Activation of the Bur1-Bur2 cyclin-dependent kinase complex by Cak1

Cyclin-dependent kinases: Masters of the eukaryotic universe

A family of structurally related cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) drives many aspects of eukaryotic cell function. Much of the literature in this area has considered individual members of this family to act primarily either as regulators of the cell cycle, the context in which CDKs were first discovered, or as regulators of transcription. Until recently, CDK7 was the only clear example of a CDK that functions in both processes. However, new data points to several "cell-cycle" CDKs having important roles in transcription and some "transcriptional" CDKs having cell cycle-related targets. For example, novel functions in transcription have been demonstrated for the archetypal cell cycle regulator CDK1. The increasing evidence of the overlap between these two CDK types suggests that they might play a critical role in coordinating the two processes. Here we review the canonical functions of cell-cycle and transcriptional CDKs, and provide an update on how these kinases collaborate to perform important cellular functions. We also provide a brief overview of how dysregulation of CDKs contributes to carcinogenesis, and possible treatment avenues. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes RNA Processing > 3' End Processing RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.

Acute stress drives global repression through two independent RNA polymerase II stalling events in Saccharomyces

In multicellular eukaryotes, RNA polymerase (Pol) II pauses transcription ~30-50 bp after initiation. While the budding yeast Saccharomyces has its transcription mechanisms mostly conserved with other eukaryotes, it appears to lack this fundamental promoter-proximal pausing. However, we now report that nearly all yeast genes, including constitutive and inducible genes, manifest two distinct transcriptional stall sites that are brought on by acute environmental signaling (e.g., peroxide stress). Pol II first stalls at the pre-initiation stage before promoter clearance, but after DNA melting and factor acquisition, and may involve inhibited dephosphorylation. The second stall occurs at the +2 nucleosome. It acquires most, but not all, elongation factor interactions. Its regulation may include Bur1/Spt4/5. Our results suggest that a double Pol II stall is a mechanism to downregulate essentially all genes in concert.

A SUMO-dependent pathway controls elongating RNA Polymerase II upon UV-induced damage

RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is the workhorse of eukaryotic transcription and produces messenger RNAs and small nuclear RNAs. Stalling of RNAPII caused by transcription obstacles such as DNA damage threatens functional gene expression and is linked to transcription-coupled DNA repair. To restore transcription, persistently stalled RNAPII can be disassembled and removed from chromatin. This process involves several ubiquitin ligases that have been implicated in RNAPII ubiquitylation and proteasomal degradation. Transcription by RNAPII is heavily controlled by phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain of its largest subunit Rpb1. Here, we show that the elongating form of Rpb1, marked by S2 phosphorylation, is specifically controlled upon UV-induced DNA damage. Regulation of S2-phosphorylated Rpb1 is mediated by SUMOylation, the SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase Slx5-Slx8, the Cdc48 segregase as well as the proteasome. Our data suggest an RNAPII control pathway with striking parallels to known disassembly mechanisms acting on defective RNA polymerase III.

Gene modification by fast-track recombineering for cellular localization and isolation of components of plant protein complexes

To accelerate the isolation of plant protein complexes and study cellular localization and interaction of their components, an improved recombineering protocol is described for simple and fast site-directed modification of plant genes in bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs). Coding sequences of fluorescent and affinity tags were inserted into genes and transferred together with flanking genomic sequences of desired size by recombination into Agrobacterium plant transformation vectors using three steps of E. coli transformation with PCR-amplified DNA fragments. Application of fast-track recombineering is illustrated by the simultaneous labelling of CYCLIN-DEPENDENT KINASE D (CDKD) and CYCLIN H (CYCH) subunits of kinase module of TFIIH general transcription factor and the CDKD-activating CDKF;1 kinase with green fluorescent protein (GFP) and mCherry (green and red fluorescent protein) tags, and a PIPL (His18 -StrepII-HA) epitope. Functionality of modified CDKF;1 gene constructs is verified by complementation of corresponding T-DNA insertion mutation. Interaction of CYCH with all three known CDKD homologues is confirmed by their co-localization and co-immunoprecipitation. Affinity purification and mass spectrometry analyses of CDKD;2, CYCH, and DNA-replication-coupled HISTONE H3.1 validate their association with conserved TFIIH subunits and components of CHROMATIN ASSEMBLY FACTOR 1, respectively. The results document that simple modification of plant gene products with suitable tags by fast-track recombineering is well suited to promote a wide range of protein interaction and proteomics studies.

The telomeric Cdc13-Stn1-Ten1 complex regulates RNA polymerase II transcription

Specialized telomeric proteins have an essential role in maintaining genome stability through chromosome end protection and telomere length regulation. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the evolutionary conserved CST complex, composed of the Cdc13, Stn1 and Ten1 proteins, largely contributes to these functions. Here, we report genetic interactions between TEN1 and several genes coding for transcription regulators. Molecular assays confirmed this novel function of Ten1 and further established that it regulates the occupancies of RNA polymerase II and the Spt5 elongation factor within transcribed genes. Since Ten1, but also Cdc13 and Stn1, were found to physically associate with Spt5, we propose that Spt5 represents the target of CST in transcription regulation. Moreover, CST physically associates with Hmo1, previously shown to mediate the architecture of S-phase transcribed genes. The fact that, genome-wide, the promoters of genes down-regulated in the ten1-31 mutant are prefentially bound by Hmo1, leads us to propose a potential role for CST in synchronizing transcription with replication fork progression following head-on collisions.

Cdk7: a kinase at the core of transcription and in the crosshairs of cancer drug discovery

The transcription cycle of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is regulated by a set of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Cdk7, associated with the transcription initiation factor TFIIH, is both an effector CDK that phosphorylates Pol II and other targets within the transcriptional machinery, and a CDK-activating kinase (CAK) for at least one other essential CDK involved in transcription. Recent studies have illuminated Cdk7 functions that are executed throughout the Pol II transcription cycle, from promoter clearance and promoter-proximal pausing, to co-transcriptional chromatin modification in gene bodies, to mRNA 3´-end formation and termination. Cdk7 has also emerged as a target of small-molecule inhibitors that show promise in the treatment of cancer and inflammation. The challenges now are to identify the relevant targets of Cdk7 at each step of the transcription cycle, and to understand how heightened dependence on an essential CDK emerges in cancer, and might be exploited therapeutically.

