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Mandal K, Tomar SK, Kumar Santra M. Decoding the ubiquitin language: Orchestrating transcription initiation and gene expression through chromatin remodelers and histones. Gene 2024; 904:148218. [PMID: 38307220 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Eukaryotic transcription is a finely orchestrated process and it is controlled by transcription factors as well as epigenetic regulators. Transcription factors and epigenetic regulators undergo different types of posttranslational modifications including ubiquitination to control transcription process. Ubiquitination, traditionally associated with protein degradation, has emerged as a crucial contributor to the regulation of chromatin structure through ubiquitination of histone and chromatin remodelers. Ubiquitination introduces new layers of intricacy to the regulation of transcription initiation through controlling the equilibrium between euchromatin and heterochromatin states. Nucleosome, the fundamental units of chromatin, spacing in euchromatin and heterochromatin states are regulated by histone modification and chromatin remodeling complexes. Chromatin remodeling complexes actively sculpt the chromatin architecture and thereby influence the transcriptional states of genes. Therefore, understanding the dynamic behavior of nucleosome spacing is critical as it impacts various cellular functions through controlling gene expression profiles. In this comprehensive review, we discussed the intricate interplay between ubiquitination and transcription initiation, and illuminated the underlying molecular mechanisms that occur in a variety of biological contexts. This exploration sheds light on the complex regulatory networks that govern eukaryotic transcription, providing important insights into the fine orchestration of gene expression and chromatin dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kartik Mandal
- Cancer Biology Division, National Centre for Cell Science, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune, Maharashtra 411007, India; Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune, Maharashtra 411007, India
| | - Shiva Kumar Tomar
- Cancer Biology Division, National Centre for Cell Science, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune, Maharashtra 411007, India; Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune, Maharashtra 411007, India
| | - Manas Kumar Santra
- Cancer Biology Division, National Centre for Cell Science, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune, Maharashtra 411007, India.
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2
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Leydon AR, Downing B, Sanchez JS, Loll-Krippleber R, Belliveau NM, Rodriguez-Mias RA, Bauer A, Watson IJ, Bae L, Villén J, Brown GW, Nemhauser JL. A conserved function of corepressors is to nucleate assembly of the transcriptional preinitiation complex. bioRxiv 2024:2024.04.01.587599. [PMID: 38617365 PMCID: PMC11014602 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.01.587599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
The plant corepressor TPL is recruited to diverse chromatin contexts, yet its mechanism of repression remains unclear. Previously, we have leveraged the fact that TPL retains its function in a synthetic transcriptional circuit in the yeast model Saccharomyces cerevisiae to localize repressive function to two distinct domains. Here, we employed two unbiased whole genome approaches to map the physical and genetic interactions of TPL at a repressed locus. We identified SPT4, SPT5 and SPT6 as necessary for repression with the SPT4 subunit acting as a bridge connecting TPL to SPT5 and SPT6. We also discovered the association of multiple additional constituents of the transcriptional preinitiation complex at TPL-repressed promoters, specifically those involved in early transcription initiation events. These findings were validated in yeast and plants through multiple assays, including a novel method to analyze conditional loss of function of essential genes in plants. Our findings support a model where TPL nucleates preassembly of the transcription activation machinery to facilitate rapid onset of transcription once repression is relieved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Benjamin Downing
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Andrew Bauer
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195, USA
| | | | - Lena Bae
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195, USA
| | - Judit Villén
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195, USA
| | - Grant W. Brown
- Department of Biochemistry and Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CA
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3
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Biernat E, Verma M, Govind CK. Genome-wide regulation of Pol II, FACT, and Spt6 occupancies by RSC in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Gene 2024; 893:147959. [PMID: 37923091 PMCID: PMC10872467 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
RSC (remodels the structure of chromatin) is an essential ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. RSC utilizes its ATPase subunit, Sth1, to slide or remove nucleosomes. RSC has been shown to regulate the width of the nucleosome-depleted regions (NDRs) by sliding the flanking nucleosomes away from NDRs. As such, when RSC is depleted, nucleosomes encroach NDRs, leading to transcription initiation defects. In this study, we examined the effects of the catalytic-dead Sth1 on transcription and compared them to those observed during acute and rapid Sth1 depletion by auxin-induced degron strategy. We found that rapid depletion of Sth1 reduces recruitment of TBP and Pol II in highly transcribed genes, as would be expected considering its role in regulating chromatin structure at promoters. In contrast, cells harboring the catalytic-dead Sth1 (sth1-K501R) exhibited a severe reduction in TBP binding, but, surprisingly, also displayed a substantial accumulation in Pol II occupancies within coding regions. The Pol II occupancies further increased upon depleting endogenous Sth1 in the catalytic-dead mutant, suggesting that the inactive Sth1 contributes to Pol II accumulation in coding regions. Notwithstanding the Pol II increase, the ORF occupancies of histone chaperones, FACT and Spt6 were significantly reduced in the mutant. These results suggest a potential role for RSC in recruiting/retaining these chaperones in coding regions. Pol II accumulation despite substantial reductions in TBP, FACT, and Spt6 occupancies in the catalytic-dead mutant could indicate severe transcription elongation and termination defects. Such defects would be consistent with studies showing that RSC is recruited to coding regions in a transcription-dependent manner. Thus, these findings imply a role for RSC in transcription elongation and termination processes, in addition to its established role in transcription initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Biernat
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mathematics and Science Center, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, USA
| | - Mansi Verma
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mathematics and Science Center, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, USA
| | - Chhabi K Govind
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mathematics and Science Center, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, USA.
