freak of eukaryotic cells

The purpose of this review is to provide an analysis of the latest developments on the functions of the carbon catabolite-repression 4-Not (Ccr4-Not) complex in regulating eukaryotic gene expression. Ccr4-Not is a nine-subunit protein complex that is conserved in sequence and function throughout the eukaryotic kingdom. Although Ccr4-Not has been studied since the 1980s, our understanding of what it does is constantly evolving. Once thought to solely regulate transcription, it is now clear that it has much broader roles in gene regulation, such as in mRNA decay and quality control, RNA export, translational repression and protein ubiquitylation. The mechanism of actions for each of its functions is still being debated. Some of the difficulty in drawing a clear picture is that it has been implicated in so many processes that regulate mRNAs and proteins in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. We will describe what is known about the Ccr4-Not complex in yeast and other eukaryotes in an effort to synthesize a unified model for how this complex coordinates multiple steps in gene regulation and provide insights into what questions will be most exciting to answer in the future.

How do trypanosomes change gene expression in response to the environment?

All organisms are able to modulate gene expression in response to internal and external stimuli. Trypanosomes represent a group that diverged early during the radiation of eukaryotes and do not utilise regulated initiation of transcription by RNA polymerase II. Here, the mechanisms present in trypanosomes to alter gene expression in response to stress and change of host environment are discussed and contrasted with those operating in yeast and cultured mammalian cells.

Ubiquitin and assembly of export competent mRNP

The production of mature and export competent mRNP (mRNA ribonucleoprotein) complexes depends on a series of highly coordinated processing reactions. RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) plays a central role in this process by mediating the sequential recruitment of mRNA maturation and export factors to transcribing genes, thereby establishing a strong functional link between transcription and export through nuclear pore complexes (NPC). Growing evidence indicates that post-translational modifications participate in the dynamic association of processing and export factors with mRNAs ensuring that the transitions and rearrangements undergone by the mRNP occur at the right time and place. This review mainly focuses on the role of ubiquitin conjugation in controlling mRNP assembly and quality control from transcription down to export through the NPC. It emphasizes the central role of ubiquitylation in organizing the chronology of events along this highly dynamic pathway. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Nuclear Transport and RNA Processing.

The initiation factor TFE and the elongation factor Spt4/5 compete for the RNAP clamp during transcription initiation and elongation

TFIIE and the archaeal homolog TFE enhance DNA strand separation of eukaryotic RNAPII and the archaeal RNAP during transcription initiation by an unknown mechanism. We have developed a fluorescently labeled recombinant M. jannaschii RNAP system to probe the archaeal transcription initiation complex, consisting of promoter DNA, TBP, TFB, TFE, and RNAP. We have localized the position of the TFE winged helix (WH) and Zinc ribbon (ZR) domains on the RNAP using single-molecule FRET. The interaction sites of the TFE WH domain and the transcription elongation factor Spt4/5 overlap, and both factors compete for RNAP binding. Binding of Spt4/5 to RNAP represses promoter-directed transcription in the absence of TFE, which alleviates this effect by displacing Spt4/5 from RNAP. During elongation, Spt4/5 can displace TFE from the RNAP elongation complex and stimulate processivity. Our results identify the RNAP “clamp” region as a regulatory hot spot for both transcription initiation and transcription elongation.

Novel role for mediator complex subunit Srb5/Med18 in termination of transcription

Mediator complex functions at the recruitment as well as the post-recruitment steps of transcription. Here we provide evidence for a novel role of Mediator in termination of transcription. Mediator subunit Srb5/Med18 cross-links to the 5' and 3' ends of INO1 and CHA1. In srb5(-) cells, recruitment of TATA-binding protein (TBP) and transcription factor IIB (TFIIB) onto the promoter of these genes remained unaffected, but cross-linking of the cleavage-polyadenylation factors Rna15 and Pta1 toward the 3' end of genes was compromised. In these cells, RNA polymerase II accumulated near the 3' end of genes and beyond. Transcription run-on analysis confirmed a transcription readthrough phenotype in the absence of Srb5/Med18. These results strongly suggest that Mediator subunit Srb5/Med18 is required for proper termination of transcription of a subset of genes in budding yeast.