Cdk-related kinase 9 regulates RNA polymerase II mediated transcription in Toxoplasma gondii

Cyclin-dependent kinases are an essential part of eukaryotic transcriptional machinery. In Apicomplexan parasites, the role and relevance of the kinases in the multistep process of transcription seeks more attention given the absence of full repertoire of canonical Cdks and cognate cyclin partners. In this study, we functionally characterize T. gondii Cdk-related kinase 9 (TgCrk9) showing maximal homology to eukaryotic Cdk9. An uncanonical cyclin, TgCyclin L, colocalizes with TgCrk9 in the parasite nucleus and co-immunoprecipitate, could activate the kinase in-vitro. We identify two threonines in conserved T-loop domain of TgCrk9 that are important for its activity. The activated TgCrk9 phosphorylates C-terminal domain (CTD) of TgRpb1, the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II highlighting its role in transcription. Selective chemical inhibition of TgCrk9 affected serine 2 phosphorylation in the heptapeptide repeats of TgRpb1-CTD towards 3' end of genes consistent with a possible role in transcription elongation. Interestingly, TgCrk9 kinase activity is regulated by the upstream TgCrk7 based CAK complex. TgCrk9 was found to functionally complement the role of its yeast counterpart Bur1 establishing its role as an important transcriptional kinase. In this study, we provide robust evidence that TgCrk9 is an important part of transcription machinery regulating gene expression in T. gondii.

Functional interaction of Rpb1 and Spt5 C-terminal domains in co-transcriptional histone modification

Transcription by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is accompanied by a conserved pattern of histone modifications that plays important roles in regulating gene expression. The establishment of this pattern requires phosphorylation of both Rpb1 (the largest RNAPII subunit) and the elongation factor Spt5 on their respective C-terminal domains (CTDs). Here we interrogated the roles of individual Rpb1 and Spt5 CTD phospho-sites in directing co-transcriptional histone modifications in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Steady-state levels of methylation at histone H3 lysines 4 (H3K4me) and 36 (H3K36me) were sensitive to multiple mutations of the Rpb1 CTD repeat motif (Y₁S₂P₃T₄S₅P₆S₇). Ablation of the Spt5 CTD phospho-site Thr1 reduced H3K4me levels but had minimal effects on H3K36me. Nonetheless, Spt5 CTD mutations potentiated the effects of Rpb1 CTD mutations on H3K36me, suggesting overlapping functions. Phosphorylation of Rpb1 Ser2 by the Cdk12 orthologue Lsk1 positively regulated H3K36me but negatively regulated H3K4me. H3K36me and histone H2B monoubiquitylation required Rpb1 Ser5 but were maintained upon inactivation of Mcs6/Cdk7, the major kinase for Rpb1 Ser5 in vivo, implicating another Ser5 kinase in these regulatory pathways. Our results elaborate the CTD ‘code’ for co-transcriptional histone modifications.

Pause, play, repeat: CDKs push RNAP II's buttons

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) play a central role in governing eukaryotic cell division. It is becoming clear that the transcription cycle of RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) is also regulated by CDKs; in metazoans, the cell cycle and transcriptional CDK networks even share an upstream activating kinase, which is itself a CDK. From recent chemical-genetic analyses we know that CDKs and their substrates control events both early in transcription (the transition from initiation to elongation) and late (3' end formation and transcription termination). Moreover, mutual dependence on CDK activity might couple the "beginning" and "end" of the cycle, to ensure the fidelity of mRNA maturation and the efficient recycling of RNAP II from sites of termination to the transcription start site (TSS). As is the case for CDKs involved in cell cycle regulation, different transcriptional CDKs act in defined sequence on multiple substrates. These phosphorylations are likely to influence gene expression by several mechanisms, including direct, allosteric effects on the transcription machinery, co-transcriptional recruitment of proteins needed for mRNA-capping, splicing and 3' end maturation, dependent on multisite phosphorylation of the RNAP II C-terminal domain (CTD) and, perhaps, direct regulation of RNA-processing or histone-modifying machinery. Here we review these recent advances, and preview the emerging challenges for transcription-cycle research.

The CDK Network: Linking Cycles of Cell Division and Gene Expression

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) play essential roles in cell proliferation and gene expression. Although distinct sets of CDKs work in cell division and transcription by RNA polymerase II (Pol II), they share a CDK-activating kinase (CAK), which is itself a CDK-Cdk7-in metazoans. Thus a unitary CDK network controls and may coordinate cycles of cell division and gene expression. Recent work reveals decisive roles for Cdk7 in both pathways. The CAK function of Cdk7 helps determine timing of activation and cyclin-binding preferences of different CDKs during the cell cycle. In the transcription cycle, Cdk7 is both an effector kinase, which phosphorylates Pol II and other proteins and helps establish promoter-proximal pausing; and a CAK for Cdk9 (P-TEFb), which releases Pol II from the pause. By governing the transition from initiation to elongation, Cdk7, Cdk9 and their substrates influence expression of genes important for developmental and cell-cycle decisions, and ensure co-transcriptional maturation of Pol II transcripts. Cdk7 engaged in transcription also appears to be regulated by phosphorylation within its own activation (T) loop. Here I review recent studies of CDK regulation in cell division and gene expression, and propose a model whereby mitogenic signals trigger a cascade of CDK T-loop phosphorylation that drives cells past the restriction (R) point, when continued cell-cycle progression becomes growth factor-independent. Because R-point control is frequently deregulated in cancer, the CAK-CDK pathway is an attractive target for chemical inhibition aimed at impeding the inappropriate commitment to cell division.