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4
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Trofimova E, Logel DY, Jaschke PR. An Improved Method for Eliminating or Creating Intragenic Bacterial Promoters. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2760:199-207. [PMID: 38468090 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3658-9_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Recent advances in genomic refactoring have been hindered by the ever-present complication of internal or cryptic transcriptional regulation. Typical approaches to these features have been to randomize or perform mass alterations to the gene sequences thought to contain the regulatory motifs; however, this approach can cause problems by altering translational speeds, introducing long distance DNA-DNA interaction effects, and inducing RNA toxicity. Previously, we developed a rational design approach named COdon Restrained Promoter SilEncing (CORPSE) which takes externally identified promoter sequences and uses position-specific scoring matrices as proxy promoter strengths to make minimal changes to promoter sequences to disable their activity. Additionally, through inverting our system we were also able to modify weak internal promoters to increase their activity. In this chapter, we augment our previous process with the biophysical model Promoter Calculator v1.0 developed by LaFleur et al. to combine promoter identification and activity prediction, with our algorithm to silently modify promoter sequences, to provide more robust promoter elimination and creation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellina Trofimova
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Dominic Y Logel
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Paul R Jaschke
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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5
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O'Brien MJ, Gurdziel K, Ansari A. Global Run-On sequencing to measure nascent transcription in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Methods 2023; 217:18-26. [PMID: 37356780 PMCID: PMC10529987 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2023.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Global Run-On sequencing is a reliable and widely used approach for monitoring nascent transcription on a genomewide scale. The assay has been successfully used for studying global transcription in humans, plants, worms, flies, and fission yeast. Here we describe a GRO-seq protocol for studying transcription in budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Briefly, the technique involves permeabilization of actively growing yeast cells, allowing transcription to proceed in permeabilized cells in the presence of brominated UTP, affinity purification of bromo-UMP incorporated nascent transcripts followed by cDNA library construction, deep sequencing, and mapping against the reference genome. The approach maps the position of transcriptionally active RNA polymerase on a genomewide basis. In addition to identifying the complete set of transcriptionally active genes in a cell under a given set of conditions, the method can be used to determine elongation rate, termination defect and promoter directionality at the genomewide level. The approach is especially useful in identifying short-lived unstable transcripts that are rapidly degraded even before they leave the nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J O'Brien
- Department of Biological Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | | | - Athar Ansari
- Department of Biological Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
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6
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Li C, Yin Z, Xiao R, Huang B, Cui Y, Wang H, Xiang Y, Wang L, Lei L, Ye J, Li T, Zhong Y, Guo F, Xia Y, Fang P, Liang K. G-quadruplexes sense natural porphyrin metabolites for regulation of gene transcription and chromatin landscapes. Genome Biol 2022; 23:259. [PMID: 36522639 PMCID: PMC9753424 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02830-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND G-quadruplexes (G4s) are unique noncanonical nucleic acid secondary structures, which have been proposed to physically interact with transcription factors and chromatin remodelers to regulate cell type-specific transcriptome and shape chromatin landscapes. RESULTS Based on the direct interaction between G4 and natural porphyrins, we establish genome-wide approaches to profile where the iron-liganded porphyrin hemin can bind in the chromatin. Hemin promotes genome-wide G4 formation, impairs transcription initiation, and alters chromatin landscapes, including decreased H3K27ac and H3K4me3 modifications at promoters. Interestingly, G4 status is not involved in the canonical hemin-BACH1-NRF2-mediated enhancer activation process, highlighting an unprecedented G4-dependent mechanism for metabolic regulation of transcription. Furthermore, hemin treatment induces specific gene expression profiles in hepatocytes, underscoring the in vivo potential for metabolic control of gene transcription by porphyrins. CONCLUSIONS These studies demonstrate that G4 functions as a sensor for natural porphyrin metabolites in cells, revealing a G4-dependent mechanism for metabolic regulation of gene transcription and chromatin landscapes, which will deepen our knowledge of G4 biology and the contribution of cellular metabolites to gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conghui Li
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Zhinang Yin
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Ruijing Xiao
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Beili Huang
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Yali Cui
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Honghong Wang
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Ying Xiang
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Lingrui Wang
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Lingyu Lei
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Jiaqin Ye
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Tianyu Li
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Youquan Zhong
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Fangteng Guo
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Yuchen Xia
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China ,grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153State Key Laboratory of Virology and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China ,grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Pingping Fang
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
| | - Kaiwei Liang
- grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China ,grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China ,grid.49470.3e0000 0001 2331 6153Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071 China
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7
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Mitra P, Banerjee S, Khandavalli C, Deshmukh AS. The role of Toxoplasma TFIIS-like protein in the early stages of mRNA transcription. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2022; 1866:130240. [PMID: 36058424 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2022.130240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mRNA transcription is a multistep process involving distinct sets of proteins associated with RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) through various stages. Recent studies have highlighted the role of RNAPII-associated proteins in facilitating the assembly of functional complexes in a crowded nuclear milieu. RNAPII dynamics and gene expression regulation have been primarily studied in model eukaryotes like yeasts and mammals and remain largely unchartered in protozoan parasites like Toxoplasma gondii, where considerable gene expression changes accompany stage differentiations. Here we report a key modulator of RNAPII activity, TFIIS in Toxoplasma gondii (TgTFIIS). METHODS A Pull-down assay demonstrated that TgTFIIS binds to RNAPII subunit TgRPB1. Truncation mutants of TFIIS help us define the regions critical for its binding to TgRPB1. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis confirmed the interaction between the native TgTFIIS and TgRPB1. Confocal microscopy revealed a predominantly nuclear localization. Native TgTFIIS was able to bind promoter DNA which was consistent with the CHIP results. RESULTS TgTFIIS complements initiation defects in yeast mutants, and the regions implicated in RNAPII binding appeared essential for this function. Interestingly, the C-terminal zinc finger domain necessary for its potential elongation function is dispensable for TgRPB1 binding. TgTFIIS was found to be associated with the promoter region along with its association with the ORF on an RNAPII transcribed gene. CONCLUSION The observations were in line with the potential role of TgTFIIS in early events of RNAPII transcription in addition to elongation. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE The study elucidates the potential role of RNAPII-associated proteins in multiple steps of transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pallabi Mitra
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India.