Rpa43 and its partners in the yeast RNA polymerase I transcription complex

An Rpa43/Rpa14 stalk protrudes from RNA polymerase I (RNAPI), with homology to Rpb7/Rpb4 (RNAPII), Rpc25/Rpc17 (RNAPIII) and RpoE/RpoF (archaea). In fungi and vertebrates, Rpa43 contains hydrophilic domains forming about half of its size, but these domains lack in Schizosaccharomyces pombe and most other eukaryote lineages. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, they can be lost with little or no growth effect, as shown by deletion mapping and by domain swapping with fission yeast, but genetically interact with rpa12Δ, rpa34Δ or rpa49Δ, lacking non-essential subunits important for transcript elongation. Two-hybrid data and other genetic evidence suggest that Rpa43 directly bind Spt5, an RNAPI elongation factor also acting in RNAPII-dependent transcription, and may also interact with the nucleosomal chaperone Spt6.

Transcriptome kinetics is governed by a genome-wide coupling of mRNA production and degradation: a role for RNA Pol II

Transcriptome dynamics is governed by two opposing processes, mRNA production and degradation. Recent studies found that changes in these processes are frequently coordinated and that the relationship between them shapes transcriptome kinetics. Specifically, when transcription changes are counter-acted with changes in mRNA stability, transient fast-relaxing transcriptome kinetics is observed. A possible molecular mechanism underlying such coordinated regulation might lay in two RNA polymerase (Pol II) subunits, Rpb4 and Rpb7, which are recruited to mRNAs during transcription and later affect their degradation in the cytoplasm. Here we used a yeast strain carrying a mutant Pol II which poorly recruits these subunits. We show that this mutant strain is impaired in its ability to modulate mRNA stability in response to stress. The normal negative coordinated regulation is lost in the mutant, resulting in abnormal transcriptome profiles both with respect to magnitude and kinetics of responses. These results reveal an important role for Pol II, in regulation of both mRNA synthesis and degradation, and also in coordinating between them. We propose a simple model for production-degradation coupling that accounts for our observations. The model shows how a simple manipulation of the rates of co-transcriptional mRNA imprinting by Pol II may govern genome-wide transcriptome kinetics in response to environmental changes.

Organisms alter genes expression programs in response to changes in their environment. Such programs can specify fast induction, slow relaxation, oscillations, etc. Conceivably these kinetic outputs may depend on proper orchestration of the various phases of gene expression, including transcription, translation, and mRNA decay. In particular, in the transcriptomes of a broad range of species, fast mRNA “spikes” appear to result from surprisingly “pressing the gas and the brakes” together, i.e. by activating both transcription and degradation of same transcripts. A recently discovered molecular mechanism, in which subunits of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) associate to mRNAs during transcription and control their decay, could explain how such transcription-decay counter-action works. Yet, how such potential coupling responds to physiological conditions and how it shapes transcriptome kinetics remain unknown. Here we used a minimalist mutation in yeast RNA Pol II that is defective in the above mechanism in order to show that Pol II governs the ability of the cell to modulate mRNA decay in stress and, most importantly, that Pol II is essential for appropriate coupling between mRNA production and degradation. We further show that this transcription-decay coupling is responsible for shaping the transcriptome kinetic profiles under changing environmental conditions.