Cyclin-dependent kinase control of the initiation-to-elongation switch of RNA polymerase II

Promoter-proximal pausing by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) ensures both gene-specific regulation and RNA quality control. Structural considerations suggested initiation factor eviction would be required for elongation factor engagement and pausing of transcription complexes. Here we show that selective inhibition of Cdk7—part of TFIIH—increases TFIIE retention, prevents DRB-sensitivity inducing factor (DSIF) recruitment and attenuates pausing in human cells. Pause release depends on Cdk9—cyclin T1 (P-TEFb); Cdk7 is also required for Cdk9-activating phosphorylation and Cdk9-dependent downstream events—Pol II carboxyl-terminal domain Ser2 phosphorylation and histone H2B ubiquitylation—in vivo. Cdk7 inhibition, moreover, impairs Pol II transcript 3′-end formation. Cdk7 thus acts through TFIIE and DSIF to establish and through P-TEFb to relieve barriers to elongation: incoherent feedforward that might create a window to recruit RNA-processing machinery. Therefore, cyclin-dependent kinases govern Pol II handoff from initiation to elongation factors and co-transcriptional RNA maturation.

The many roles of the conserved eukaryotic Paf1 complex in regulating transcription, histone modifications, and disease states

The Paf1 complex was originally identified over fifteen years ago in budding yeast through its physical association with RNA polymerase II. The Paf1 complex is now known to be conserved throughout eukaryotes and is well studied for promoting RNA polymerase II transcription elongation and transcription-coupled histone modifications. Through these critical regulatory functions, the Paf1 complex participates in numerous cellular processes such as gene expression and silencing, RNA maturation, DNA repair, cell cycle progression and prevention of disease states in higher eukaryotes. In this review, we describe the historic and current research involving the eukaryotic Paf1 complex to explain the cellular roles that underlie its conservation and functional importance. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: RNA polymerase II Transcript Elongation.

Dissecting phosphorylation networks: lessons learned from yeast

Protein phosphorylation continues to be regarded as one of the most important post-translational modifications found in eukaryotes and has been implicated in key roles in the development of a number of human diseases. In order to elucidate roles for the 518 human kinases, phosphorylation has routinely been studied using the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system. In recent years, a number of technologies have emerged to globally map phosphorylation in yeast. In this article, we review these technologies and discuss how these phosphorylation mapping efforts have shed light on our understanding of kinase signaling pathways and eukaryotic proteomic networks in general.

Sporulation in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In response to nitrogen starvation in the presence of a poor carbon source, diploid cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae undergo meiosis and package the haploid nuclei produced in meiosis into spores. The formation of spores requires an unusual cell division event in which daughter cells are formed within the cytoplasm of the mother cell. This process involves the de novo generation of two different cellular structures: novel membrane compartments within the cell cytoplasm that give rise to the spore plasma membrane and an extensive spore wall that protects the spore from environmental insults. This article summarizes what is known about the molecular mechanisms controlling spore assembly with particular attention to how constitutive cellular functions are modified to create novel behaviors during this developmental process. Key regulatory points on the sporulation pathway are also discussed as well as the possible role of sporulation in the natural ecology of S. cerevisiae.

Cdk9 T-loop phosphorylation is regulated by the calcium signaling pathway

Eukaryotic RNA polymerase II transcriptional elongation is a tightly regulated process and is dependent upon positive transcription elongation factor-b (P-TEFb). The core P-TEFb complex is composed of Cdk9 and Cyclin T and is essential for the expression of most protein coding genes. Cdk9 kinase function is dependent upon phosphorylation of Thr186 in its T-loop. In this study, we examined kinases and signaling pathways that influence Cdk9 T-loop phosphorylation. Using an RNAi screen in HeLa cells, we found that Cdk9 T-loop phosphorylation is regulated by Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase 1D (CaMK1D). Using small molecules inhibitors in HeLa cells and primary CD4(+) T lymphocytes, we found that the Ca(2+) signaling pathway is required for Cdk9 T-loop phosphorylation. Inhibition of Ca(2+) signaling led to dephosphorylation of Thr186 on Cdk9. In reporter plasmid assays, inhibition of the Ca(2+) signaling pathway repressed the PCNA promoter and HIV-1 Tat transactivation of the HIV-1 LTR, but not HTLV-1 Tax transactivation of the HTLV-1 LTR, suggesting that perturbation of the Ca(2+) pathway and reduction of Cdk9 T-loop phosphorylation inhibits transcription units that have a rigorous requirement for P-TEFb function.

Bringing order to protein disorder through comparative genomics and genetic interactions

BACKGROUND

Intrinsically disordered regions are widespread, especially in proteomes of higher eukaryotes. Recently, protein disorder has been associated with a wide variety of cellular processes and has been implicated in several human diseases. Despite its apparent functional importance, the sheer range of different roles played by protein disorder often makes its exact contribution difficult to interpret.

RESULTS

We attempt to better understand the different roles of disorder using a novel analysis that leverages both comparative genomics and genetic interactions. Strikingly, we find that disorder can be partitioned into three biologically distinct phenomena: regions where disorder is conserved but with quickly evolving amino acid sequences (flexible disorder); regions of conserved disorder with also highly conserved amino acid sequences (constrained disorder); and, lastly, non-conserved disorder. Flexible disorder bears many of the characteristics commonly attributed to disorder and is associated with signaling pathways and multi-functionality. Conversely, constrained disorder has markedly different functional attributes and is involved in RNA binding and protein chaperones. Finally, non-conserved disorder lacks clear functional hallmarks based on our analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our new perspective on protein disorder clarifies a variety of previous results by putting them into a systematic framework. Moreover, the clear and distinct functional association of flexible and constrained disorder will allow for new approaches and more specific algorithms for disorder detection in a functional context. Finally, in flexible disordered regions, we demonstrate clear evolutionary selection of protein disorder with little selection on primary structure, which has important implications for sequence-based studies of protein structure and evolution.

Bringing order to protein disorder through comparative genomics and genetic interactions

BACKGROUND

Intrinsically disordered regions are widespread, especially in proteomes of higher eukaryotes. Recently, protein disorder has been associated with a wide variety of cellular processes and has been implicated in several human diseases. Despite its apparent functional importance, the sheer range of different roles played by protein disorder often makes its exact contribution difficult to interpret.