| | - Sneha Banerjee
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
| | - Chittiraju Khandavalli
- DBT-National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India; Dept. of Graduate Studies, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, Haryana, India
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8
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Mehmedović M, Martucci M, Spåhr H, Ishak L, Mishra A, Sanchez-Sandoval ME, Pardo-Hernández C, Peter B, van den Wildenberg SM, Falkenberg M, Farge G. Disease causing mutation (P178L) in mitochondrial transcription factor A results in impaired mitochondrial transcription initiation. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2022; 1868:166467. [PMID: 35716868 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2022.166467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) is essential for the maintenance, expression, and packaging of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Recently, a pathogenic homozygous variant in TFAM (P178L) has been associated with a severe mtDNA depletion syndrome leading to neonatal liver failure and early death. We have performed a biochemical characterization of the TFAM variant P178L in order to understand the molecular basis for the pathogenicity of this mutation. We observe no effects on DNA binding, and compaction of DNA is only mildly affected by the P178L amino acid change. Instead, the mutation severely impairs mtDNA transcription initiation at the mitochondrial heavy and light strand promoters. Molecular modeling suggests that the P178L mutation affects promoter sequence recognition and the interaction between TFAM and the tether helix of POLRMT, thus explaining transcription initiation deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majda Mehmedović
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 440, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Martial Martucci
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique de Clermont, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Henrik Spåhr
- Department of Mitochondrial Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, 50931 Cologne, Germany; Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 17177, Sweden; Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing - Karolinska Institutet Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 17177, Sweden
| | - Layal Ishak
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 440, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anup Mishra
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 440, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Maria Eugenia Sanchez-Sandoval
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 440, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Carlos Pardo-Hernández
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 440, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bradley Peter
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 440, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Siet M van den Wildenberg
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique de Clermont, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, Université Jean Monnet Saint Etienne, LMV, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Maria Falkenberg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 440, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Geraldine Farge
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique de Clermont, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
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Abstract
Transcription start site (TSS) usage is a critical factor in the regulation of gene expression. A number of methods for global TSS mapping have been developed, but barriers of expense, technical difficulty, time, and/or cost have limited their broader adoption. To address these issues, we developed Survey of TRanscription Initiation at Promoter Elements with high-throughput sequencing (STRIPE-seq). Requiring only three enzymatic steps with intervening bead cleanups, a STRIPE-seq library can be prepared from as little as 50 ng total RNA in ~5 h at a cost of ~$12 (US). In addition to profiling TSS usage, STRIPE-seq provides information on transcript levels that can be used for differential expression analysis. Thanks to its simplicity and low cost, we envision that STRIPE-seq could be employed by any molecular biology laboratory interested in profiling transcription initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gabriel E Zentner
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- eGenesis, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA.
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10
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Nguyen VQ, Ranjan A, Liu S, Tang X, Ling YH, Wisniewski J, Mizuguchi G, Li KY, Jou V, Zheng Q, Lavis LD, Lionnet T, Wu C. Spatiotemporal coordination of transcription preinitiation complex assembly in live cells. Mol Cell 2021; 81:3560-3575.e6. [PMID: 34375585 PMCID: PMC8420877 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2021.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Transcription initiation by RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) requires preinitiation complex (PIC) assembly at gene promoters. In the dynamic nucleus, where thousands of promoters are broadly distributed in chromatin, it is unclear how multiple individual components converge on any target to establish the PIC. Here we use live-cell, single-molecule tracking in S. cerevisiae to visualize constrained exploration of the nucleoplasm by PIC components and Mediator's key role in guiding this process. On chromatin, TFIID/TATA-binding protein (TBP), Mediator, and RNA Pol II instruct assembly of a short-lived PIC, which occurs infrequently but efficiently within a few seconds on average. Moreover, PIC exclusion by nucleosome encroachment underscores regulated promoter accessibility by chromatin remodeling. Thus, coordinated nuclear exploration and recruitment to accessible targets underlies dynamic PIC establishment in yeast. Our study provides a global spatiotemporal model for transcription initiation in live cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vu Q Nguyen
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Anand Ranjan
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Sheng Liu
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Xiaona Tang
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Yick Hin Ling
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Jan Wisniewski
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA; Experimental Immunology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Gaku Mizuguchi
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Kai Yu Li
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Vivian Jou
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Qinsi Zheng
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Luke D Lavis
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Timothée Lionnet
- Institute of Systems Genetics, Langone Medical Center, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Carl Wu
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
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11
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Shilling PJ, Daley DO. Implementing Novel Designs in pET Expression Plasmids that Increase Protein Production. Bio Protoc 2021; 11:e4133. [PMID: 34541050 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
pET expression plasmids are widely used in the biotechnology, biopharmaceutical, and basic research sectors for the production of recombinant proteins. Typically, they are used off-the-shelf because they support high production titers; however, we have identified two design flaws in many pET plasmids that limit their production capacity. We used modern methods of DNA assembly and directed evolution to identify improved designs for these modules and demonstrated that these designs support higher protein production yields. Herein, we present two PCR protocols for implementing the designs and increasing protein production from existing pET expression plasmids. Graphic abstract: A simple workflow for implementing novel designs in pET expression plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick J Shilling
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratories for Natural Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daniel O Daley
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Arrhenius Laboratories for Natural Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,CloneOpt AB, Upplands Väsby, Sweden
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12
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Monfils K, Barakat TS. Models behind the mystery of establishing enhancer-promoter interactions. Eur J Cell Biol 2021; 100:151170. [PMID: 34246183 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2021.151170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancers and promoters are transcriptional regulatory elements whose facilitated interactions increase gene expression. Enhancer DNA sequences can be located far away from the promoter sequences that they regulate. Currently, the mechanism facilitating the establishment of enhancer-promoter interactions remains unclear. However, mutations causing errors in these interactions have been linked to cancer and disease, further conveying the need to understand the full mechanism. This review discusses multiple models that have been proposed to describe how enhancers go the distance to interact with promoters. Evidence supporting loop formation models is reviewed in addition to more complex hypotheses involving aspects of 3D chromatin organization and phase separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Monfils