Human GTPases associate with RNA polymerase II to mediate its nuclear import

Small GTPases share a biochemical mechanism and act as binary molecular switches. One important function of small GTPases in the cell is nucleocytoplasmic transport of both proteins and RNA. Here, we show the stable association of human GPN1 and GPN3, small GTPases related to Ran, with RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) isolated from either the cytoplasmic or nuclear fraction. GPN1 and GPN3 directly interact with RNAPII subunit 7 (RPB7)/RPB4 and the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNAPII. Depletion of GPN1 or GPN3 using small interfering RNAs led to decreased RNAPII levels in the nucleus and an accumulation of this enzyme in the cytoplasm of human cells. Furthermore, isolation of a GPN1/GPN3/RNAPII complex from stable cell lines expressing a dominant negative GPN1 harboring mutations in the GTP-binding pocket demonstrated a role for these proteins in nuclear import of RNAPII. Thus, GPN1/GPN3 define a new family of small GTPases that are specialized for the transport of RNA polymerase II into the nucleus.

The multifunctional Ccr4-Not complex directly promotes transcription elongation

The Ccr4-Not complex has been implicated in the control of multiple steps of mRNA metabolism; however, its functions in transcription remain ambiguous. The discovery that Ccr4/Pop2 is the major cytoplasmic mRNA deadenylase and the detection of Not proteins within mRNA processing bodies have raised questions about the roles of the Ccr4-Not complex in transcription. Here we firmly establish Ccr4-Not as a positive elongation factor for RNA polymerase II (RNAPII). The Ccr4-Not complex is targeted to the coding region of genes in a transcription-dependent manner similar to RNAPII and promotes elongation in vivo. Furthermore, Ccr4-Not interacts directly with elongating RNAPII complexes and stimulates transcription elongation of arrested polymerase in vitro. Ccr4-Not can reactivate backtracked RNAPII using a mechanism different from that of the well-characterized elongation factor TFIIS. While not essential for its interaction with elongation complexes, Ccr4-Not interacts with the emerging transcript and promotes elongation in a manner dependent on transcript length, although this interaction is not required for it to bind RNAPII. Our comprehensive analysis shows that Ccr4-Not directly regulates transcription, and suggests it does so by promoting the resumption of elongation of arrested RNAPII when it encounters transcriptional blocks in vivo.

Evolution of multisubunit RNA polymerases in the three domains of life

RNA polymerases (RNAPs) carry out transcription in all living organisms. All multisubunit RNAPs are derived from a common ancestor, a fact that becomes apparent from their amino acid sequence, subunit composition, structure, function and molecular mechanisms. Despite the similarity of these complexes, the organisms that depend on them are extremely diverse, ranging from microorganisms to humans. Recent findings about the molecular and functional architecture of RNAPs has given us intriguing insights into their evolution and how their activities are harnessed by homologous and analogous basal factors during the transcription cycle. We provide an overview of the evolutionary conservation of and differences between the multisubunit polymerases in the three domains of life, and introduce the 'elongation first' hypothesis for the evolution of transcriptional regulation.

FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) sheds light on transcription

The complex organization of the transcription machinery has been revealed mainly by biochemical and crystallographic studies. X-ray structures describe RNA polymerases and transcription complexes on an atomic level, but fail to portray their dynamic nature. The use of fluorescence techniques has made it possible to add a new layer of information to our understanding of transcription by providing details about the structural rearrangement of mobile elements and the network of interactions within transcription complexes in solution and in real-time.

RNA polymerase II subunits link transcription and mRNA decay to translation

Little is known about crosstalk between the eukaryotic transcription and translation machineries that operate in different cell compartments. The yeast proteins Rpb4p and Rpb7p represent one such link as they form a heterodimer that shuttles between the nucleus, where it functions in transcription, and the cytoplasm, where it functions in the major mRNA decay pathways. Here we show that the Rpb4/7 heterodimer interacts physically and functionally with components of the translation initiation factor 3 (eIF3), and is required for efficient translation initiation. Efficient translation in the cytoplasm depends on association of Rpb4/7 with RNA polymerase II (Pol II) in the nucleus, leading to a model in which Pol II remotely controls translation. Hence, like in prokaryotes, the eukaryotic translation is coupled to transcription. We propose that Rpb4/7, through its interactions at each step in the mRNA lifecycle, represents a class of factors, "mRNA coordinators," which integrate the various stages of gene expression into a system.