RESULTS

We attempt to better understand the different roles of disorder using a novel analysis that leverages both comparative genomics and genetic interactions. Strikingly, we find that disorder can be partitioned into three biologically distinct phenomena: regions where disorder is conserved but with quickly evolving amino acid sequences (flexible disorder); regions of conserved disorder with also highly conserved amino acid sequences (constrained disorder); and, lastly, non-conserved disorder. Flexible disorder bears many of the characteristics commonly attributed to disorder and is associated with signaling pathways and multi-functionality. Conversely, constrained disorder has markedly different functional attributes and is involved in RNA binding and protein chaperones. Finally, non-conserved disorder lacks clear functional hallmarks based on our analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our new perspective on protein disorder clarifies a variety of previous results by putting them into a systematic framework. Moreover, the clear and distinct functional association of flexible and constrained disorder will allow for new approaches and more specific algorithms for disorder detection in a functional context. Finally, in flexible disordered regions, we demonstrate clear evolutionary selection of protein disorder with little selection on primary structure, which has important implications for sequence-based studies of protein structure and evolution.

An investigation of a role for U2 snRNP spliceosomal components in regulating transcription

There is mounting evidence to suggest that the synthesis of pre-mRNA transcripts and their subsequent splicing are coordinated events. Previous studies have implicated the mammalian spliceosomal U2 snRNP as having a novel role in stimulating transcriptional elongation in vitro through interactions with the elongation factors P-TEFb and Tat-SF1; however, the mechanism remains unknown [1]. These factors are conserved in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a fact that suggests that a similar interaction may occur in yeast to stimulate transcriptional elongation in vivo. To address this possibility we have looked for evidence of a role for the yeast Tat-SF1 homolog, Cus2, and the U2 snRNA in regulating transcription. Specifically, we have performed a genetic analysis to look for functional interactions between Cus2 or U2 snRNA and the P-TEFb yeast homologs, the Bur1/2 and Ctk1/2/3 complexes. In addition, we have analyzed Cus2-deleted or -overexpressing cells and U2 snRNA mutant cells to determine if they show transcription-related phenotypes similar to those displayed by the P-TEFb homolog mutants. In no case have we been able to observe phenotypes consistent with a role for either spliceosomal factor in transcription elongation. Furthermore, we did not find evidence for physical interactions between the yeast U2 snRNP factors and the P-TEFb homologs. These results suggest that in vivo, S. cerevisiae do not exhibit functional or physical interactions similar to those exhibited by their mammalian counterparts in vitro. The significance of the difference between our in vivo findings and the previously published in vitro results remains unclear; however, we discuss the potential importance of other factors, including viral proteins, in mediating the mammalian interactions.

Identifying human kinase-specific protein phosphorylation sites by integrating heterogeneous information from various sources

Phosphorylation is an important type of protein post-translational modification. Identification of possible phosphorylation sites of a protein is important for understanding its functions. Unbiased screening for phosphorylation sites by in vitro or in vivo experiments is time consuming and expensive; in silico prediction can provide functional candidates and help narrow down the experimental efforts. Most of the existing prediction algorithms take only the polypeptide sequence around the phosphorylation sites into consideration. However, protein phosphorylation is a very complex biological process in vivo. The polypeptide sequences around the potential sites are not sufficient to determine the phosphorylation status of those residues. In the current work, we integrated various data sources such as protein functional domains, protein subcellular location and protein-protein interactions, along with the polypeptide sequences to predict protein phosphorylation sites. The heterogeneous information significantly boosted the prediction accuracy for some kinase families. To demonstrate potential application of our method, we scanned a set of human proteins and predicted putative phosphorylation sites for Cyclin-dependent kinases, Casein kinase 2, Glycogen synthase kinase 3, Mitogen-activated protein kinases, protein kinase A, and protein kinase C families (avaiable at http://cmbi.bjmu.edu.cn/huphospho). The predicted phosphorylation sites can serve as candidates for further experimental validation. Our strategy may also be applicable for the in silico identification of other post-translational modification substrates.

Sub1 globally regulates RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain phosphorylation

The transcriptional coactivator Sub1 has been implicated in several aspects of mRNA metabolism in yeast, such as activation of transcription, termination, and 3'-end formation. Here, we present evidence that Sub1 plays a significant role in controlling phosphorylation of the RNA polymerase II large subunit C-terminal domain (CTD). We show that SUB1 genetically interacts with the genes encoding all four known CTD kinases, SRB10, KIN28, BUR1, and CTK1, suggesting that Sub1 acts to influence CTD phosphorylation at more than one step of the transcription cycle. To address this directly, we first used in vitro kinase assays, and we show that, on the one hand, SUB1 deletion increased CTD phosphorylation by Kin28, Bur1, and Ctk1 but, on the other, it decreased CTD phosphorylation by Srb10. Second, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that SUB1 deletion decreased Srb10 chromatin association on the inducible GAL1 gene but increased Kin28 and Ctk1 chromatin association on actively transcribed genes. Taken together, our data point to multiple roles for Sub1 in the regulation of CTD phosphorylation throughout the transcription cycle.

A Plasmodium falciparum transcriptional cyclin-dependent kinase-related kinase with a crucial role in parasite proliferation associates with histone deacetylase activity

Cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) are key regulators of the eukaryotic cell cycle and of the eukaryotic transcription machinery. Here we report the characterization of Pfcrk-3 (Plasmodium falciparum CDK-related kinase 3; PlasmoDB identifier PFD0740w), an unusually large CDK-related protein whose kinase domain displays maximal homology to those CDKs which, in other eukaryotes, are involved in the control of transcription. The closest enzyme in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is BUR1 (bypass upstream activating sequence requirement 1), known to control gene expression through interaction with chromatin modification enzymes. Consistent with this, immunofluorescence data show that Pfcrk-3 colocalizes with histones. We show that recombinant Pfcrk-3 associates with histone H1 kinase activity in parasite extracts and that this association is detectable even if the catalytic domain of Pfcrk-3 is rendered inactive by site-directed mutagenesis, indicating that Pfcrk-3 is part of a complex that includes other protein kinases. Immunoprecipitates obtained from extracts of transgenic parasites expressing hemagglutinin (HA)-tagged Pfcrk-3 by using an anti-HA antibody displayed both protein kinase and histone deacetylase activities. Reverse genetics data show that the pfcrk-3 locus can be targeted only if the genetic modification does not cause a loss of function. Taken together, our data strongly suggest that Pfcrk-3 fulfils a crucial role in the intraerythrocytic development of P. falciparum, presumably through chromatin modification-dependent regulation of gene expression.