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tahsin Stefan Barakat
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
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13
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Kuper J, Kisker C. Three targets in one complex: A molecular perspective of TFIIH in cancer therapy. DNA Repair (Amst) 2021; 105:103143. [PMID: 34144487 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2021.103143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The general transcription factor II H (TFIIH) plays an essential role in transcription and nucleotide excision DNA repair (NER). TFIIH is a complex 10 subunit containing molecular machine that harbors three enzymatic activities while the remaining subunits assume regulatory and/or structural functions. Intriguingly, the three enzymatic activities of the CDK7 kinase, the XPB translocase, and the XPD helicase exert different impacts on the overall activities of TFIIH. While the enzymatic function of the XPD helicase is exclusively required in NER, the CDK7 kinase is deeply involved in transcription, whereas XPB is essential to both processes. Recent structural and biochemical endeavors enabled unprecedented details towards the molecular basis of these different TFIIH functions and how the enzymatic activities are regulated within the entire complex. Due to its involvement in two fundamental processes, TFIIH has become increasingly important as a target in cancer therapy and two of the three enzymes have already been addressed successfully. Here we explore the possibilities of recent high resolution structures in the context of TFIIH druggability and shed light on the functional consequences of the different approaches towards TFIIH inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen Kuper
- Rudolf Virchow Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
| | - Caroline Kisker
- Rudolf Virchow Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
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14
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Liu Q, Jiang F, Zhang J, Li X, Kang L. Transcription initiation of distant core promoters in a large-sized genome of an insect. BMC Biol 2021; 19:62. [PMID: 33785021 PMCID: PMC8011201 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01004-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Core promoters have a substantial influence on various steps of transcription, including initiation, elongation, termination, polyadenylation, and finally, translation. The characterization of core promoters is crucial for exploring the regulatory code of transcription initiation. However, the current understanding of insect core promoters is focused on those of Diptera (especially Drosophila) species with small genome sizes. Results Here, we present an analysis of the transcription start sites (TSSs) in the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria, which has a genome size of 6.5 Gb. The genomic differences, including lower precision of transcription initiation and fewer constraints on the distance from transcription factor binding sites or regulatory elements to TSSs, were revealed in locusts compared with Drosophila insects. Furthermore, we found a distinct bimodal log distribution of the distances from the start codons to the core promoters of locust genes. We found stricter constraints on the exon length of mRNA leaders and widespread expression activity of the distant core promoters in locusts compared with fruit flies. We further compared core promoters in seven arthropod species across a broad range of genome sizes to reinforce our results on the emergence of distant core promoters in large-sized genomes. Conclusions In summary, our results provide novel insights into the effects of genome size expansion on distant transcription initiation. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-01004-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Feng Jiang
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Le Kang
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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15
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Puthiyaveetil S, McKenzie SD, Kayanja GE, Ibrahim IM. Transcription initiation as a control point in plastid gene expression. Biochim Biophys Acta Gene Regul Mech 2021; 1864:194689. [PMID: 33561560 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2021.194689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The extensive processing and protein-assisted stabilization of transcripts have been taken as evidence for a viewpoint that the control of gene expression had shifted entirely in evolution from transcriptional in the bacterial endosymbiont to posttranscriptional in the plastid. This suggestion is however at odds with many observations on plastid gene transcription. Chloroplasts of flowering plants and mosses contain two or more RNA polymerases with distinct promoter preference and division of labor for the coordinated synthesis of plastid RNAs. Plant and algal plastids further possess multiple nonredundant sigma factors that function as transcription initiation factors. The controlled accumulation of plastid sigma factors and modification of their activity by sigma-binding proteins and phosphorylation constitute additional transcriptional regulatory strategies. Plant and algal plastids also contain dedicated one- or two-component transcriptional regulators. Transcription initiation thus continues to form a critical control point at which varied developmental and environmental signals intersect with plastid gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujith Puthiyaveetil
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
| | - Steven D McKenzie
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Gilbert E Kayanja
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Iskander M Ibrahim
- Department of Biochemistry and Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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16
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Zhang H, Lu Z, Zhan Y, Rodriguez J, Lu C, Xue Y, Lin Z. Distinct roles of nucleosome sliding and histone modifications in controlling the fidelity of transcription initiation. RNA Biol 2021; 18:1642-1652. [PMID: 33280509 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2020.1860389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulation of gene expression starts from the transcription initiation. Regulated transcription initiation is critical for generating correct transcripts with proper abundance. The impact of epigenetic control, such as histone modifications and chromatin remodelling, on gene regulation has been extensively investigated, but their specific role in regulating transcription initiation is far from well understood. Here we aimed to better understand the roles of genes involved in histone H3 methylations and chromatin remodelling on the regulation of transcription initiation at a genome-scale using the budding yeast as a study system. We obtained and compared maps of transcription start site (TSS) at single-nucleotide resolution by nAnT-iCAGE for a strain with depletion of MINC (Mot1-Ino80C-Nc2) by Mot1p and Ino80p anchor-away (Mot1&Ino80AA) and a strain with loss of histone methylation (set1Δset2Δdot1Δ) to their wild-type controls. Our study showed that the depletion of MINC stimulated transcription initiation from many new sites flanking the dominant TSS of genes, while the loss of histone methylation generates more TSSs in the coding region. Moreover, the depletion of MINC led to less confined boundaries of TSS clusters (TCs) and resulted in broader core promoters, and such patterns are not present in the ssdΔ mutant. Our data also exhibits that the MINC has distinctive impacts on TATA-containing and TATA-less promoters. In conclusion, our study shows that MINC is required for accurate identification of bona fide TSSs, particularly in TATA-containing promoters, and histone methylation contributes to the repression of transcription initiation in coding regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiming Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Pharmaceutical Compound Screening, School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Zhaolian Lu
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Yu Zhan
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Judith Rodriguez
- Program of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Chen Lu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Pharmaceutical Compound Screening, School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, China.,Jiangsu Institute of Marine Resources Development, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, China.,Co-Innovation Center of Jiangsu Marine Bio-industry Technology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Yong Xue
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Pharmaceutical Compound Screening, School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, China.,Co-Innovation Center of Jiangsu Marine Bio-industry Technology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Zhenguo Lin