A phosphorylation-independent role for the yeast cyclin-dependent kinase activating kinase Cak1

Cdc28 is the main cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) directing the cell cycle in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Besides cyclin binding, Cdc28 requires phosphorylation by the Cak1 kinase to achieve full activity. We have previously isolated carboxy-terminal cdc28(CST) mutants that are temperature sensitive and exhibit high chromosome instability. Both phenotypes are suppressed by high copy Cak1 in a manner that is independent of its catalytic activity and conversely, combination of cdc28(CST) and cak1 mutations results in synthetic lethality. Altogether, these results suggest that for the Cdc28 complexes to remain stable and active, an interaction with Cak1 is needed via the carboxyl terminus of Cdc28. We report two-hybrid assay data that support this model, and results that indicate that actively growing yeast cells require an optimum Cdc28:Cak1 ratio. While Cak1 is constitutively active and expressed, dividing cells tightly regulate Cak1 protein levels to ensure presence of adequate levels of Cdc28 CDK activity.

The Arabidopsis cyclin-dependent kinase-activating kinase CDKF;1 is a major regulator of cell proliferation and cell expansion but is dispensable for CDKA activation

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) play an essential role in cell cycle regulation during the embryonic and post-embryonic development of various organisms. Full activation of CDKs requires not only binding to cyclins but also phosphorylation of the T-loop domain. This phosphorylation is catalysed by CDK-activating kinases (CAKs). Plants have two distinct types of CAKs, namely CDKD and CDKF; in Arabidopsis, CDKF;1 exhibits the highest CDK kinase activity in vitro. We have previously shown that CDKF;1 also functions in the activation of CDKD;2 and CDKD;3 by T-loop phosphorylation. Here, we isolated the knockout mutants of CDKF;1 and showed that they had severe defects in cell division, cell elongation and endoreduplication. No defect was observed during embryogenesis, suggesting that CDKF;1 function is primarily required for post-embryonic development. In the cdkf;1 mutants, T-loop phosphorylation of CDKA;1, an orthologue of yeast Cdc2/Cdc28p, was comparable to that in wild-type plants, and its kinase activity did not decrease. In contrast, the protein level and kinase activity of CDKD;2 were significantly reduced in the mutants. Substitution of threonine-168 with a non-phosphorylatable alanine residue made CDKD;2 unstable in Arabidopsis tissues. These results indicate that CDKF;1 is dispensable for CDKA;1 activation but is essential for maintaining a steady-state level of CDKD;2, thereby suggesting the quantitative regulation of a vertebrate-type CAK in a plant-specific manner.

Phosphorylation of the Pol II CTD by KIN28 enhances BUR1/BUR2 recruitment and Ser2 CTD phosphorylation near promoters

Cyclin-dependent kinase BUR1/BUR2 appears to be the yeast ortholog of P-TEFb, which phosphorylates Ser2 of the RNA Pol II CTD, but the importance of BUR1/BUR2 in CTD phosphorylation is unclear. We show that BUR1/BUR2 is cotranscriptionally recruited to the 5' end of ARG1 in a manner stimulated by interaction of the BUR1 C terminus with CTD repeats phosphorylated on Ser5 by KIN28. Impairing BUR1/BUR2 function, or removing the CTD-interaction domain in BUR1, reduces Ser2 phosphorylation in bulk Pol II and eliminates the residual Ser2P in cells lacking the major Ser2 CTD kinase, CTK1. Impairing BUR1/BUR2 or CTK1 evokes a similar reduction of Ser2P in Pol II phosphorylated on Ser5 and in elongating Pol II near the ARG1 promoter. By contrast, CTK1 is responsible for the bulk of Ser2P in total Pol II and at promoter-distal sites. In addition to phosphorylating Ser2 near promoters, BUR1/BUR2 also stimulates Ser2P formation by CTK1 during transcription elongation.

Functional organization of the S. cerevisiae phosphorylation network

Reversible protein phosphorylation is a signaling mechanism involved in all cellular processes. To create a systems view of the signaling apparatus in budding yeast, we generated an epistatic miniarray profile (E-MAP) comprised of 100,000 pairwise, quantitative genetic interactions, including virtually all protein and small-molecule kinases and phosphatases as well as key cellular regulators. Quantitative genetic interaction mapping reveals factors working in compensatory pathways (negative genetic interactions) or those operating in linear pathways (positive genetic interactions). We found an enrichment of positive genetic interactions between kinases, phosphatases, and their substrates. In addition, we assembled a higher-order map from sets of three genes that display strong interactions with one another: triplets enriched for functional connectivity. The resulting network view provides insights into signaling pathway regulation and reveals a link between the cell-cycle kinase, Cak1, the Fus3 MAP kinase, and a pathway that regulates chromatin integrity during transcription by RNA polymerase II.

Sister chromatid cohesion role for CDC28-CDK in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

High-fidelity chromosome segregation requires that the sister chromatids produced during S phase also become paired during S phase. Ctf7p (Eco1p) is required to establish sister chromatid pairing specifically during DNA replication. However, Ctf7p also becomes active during G2/M in response to DNA damage. Ctf7p is a phosphoprotein and an in vitro target of Cdc28p cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK), suggesting one possible mechanism for regulating the essential function of Ctf7p. Here, we report a novel synthetic lethal interaction between ctf7 and cdc28. However, neither elevated CDC28 levels nor CDC28 Cak1p-bypass alleles rescue ctf7 cell phenotypes. Moreover, cells expressing Ctf7p mutated at all full- and partial-consensus CDK-phosphorylation sites exhibit robust cell growth. These and other results reveal that Ctf7p regulation is more complicated than previously envisioned and suggest that CDK acts in sister chromatid cohesion parallel to Ctf7p reactions.

Linking the kinome and phosphorylome--a comprehensive review of approaches to find kinase targets

Protein phosphorylation is associated with most cell signaling and developmental processes in eukaryotes. Despite the vast extent of the phosphoproteome within the cell, connecting specific kinases with relevant targets remains a significant experimental frontier. The challenge of linking kinases and their substrates reflects the complexity of kinase function. For example, kinases tend to exert their biological effects through supernumerary, redundant phosphorylation, often on multiple protein complex components. Although these types of phosphorylation events are biologically significant, those kinases responsible are often difficult to identify. Recent methods for global analysis of protein phosphorylation promise to substantially accelerate efforts to map the dynamic phosphorylome. Here, we review both conventional methods to identify kinase targets and more comprehensive genomic and proteomic approaches to connect the kinome and phosphorylome.

Prediction of kinase-specific phosphorylation sites with sequence features by a log-odds ratio approach

Protein phosphorylation plays important roles in a variety of cellular processes. Detecting possible phosphorylation sites and their corresponding protein kinases is crucial for studying the function of many proteins. This article presents a new prediction system, called PhoScan, to predict phosphorylation sites in a kinase-family-specific way. Common phosphorylation features and kinase-specific features are extracted from substrate sequences of different protein kinases based on the analysis of published experiments, and a scoring system is developed for evaluating the possibility that a peptide can be phosphorylated by the protein kinase at the specific site in its sequence context. PhoScan can achieve a specificity of above 90% with sensitivity around 90% at kinase-family level on the data experimented. The system is applied on a set of human proteins collected from Swiss-Prot and sets of putative phosphorylation sites are predicted for protein kinase A, cyclin-dependent kinase, and casein kinase 2 families. PhoScan is available at http://bioinfo.au.tsinghua.edu.cn/phoscan/.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (Cdk9) of fission yeast is activated by the CDK-activating kinase Csk1, overlaps functionally with the TFIIH-associated kinase Mcs6, and associates with the mRNA cap methyltransferase Pcm1 in vivo

Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (Cdk9) of fission yeast is an essential ortholog of metazoan positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb), which is proposed to coordinate capping and elongation of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcripts. Here we show that Cdk9 is activated to phosphorylate Pol II and the elongation factor Spt5 by Csk1, one of two fission yeast CDK-activating kinases (CAKs). Activation depends on Cdk9 T-loop residue Thr-212. The other CAK-Mcs6, the kinase component of transcription factor IIH (TFIIH)-cannot activate Cdk9. Consistent with the specificities of the two CAKs in vitro, the kinase activity of Cdk9 is reduced approximately 10-fold by csk1 deletion, and Cdk9 complexes from csk1Delta but not csk1+ cells can be activated by Csk1 in vitro. A cdk9(T212A) mutant is viable but phenocopies conditional growth defects of csk1Delta strains, indicating a role for Csk1-dependent activation of Cdk9 in vivo. A cdk9(T212A) mcs6(S165A) strain, in which neither Cdk9 nor Mcs6 can be activated by CAK, has a synthetic growth defect, implying functional overlap between the two CDKs, which have distinct but overlapping substrate specificities. Cdk9 forms complexes in vivo with the essential cyclin Pch1 and with Pcm1, the mRNA cap methyltransferase. The carboxyl-terminal region of Cdk9, through which it interacts with another capping enzyme, the RNA triphosphatase Pct1, is essential. Together, the data support a proposed model whereby Cdk9/Pch1-the third essential CDK-cyclin complex described in fission yeast-helps to target the capping apparatus to the transcriptional elongation complex.

Secrets of a double agent: CDK7 in cell-cycle control and transcription

In metazoans, cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) has essential roles in both the cell-division cycle and transcription, as a CDK-activating kinase (CAK) and as a component of the general transcription factor TFIIH, respectively. Controversy over its double duty has been resolved, but questions remain. First, how does CDK7 achieve the dual substrate specificity necessary to perform both roles? Second, is there a deeper connection implied by the dichotomy of CDK7 function, for example similar mechanisms controlling cell division and gene expression, and/or actual coordination of the two processes? Enzymological studies have revealed solutions to the unusual substrate recognition problem, and there is evidence that the distinct functions of CDK7 can be regulated independently. Finally, despite divergence in their wiring, the CAK-CDK networks of budding yeast, fission yeast and metazoans all link transcriptional regulation with operation of the cell-cycle machinery. This connection might help to ensure that mRNAs encoding effectors of cell division are expressed at the right time in the cycle.

The Bur1/Bur2 complex is required for histone H2B monoubiquitination by Rad6/Bre1 and histone methylation by COMPASS

To date, several classes of enzymes have been shown to affect transcription by catalyzing the modifications of nucleosomes via methylation. Employing our global proteomic screen, GPS, we have determined that the loss of Bur2, a component of the Bur1/Bur2 cyclin-dependent protein kinase, results in a decrease in histone H3(K4) methylation catalyzed by COMPASS. Furthermore, Bur1/Bur2 is required for histone H2B monoubiquitination by Rad6/Bre1. The effect on histone monoubiquitination and methylation is the result of defective Bur1/Bur2-mediated phosphorylation of Rad6 on its serine residue 120 and proper recruitment of the Paf1 complex to chromatin. We have also demonstrated that serine 120 of Rad6 is required for histone H2B monoubiquitination and the regulation of gene expression in vivo. Our results identify in vivo substrates for Bur1/Bur2, thus linking its role to transcriptional elongation and demonstrating a potential activation mechanism for histone H2B monoubiquitination by the Rad6/Bre1 complex.