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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17
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Miura M, Chen H. CUT&RUN detects distinct DNA footprints of RNA polymerase II near the transcription start sites. Chromosome Res 2020; 28:381-393. [PMID: 33070289 PMCID: PMC7691310 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-020-09643-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
CUT&RUN is a powerful tool to study protein-DNA interactions in vivo. DNA fragments cleaved by the targeted micrococcal nuclease identify the footprints of DNA-binding proteins on the chromatin. We performed CUT&RUN on human lung carcinoma cell line A549 maintained in a multi-well cell culture plate to profile RNA polymerase II. Long (> 270 bp) DNA fragments released by CUT&RUN corresponded to the bimodal peak around the transcription start sites, as previously seen with chromatin immunoprecipitation. However, we found that short (< 120 bp) fragments identify a well-defined peak localised at the transcription start sites. This distinct DNA footprint of short fragments, which constituted only about 5% of the total reads, suggests the transient positioning of RNA polymerase II before promoter-proximal pausing, which has not been detected in the physiological settings by standard chromatin immunoprecipitation. We showed that the positioning of the large-size-class DNA footprints around the short-fragment peak was associated with the directionality of transcription, demonstrating the biological significance of distinct CUT&RUN footprints of RNA polymerase II.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michi Miura
- State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Honglin Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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18
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Tsutakawa SE, Tsai CL, Yan C, Bralić A, Chazin WJ, Hamdan SM, Schärer OD, Ivanov I, Tainer JA. Envisioning how the prototypic molecular machine TFIIH functions in transcription initiation and DNA repair. DNA Repair (Amst) 2020; 96:102972. [PMID: 33007515 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2020.102972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Critical for transcription initiation and bulky lesion DNA repair, TFIIH provides an exemplary system to connect molecular mechanisms to biological outcomes due to its strong genetic links to different specific human diseases. Recent advances in structural and computational biology provide a unique opportunity to re-examine biologically relevant molecular structures and develop possible mechanistic insights for the large dynamic TFIIH complex. TFIIH presents many puzzles involving how its two SF2 helicase family enzymes, XPB and XPD, function in transcription initiation and repair: how do they initiate transcription, detect and verify DNA damage, select the damaged strand for incision, coordinate repair with transcription and cell cycle through Cdk-activating-kinase (CAK) signaling, and result in very different specific human diseases associated with cancer, aging, and development from single missense mutations? By joining analyses of breakthrough cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures and advanced computation with data from biochemistry and human genetics, we develop unified concepts and molecular level understanding for TFIIH functions with a focus on structural mechanisms. We provocatively consider that TFIIH may have first evolved from evolutionary pressure for TCR to resolve arrested transcription blocks to DNA replication and later added its key roles in transcription initiation and global DNA repair. We anticipate that this level of mechanistic information will have significant impact on thinking about TFIIH, laying a robust foundation suitable to develop new paradigms for DNA transcription initiation and repair along with insights into disease prevention, susceptibility, diagnosis and interventions.
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19
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Chen J, Chiu C, Gopalkrishnan S, Chen AY, Olinares PDB, Saecker RM, Winkelman JT, Maloney MF, Chait BT, Ross W, Gourse RL, Campbell EA, Darst SA. Stepwise Promoter Melting by Bacterial RNA Polymerase. Mol Cell 2020; 78:275-288.e6. [PMID: 32160514 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Transcription initiation requires formation of the open promoter complex (RPo). To generate RPo, RNA polymerase (RNAP) unwinds the DNA duplex to form the transcription bubble and loads the DNA into the RNAP active site. RPo formation is a multi-step process with transient intermediates of unknown structure. We use single-particle cryoelectron microscopy to visualize seven intermediates containing Escherichia coli RNAP with the transcription factor TraR en route to forming RPo. The structures span the RPo formation pathway from initial recognition of the duplex promoter in a closed complex to the final RPo. The structures and supporting biochemical data define RNAP and promoter DNA conformational changes that delineate steps on the pathway, including previously undetected transient promoter-RNAP interactions that contribute to populating the intermediates but do not occur in RPo. Our work provides a structural basis for understanding RPo formation and its regulation, a major checkpoint in gene expression throughout evolution.
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20
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Morioka MS, Kawaji H, Nishiyori-Sueki H, Murata M, Kojima-Ishiyama M, Carninci P, Itoh M. Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE): A Quantitative and Genome-Wide Assay of Transcription Start Sites. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2120:277-301. [PMID: 32124327 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0327-7_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE) is an approach to identify and monitor the activity (transcription initiation frequency) of transcription start sites (TSSs) at single base-pair resolution across the genome. It has been effectively used to identify active promoter and enhancer regions in cancer cells, with potential utility to identify key factors to immunotherapy. Here, we overview a series of CAGE protocols and describe detailed experimental steps of the latest protocol based on the Illumina sequencing platform; both experimental steps (see Subheadings 3.1-3.11) and computational processing steps (see Subheadings 3.12-3.20) are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Suimye Morioka
- Preventive Medicine and Applied Genomics Unit, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS), Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hideya Kawaji
- Preventive Medicine and Applied Genomics Unit, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS), Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.,RIKEN Preventive Medicine and Diagnosis Innovation Program (PMI), Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.,Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiromi Nishiyori-Sueki
- Laboratory for Transcriptome Technology, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS), Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Mitsuyoshi Murata
- Laboratory for Transcriptome Technology, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS), Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Miki Kojima-Ishiyama
- Laboratory for Transcriptome Technology, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS), Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Piero Carninci
- Laboratory for Transcriptome Technology, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS), Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Itoh
- RIKEN Preventive Medicine and Diagnosis Innovation Program (PMI), Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
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21
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Abstract
Application of Transcription Start Site (TSS) profiling technologies, coupled with large-scale next-generation sequencing (NGS) has yielded valuable insights into the location, structure, and activity of promoters across diverse metazoan model systems. In insects, TSS profiling has been used to characterize the promoter architecture of Drosophila melanogaster (Hoskins et al., Genome Res 21(2):182-192, 2011) and subsequently was employed to reveal widespread transposon-driven alternative promoter usage in the fruit fly (Batut et al., Genome Res 23:169-180, 2012).In this chapter we discuss the computational analysis of the experimental data derived from one of TSS profiling methods, RAMPAGE (RNA Annotation and Mapping of Promoters for Analysis of Gene Expression) that can be used for the precise, quantitative identification of promoters in insect genomes. We demonstrate this using the software tools GoRAMPAGE (Brendel and Raborn, GoRAMPAGE-A workflow for promoter detection by 5'-read mapping. https://github.com/BrendelGroup/GoRAMPAGE , 2016) and TSRchitect (Raborn and Brendel, TSRchitect: promoter identification from large-scale TSS profiling data. R Bioconductor package version 1.8.0 [Online]. Available: http://bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/TSRchitect.html , 2017), providing detailed instructions with the aim of taking the user from raw reads to processed results.
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22
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Abstract
Recent studies reveal that some nuclear microRNAs (miRNA) and synthesized siRNAs target gene promoters to activate gene transcription (RNAa). Interestingly, our group identified a novel HIV-1-encoded miRNA, miR-H3, which targets specifically the core promoter TATA box of HIV-1 and activates viral gene expression. Depletion of miR-H3 significantly impaired the replication of HIV-1. miR-H3 mimics could activate viruses from CD4+ T cells isolated from patients receiving suppressive highly active antiretroviral therapy, which is very intriguing for reducing HIV-1 latent reservoir. Further study revealed that many cellular miRNAs also function like miR-H3. For instance, let-7i targets the TATA box of the interleukin-2 (IL-2) promoter and upregulates IL-2 expression in T-lymphocytes. In RNAa induced by TATA box-targeting miRNAs, Argonaute (AGO) proteins are needed, but there is no evidence for the involvement of promoter-associated transcripts or epigenetic modifications. We propose that the binding of small RNA-AGO complex to TATA box could facilitate the assembly of RNA Polymerase II transcription preinitiation complex. In addition, synthesized small RNAs targeting TATA box can also efficiently activate transcription of interested genes, such as insulin, IL-2, and c-Myc. The discovery of RNAa induced by TATA box-targeting miRNA provides an easy-to-use tool for activating gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijun Zhang
- Institute of Human Virology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.,Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.,Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Hui Zhang
- Institute of Human Virology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China. .,Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
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23
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Abstract
A systems-level view of cellular gene expression requires understanding the mechanistic principles governing each step of transcription. In this chapter, we describe a massively multiplexed method for the analysis of the relationship between nucleic acid sequence and transcription termed "MASTER," for massively systematic transcript end readout. MASTER enables parallel measurements of transcription output from at least 410 (~1,000,000) individual template sequences in vitro and in vivo. MASTER involves constructing a DNA template library of barcoded sequences, generating RNA transcripts from the library during transcription in vitro or in vivo, and analyzing the relative abundance and 5'-end sequences of the RNA transcripts by high-throughput sequencing. MASTER provides a powerful, rapid, and versatile method to identify sequence determinants of each step of transcription and to define the mechanistic basis by which these sequence determinants dictate transcription output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina O Vvedenskaya
- Waksman Institute and Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Seth R Goldman
- Waksman Institute and Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Bryce E Nickels
- Waksman Institute and Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States.
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24
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Ramsay EP, Vannini A. Structural rearrangements of the RNA polymerase III machinery during tRNA transcription initiation. Biochim Biophys Acta Gene Regul Mech 2018; 1861:285-294. [PMID: 29155071 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2017.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Revised: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
RNA polymerase III catalyses the synthesis of tRNAs in eukaryotic organisms. Through combined biochemical and structural characterisation, multiple auxiliary factors have been identified alongside RNA Polymerase III as critical in both facilitating and regulating transcription. Together, this machinery forms dynamic multi-protein complexes at tRNA genes which are required for polymerase recruitment, DNA opening and initiation and elongation of the tRNA transcripts. Central to the function of these complexes is their ability to undergo multiple conformational changes and rearrangements that regulate each step. Here, we discuss the available biochemical and structural data on the structural plasticity of multi-protein complexes involved in RNA Polymerase III transcriptional initiation and facilitated re-initiation during tRNA synthesis. Increasingly, structural information is becoming available for RNA polymerase III and its functional complexes, allowing for a deeper understanding of tRNA transcriptional initiation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: SI: Regulation of tRNA synthesis and modification in physiological conditions and disease edited by Dr. Boguta Magdalena.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Eukaryotic Cells/metabolism
- Humans
- Models, Genetic
- Multiprotein Complexes/metabolism
- Promoter Regions, Genetic/genetics
- Protein Subunits
- RNA Polymerase III/chemistry
- RNA Polymerase III/metabolism
- RNA, Transfer/biosynthesis
- RNA, Transfer/genetics
- RNA, Transfer, Amino Acid-Specific/biosynthesis
- RNA, Transfer, Amino Acid-Specific/genetics
- Transcription Elongation, Genetic
- Transcription Factors/genetics
- Transcription Initiation, Genetic
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25
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Danks GB, Navratilova P, Lenhard B, Thompson EM. Distinct core promoter codes drive transcription initiation at key developmental transitions in a marine chordate. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:164. [PMID: 29482522 PMCID: PMC6389100 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4504-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Development is largely driven by transitions between transcriptional programs. The initiation of transcription at appropriate sites in the genome is a key component of this and yet few rules governing selection are known. Here, we used cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE) to generate bp-resolution maps of transcription start sites (TSSs) across the genome of Oikopleura dioica, a member of the closest living relatives to vertebrates. Results Our TSS maps revealed promoter features in common with vertebrates, as well as striking differences, and uncovered key roles for core promoter elements in the regulation of development. During spermatogenesis there is a genome-wide shift in mode of transcription initiation characterized by a novel core promoter element. This element was associated with > 70% of male-specific transcription, including the use of cryptic internal promoters within operons. In many cases this led to the exclusion of trans-splice sites, revealing a novel mechanism for regulating which mRNAs receive the spliced leader. Binding of the cell cycle regulator, E2F1, is enriched at the TSS of maternal genes in endocycling nurse nuclei. In addition, maternal promoters lack the TATA-like element found in zebrafish and have broad, rather than sharp, architectures with ordered nucleosomes. Promoters of ribosomal protein genes lack the highly conserved TCT initiator. We also report an association between DNA methylation on transcribed gene bodies and the TATA-box. Conclusions Our results reveal that distinct functional promoter classes and overlapping promoter codes are present in protochordates like in vertebrates, but show extraordinary lineage-specific innovations. Furthermore, we uncover a genome-wide, developmental stage-specific shift in the mode of TSS selection. Our results provide a rich resource for the study of promoter structure and evolution in Metazoa. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4504-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma B Danks
- Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, N-5006, Norway.
| | - Pavla Navratilova
- Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, N-5006, Norway
| | - Boris Lenhard
- Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, N-5006, Norway.,Computational Regulatory Genomics, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, London, W12 0NN, United Kingdom.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - Eric M Thompson
- Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, N-5006, Norway. .,Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, N-5006, Norway.