Kinase Cak1 functionally interacts with the PAF1 complex and phosphatase Ssu72 via kinases Ctk1 and Bur1

Protein kinases orthologous with Cak1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ScCak1) appear specific to ascomycetes. ScCak1 phosphorylates Cdc28, the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) governing the cell cycle, as well as Kin28, Bur1 and Ctk1, CDKs required for the transcription process performed by RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II). Using genetic methods, we found that Cak1 genetically interacts with Paf1 and Ctr9, two components belonging to the PAF1 elongation complex needed for histone modifications, and with Ssu72, a protein phosphatase that dephosphorylates serine-5 phosphate in the RNA Pol II C-terminal domain. We present evidence suggesting that the interactions linking Cak1 with the PAF1 complex and with Ssu72 are not direct but mediated via Ctk1 and Bur1. We discuss the possibility that Ssu72 intervenes at the capping checkpoint step of the transcription cycle.

Ascospore formation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Sporulation of the baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a response to nutrient depletion that allows a single diploid cell to give rise to four stress-resistant haploid spores. The formation of these spores requires a coordinated reorganization of cellular architecture. The construction of the spores can be broadly divided into two phases. The first is the generation of new membrane compartments within the cell cytoplasm that ultimately give rise to the spore plasma membranes. Proper assembly and growth of these membranes require modification of aspects of the constitutive secretory pathway and cytoskeleton by sporulation-specific functions. In the second phase, each immature spore becomes surrounded by a multilaminar spore wall that provides resistance to environmental stresses. This review focuses on our current understanding of the cellular rearrangements and the genes required in each of these phases to give rise to a wild-type spore.

A structural perspective of CTD function

The C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) integrates nuclear events by binding proteins involved in mRNA biogenesis. CTD-binding proteins recognize a specific CTD phosphorylation pattern, which changes during the transcription cycle, due to the action of CTD-modifying enzymes. Structural and functional studies of CTD-binding and -modifying proteins now reveal some of the mechanisms underlying CTD function. Proteins recognize CTD phosphorylation patterns either directly, by contacting phosphorylated residues, or indirectly, without contact to the phosphate. The catalytic mechanisms of CTD kinases and phosphatases are known, but the basis for CTD specificity of these enzymes remains to be understood.

Phosphorylation by Cak1 regulates the C-terminal domain kinase Ctk1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Ctk1 is a Saccharomyces cerevisiae cyclin-dependent protein kinase (CDK) that assembles with Ctk2 and Ctk3 to form an active protein kinase complex, CTDK-I. CTDK-I phosphorylates Ser2 within the RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain, an activity that is required for efficient transcriptional elongation and 3' RNA processing. Ctk1 contains a conserved T loop, which undergoes activating phosphorylation in other CDKs. We show that Ctk1 is phosphorylated on Thr-338 within the T loop. Mutation of this residue abolished Ctk1 kinase activity in vitro and resulted in a cold-sensitive phenotype. As with other yeast CDKs undergoing T-loop phosphorylation, Ctk1 phosphorylation on Thr-338 was dependent on the Cak1 protein kinase. Ctk1 isolated from cak1Delta cells was unphosphorylated and exhibited low protein kinase activity. Moreover, Cak1 directly phosphorylated Ctk1 in vitro. Unlike wild-type cells, cells expressing Ctk1(T338A) delayed growth at early stationary phase, did not show the increase in Ser2 phosphorylation that normally accompanies the transition from rapid growth to stationary phase, and had compromised transcriptional activation of two stationary-phase genes, CTT1 and SPI1. Therefore, Ctk1 phosphorylation on Thr-338 is carried out by Cak1 and is required for normal gene transcription during the transition into stationary phase.

Elongation by RNA polymerase II: the short and long of it

Appreciable advances into the process of transcript elongation by RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) have identified this stage as a dynamic and highly regulated step of the transcription cycle. Here, we discuss the many factors that regulate the elongation stage of transcription. Our discussion includes the classical elongation factors that modulate the activity of RNAP II, and the more recently identified factors that facilitate elongation on chromatin templates. Additionally, we discuss the factors that associate with RNAP II, but do not modulate its catalytic activity. Elongation is highlighted as a central process that coordinates multiple stages in mRNA biogenesis and maturation.

Phosphorylation of Serine 2 within the RNA Polymerase II C-Terminal Domain Couples Transcription and 3′ End Processing

The largest subunit of RNA polymerase II contains a unique C-terminal domain important for coupling of transcription and mRNA processing. This domain consists of a repeated heptameric sequence (YSPTSPS) phosphorylated at serines 2 and 5. Serine 5 is phosphorylated during initiation and recruits capping enzyme. Serine 2 is phosphorylated during elongation by the Ctk1 kinase, a protein similar to mammalian Cdk9/P-TEFb. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was used to map positions of transcription elongation and mRNA processing factors in strains lacking Ctk1. Ctk1 is not required for association of elongation factors with transcribing polymerase. However, in ctk1Delta strains, the recruitment of polyadenylation factors to 3' regions of genes is disrupted and changes in 3' ends are seen. Therefore, Serine 2 phosphorylation by Ctk1 recruits factors for cotranscriptional 3' end processing in vivo.

The Cdk-activating kinase Cak1p promotes meiotic S phase through Ime2p

CAK1 encodes an essential protein kinase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that is required for activation of the Cdc28p Cdk. CAK1 also has several CDC28-independent functions that are unique to meiosis. The earliest of these functions is to induce S phase, which is regulated differently in meiosis than in mitosis. In mitosis, Cdc28p controls its own S-phase-promoting activity by signaling the destruction of its inhibitor, Sic1p. In meiosis, Sic1p destruction is signaled by the meiosis-specific Ime2p protein kinase. Our data show that Cak1p is required to activate Ime2p through a mechanism that requires threonine 242 and tyrosine 244 in Ime2p's activation loop. This activation promotes autophosphorylation and accumulation of multiply phosphorylated forms of Ime2p during meiotic development. Consistent with Cak1p's role in activating Ime2p, cells lacking Cak1p are deficient in degrading Sic1p. Deletion of SIC1 or overexpression of IME2 can partially suppress the S-phase defect in cak1 mutant cells, suggesting that Ime2p is a key target of Cak1p regulation. These data show that Cak1p is required for the destruction of Sic1p in meiosis, as in mitosis, but in meiosis, it functions through a sporulation-specific kinase.