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26
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Meers MP, Adelman K, Duronio RJ, Strahl BD, McKay DJ, Matera AG. Transcription start site profiling uncovers divergent transcription and enhancer-associated RNAs in Drosophila melanogaster. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:157. [PMID: 29466941 PMCID: PMC5822475 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4510-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background High-resolution transcription start site (TSS) mapping in D. melanogaster embryos and cell lines has revealed a rich and detailed landscape of both cis- and trans-regulatory elements and factors. However, TSS profiling has not been investigated in an orthogonal in vivo setting. Here, we present a comprehensive dataset that links TSS dynamics with nucleosome occupancy and gene expression in the wandering third instar larva, a developmental stage characterized by large-scale shifts in transcriptional programs in preparation for metamorphosis. Results The data recapitulate major regulatory classes of TSSs, based on peak width, promoter-proximal polymerase pausing, and cis-regulatory element density. We confirm the paucity of divergent transcription units in D. melanogaster, but also identify notable exceptions. Furthermore, we identify thousands of novel initiation events occurring at unannotated TSSs that can be classified into functional categories by their local density of histone modifications. Interestingly, a sub-class of these unannotated TSSs overlaps with functionally validated enhancer elements, consistent with a regulatory role for “enhancer RNAs” (eRNAs) in defining developmental transcription programs. Conclusions High-depth TSS mapping is a powerful strategy for identifying and characterizing low-abundance and/or low-stability RNAs. Global analysis of transcription initiation patterns in a developing organism reveals a vast number of novel initiation events that identify potential eRNAs as well as other non-coding transcripts critical for animal development. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4510-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Meers
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, USA.,Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.,Departments of Biology and Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, USA
| | - Karen Adelman
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Robert J Duronio
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, USA.,Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.,Departments of Biology and Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, USA
| | - Brian D Strahl
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Daniel J McKay
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, USA.,Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.,Departments of Biology and Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, USA
| | - A Gregory Matera
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, USA. .,Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA. .,Departments of Biology and Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27599, USA.
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27
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Abstract
Background Transcription initiation is in bacteria exhibited by different σ factors, most of which fall within σ70 family. This family is diverse, ranging from the housekeeping Group I (RpoDs), to Group IV (ECF) σ factors, that transcribe smaller regulons under more stringent conditions. RpoDs employ a kinetic mix-and-match mechanism, where promoter elements complement each other binding strengths in achieving sufficient transcription activity. On the other hand, it is assumed that ECF σs, which are the most distant from the housekeeping σ factors, cannot exhibit mix-and-matching. However, mix-and-matching for ECF σ factors was not quantitatively checked before, and recent results show a much larger flexibility in the promoter recognition by the members of this group. Results To this end, we quantitatively investigate mix-and-matching in two canonical ECF σ family members (σE and σW), for which we use a biophysics based model of transcription initiation. For σE, we perform a separate analysis for in-vitro active and in-vitro inactive promoters, which allows us investigating how mix-and-matching depends on the external factors that may control transcription activity in the in-vitro inactive set. We show that the promoter elements of canonical ECF σs significantly complement each other strengths, where such mix-and-matching is in the in-vitro active set even stronger compared to the correlations observed for the housekeeping σs. This complementation however significantly decreases for the in-vitro inactive set, which we propose is due to mix-and-matching with regulatory sequences outside of the canonical promoter elements. In line with this proposition, we show that a conserved spacer element, which appears in the in-vitro inactive promoter set, significantly increases the promoter element complementation. While RpoD promoter elements mix-and-match to achieve sufficient total transcription activity, for σE they complement each other to achieve sufficiently strong total binding affinity, which we relate to differences in physiological responses between the two groups of σ factors. Conclusion Despite a common notion that smaller σ factor specificity leads to a larger mix-and-matching, we here obtain a larger promoter element complementation for σE compared to RpoDs. Finally, to explain this finding, we propose a simple model which relates the size of σ factor regulon with the extent of mix-and-matching, based on an assumption of a selection pressure on promoters that are near the non-specific binding boundary to remain functional. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-016-0865-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Guzina
- Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia.,Multidisciplinary PhD program in Biophysics, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marko Djordjevic
- Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia.
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28
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Abstract
Transcription occurring at gene loci results in accumulation of mature RNA molecules (i.e., mRNAs) that can be easily assayed by RT-PCR or RNA sequencing. However, the steady-state level of RNA does not accurately mirror transcriptional activity per se. In fact, RNA stability plays a major role in determining the relative abundance of any given RNA molecule. Here, I describe a protocol of Nuclear Run-On assay coupled to deep sequencing to assess real-time transcription from engaged RNA polymerase. Mapping nascent transcripts at the genome-wide scale provides a reliable measure of transcriptional activity in mammalian cells and delivers a high-resolution map of coding and noncoding transcripts that is especially useful for annotation and quantification of short-lived RNA molecules.
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29
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Levens D, Baranello L, Kouzine F. Controlling gene expression by DNA mechanics: emerging insights and challenges. Biophys Rev 2016; 8:23-32. [PMID: 28510218 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-016-0243-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription initiation is a major control point for the precise regulation of gene expression. Our knowledge of this process has been mainly derived from protein-centric studies wherein cis-regulatory DNA sequences play a passive role, mainly in arranging the protein machinery to coalesce at the transcription start sites of genes in a spatial and temporal-specific manner. However, this is a highly dynamic process in which molecular motors such as RNA polymerase II (RNAPII), helicases, and other transcription factors, alter the level of mechanical force in DNA, rather than simply a set of static DNA-protein interactions. The double helix is a fiber that responds to flexural and torsional stress, which if accumulated, can affect promoter output as well as change DNA and chromatin structure. The relationship between DNA mechanics and the control of early transcription initiation events has been under-investigated. Genomic techniques to display topological stress and conformational variation in DNA across the mammalian genome provide an exciting new insight on the role of DNA mechanics in the early stages of the transcription cycle. Without understanding how torsional and flexural stresses are generated, transmitted, and dissipated, no model of transcription will be complete and accurate.