Characterization of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Cdk9/Pch1 protein kinase: Spt5 phosphorylation, autophosphorylation, and mutational analysis

Schizosaccharomyces pombe Cdk9/Pch1 protein kinase is a functional ortholog of the essential Saccharomyces cerevisiae Bur1/Bur2 kinase and a putative ortholog of metazoan P-TEFb (Cdk9/cyclin T). SpCdk9/Pch1 phosphorylates of the carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of the S. pombe transcription elongation factor Spt5, which consists of 18 tandem repeats of a nonapeptide of consensus sequence 1TPAWNSGSK9. We document the divalent cation dependence and specificity of SpCdk9/Pch1, its NTP dependence and specificity, the dependence of Spt5-CTD phosphorylation on the number of tandem nonamer repeats, and the specificity for phosphorylation of the Spt5-CTD on threonine at position 1 within the nonamer element. SpCdk9/Pch1 also phosphorylates the CTD heptaptide repeat array of the largest subunit of S. pombe RNA polymerase II (consensus sequence YSPTSPS) and does so exclusively on serine. SpCdk9/Pch1 catalyzes autophosphorylation of the kinase and cyclin subunits of the kinase complex. The distribution of phosphorylation sites on SpCdk9 (86% Ser(P), 11% Thr(P), 3% Tyr(P)) is distinct from that on Pch1 (2% Ser(P), 98% Thr(P)). We conducted a structure-guided mutational analysis of SpCdk9, whereby a total of 29 new mutations of 12 conserved residues were tested for in vivo function by complementation of a yeast bur1Delta mutant. We identified many lethal and conditional mutations of side chains implicated in binding ATP and the divalent cation cofactor, phosphoacceptor substrate recognition, and T-loop dynamics. We surmise that the lethality of the of T212A mutation in the T-loop reflects an essential phosphorylation event, insofar as the conservative T212S change rescued wild-type growth; the phosphomimetic T212E change rescued growth at 30 degrees C; and the effects of mutating the T-loop threonine were phenocopied by mutations in the three conserved arginines predicted to chelate the phosphate on the T-loop threonine.

Bur1 kinase is required for efficient transcription elongation by RNA polymerase II

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) Bur1 (Sgv1) may be homologous to mammalian Cdk9, which functions in transcriptional elongation. Although Bur1 can phosphorylate the Rpb1 carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) kinase in vitro, it has no strong specificity within the consensus heptapeptide YSPTSPS for Ser2 or Ser5. BUR1 mutants are sensitive to the drugs 6-azauracil and mycophenolic acid and interact genetically with the elongation factors Ctk1 and Spt5. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments show that Bur1 and its cyclin partner Bur2 are recruited to transcription elongation complexes, cross-linking to actively transcribing genes. Interestingly, Bur1 shows reduced cross-linking to transcribed regions downstream of polyadenylation sites. In addition, bur1 mutant strains have a reduced cross-linking ratio of RNA polymerase II at the 3' end of genes relative to promoter regions. Phosphorylation of CTD serines 2 and 5 appears normal in mutant cells, suggesting that Bur1 is not a significant source of cotranscriptional Rpb1 phosphorylation. These results show that Bur1 functions in transcription elongation but may phosphorylate a substrate other than the CTD.

Ssu72 is a phosphatase essential for transcription termination of snoRNAs and specific mRNAs in yeast

Ssu72 is an essential yeast protein that is involved in transcription. It physically interacts with transcription initiation and termination complexes. In this report, we provide evidence that Ssu72 is a phosphatase that physically interacts with the CTD kinase Kin28 and functionally interacts with the CTD phosphatase Fcp1. A genome-wide expression analysis of mutant ssu72-ts69 during growth in complete medium revealed a number of defects, including the accumulation of a limited number of mRNAs and the read-through transcription of small nucleolar RNAs and of some mRNAs. We hypothesize that Ssu72 plays a key role in the transcription termination of certain transcripts, possibly by promoting RNA polymerase pausing and release. The possibility that the CTD of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II is a substrate of Ssu72 is discussed.

Interactions between fission yeast Cdk9, its cyclin partner Pch1, and mRNA capping enzyme Pct1 suggest an elongation checkpoint for mRNA quality control

RNA polymerase II (pol II) is subject to an early elongation delay induced by negative factors Spt5/Spt4 and NELF, which is overcome by the positive factor P-TEFb (Cdk9/cyclin T), a protein kinase that phosphorylates the pol II C-terminal domain (CTD) and the transcription elongation factor Spt5. Although the rationale for this arrest and restart is unclear, recent studies suggest a connection to mRNA capping, which is coupled to transcription elongation via physical and functional interactions between the cap-forming enzymes, the CTD-PO(4), and Spt5. Here we identify a novel interaction between fission yeast RNA triphosphatase Pct1, the enzyme that initiates cap formation, and Schizosaccharomyces pombe Cdk9. The C-terminal segment of SpCdk9 comprises a Pct1-binding domain distinct from the N-terminal Cdk domain. We show that the Cdk domain interacts with S. pombe Pch1, a homolog of cyclin T, and that the purified recombinant SpCdk9/Pch1 heterodimer can phosphorylate both the pol II CTD and the C-terminal domain of S. pombe Spt5. We provide genetic evidence that SpCdk9 and Pch1 are functional orthologs of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae CTD kinase Bur1/Bur2, a putative yeast P-TEFb. Mutations of the kinase active site and the regulatory T-loop of SpCdk9 abolish its activity in vivo. Deleting the C-terminal domain of SpCdk9 causes a severe growth defect. We suggest a model whereby Spt5-induced arrest of early elongation ensures a temporal window for recruitment of the capping enzymes, which in turn attract Cdk9 to alleviate the arrest. This elongation checkpoint may avoid wasteful rounds of transcription of uncapped pre-mRNAs.