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30
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Prados J, Linder P, Redder P. TSS-EMOTE, a refined protocol for a more complete and less biased global mapping of transcription start sites in bacterial pathogens. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:849. [PMID: 27806702 PMCID: PMC5094136 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-3211-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bacteria rely on efficient gene regulatory mechanisms to switch between genetic programs when they are facing new environments. Although this regulation can occur at many different levels, one of the key steps is the initiation of transcription. Identification of the first nucleotide transcribed by the RNA polymerase is therefore essential to understand the underlying regulatory processes, since this provides insight on promoter strength and binding sites for transcriptional regulators, and additionally reveals the exact 5’ untranslated region of the transcripts, which often contains elements that regulate translation. Results Here we present data from a novel TSS-EMOTE assay (Transcription Start Specific Exact Mapping Of Transcriptome Ends) to precisely map the transcription initiation sites of four entire transcriptomes. TSS-EMOTE is a variation of the dRNA-seq method, which has been combined with the EMOTE protocol, in order to increase detection of longer transcripts and limit biases introduced by PCR amplification of the Illumina sequencing library. Using TSS-EMOTE, 2018 promoters were detected in the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, and detailed consensus sequences could be obtained for the RNA polymerase recognition elements (e.g. sigma factor binding sites). The data also revealed a 94 nt median length of the 5’ untranslated region in S. aureus, giving important insights for future work on translational regulation. Additionally, the transcriptomes of three other opportunistic pathogens, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Acinetobacter baumannii and Enterobacter aerogenes, were examined, and the identified promoter locations were then used to generate a map of the operon structure for each of the four organisms. Conclusions Mapping transcription start sites, and subsequent correlation with the genomic sequence, provides a multitude of important information about the regulation of gene expression, both at the transcriptional and translational level, by defining 5’ untranslated regions and sigma-factor binding sites. We have here mapped transcription start sites in four important pathogens using TSS-EMOTE, a method that works with both long and 3’-phosphorylated RNA molecules, and which incorporates Unique Molecular Identifiers (UMIs) to allow unbiased quantification. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3211-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Prados
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211, Genève 4, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Linder
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211, Genève 4, Switzerland
| | - Peter Redder
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211, Genève 4, Switzerland. .,Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Université de Toulouse III, 118 Rue de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse, France.
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31
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Zhang Y, Najmi SM, Schneider DA. Transcription factors that influence RNA polymerases I and II: To what extent is mechanism of action conserved? Biochim Biophys Acta Gene Regul Mech 2016; 1860:246-255. [PMID: 27989933 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2016.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Revised: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
In eukaryotic cells, nuclear RNA synthesis is accomplished by at least three unique, multisubunit RNA polymerases. The roles of these enzymes are generally partitioned into the synthesis of the three major classes of RNA: rRNA, mRNA, and tRNA for RNA polymerases I, II, and III respectively. Consistent with their unique cellular roles, each enzyme has a complement of specialized transcription factors and enzymatic properties. However, not all transcription factors have evolved to affect only one eukaryotic RNA polymerase. In fact, many factors have been shown to influence the activities of multiple nuclear RNA polymerases. This review focuses on a subset of these factors, specifically addressing the mechanisms by which these proteins influence RNA polymerases I and II.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinfeng Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294
| | - Saman M Najmi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294
| | - David A Schneider
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294
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32
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Levens D, Baranello L, Kouzine F. Controlling gene expression by DNA mechanics: emerging insights and challenges. Biophys Rev 2016; 8:259-268. [PMID: 28510225 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-016-0216-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription initiation is a major control point for the precise regulation of gene expression. Our knowledge of this process has been mainly derived from protein-centric studies wherein cis-regulatory DNA sequences play a passive role, mainly in arranging the protein machinery to coalesce at the transcription start sites of genes in a spatial and temporal-specific manner. However, this is a highly dynamic process in which molecular motors such as RNA polymerase II (RNAPII), helicases, and other transcription factors, alter the level of mechanical force in DNA, rather than simply a set of static DNA-protein interactions. The double helix is a fiber that responds to flexural and torsional stress, which if accumulated, can affect promoter output as well as change DNA and chromatin structure. The relationship between DNA mechanics and the control of early transcription initiation events has been under-investigated. Genomic techniques to display topological stress and conformational variation in DNA across the mammalian genome provide an exciting new insight on the role of DNA mechanics in the early stages of the transcription cycle. Without understanding how torsional and flexural stresses are generated, transmitted, and dissipated, no model of transcription will be complete and accurate.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Levens
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Laura Baranello
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Fedor Kouzine
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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33
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Miropolskaya N, Kulbachinskiy A. Aptamers to the sigma factor mimic promoter recognition and inhibit transcription initiation by bacterial RNA polymerase. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 469:294-9. [PMID: 26631966 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.11.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Promoter recognition by bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) is a multi-step process involving multiple protein-DNA interactions and several structural and kinetic intermediates which remain only partially characterized. We used single-stranded DNA aptamers containing specific promoter motifs to probe the interactions of the Thermus aquaticus RNAP σ(A) subunit with the -10 promoter element in the absence of other parts of the promoter complex. The aptamer binding decreased intrinsic fluorescence of the σ subunit, likely as a result of interactions between the -10 element and conserved tryptophan residues of the σ DNA-binding region 2. By monitoring these changes, we demonstrated that DNA binding proceeds through a single rate-limiting step resulting in formation of very stable complexes. Deletion of the N-terminal domain of the σ(A) subunit increased the rate of aptamer binding while replacement of this domain with an unrelated N-terminal region 1.1 from the Escherichia coli σ(70) subunit restored the original kinetics of σ-aptamer interactions. The results demonstrate that the key step in promoter recognition can be modelled in a simple σ-aptamer system and reveal that highly divergent N-terminal domains similarly modulate the DNA-binding properties of the σ subunit. The aptamers efficiently suppressed promoter-dependent transcription initiation by the holoenzyme of RNA polymerase, suggesting that they may be used for development of novel transcription inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrey Kulbachinskiy
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 123182, Russia.
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34
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Tate J, Boldt RL, McFadden BD, D'Costa SM, Lewandowski NM, Shatzer AN, Gollnick P, Condit RC. Biochemical analysis of the multifunctional vaccinia mRNA capping enzyme encoded by a temperature sensitive virus mutant. Virology 2015; 487:27-40. [PMID: 26496697 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2015.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Prior biochemical analysis of the heterodimeric vaccinia virus mRNA capping enzyme suggests roles not only in mRNA capping but also in early viral gene transcription termination and intermediate viral gene transcription initiation. Prior phenotypic characterization of Dts36, a temperature sensitive virus mutant affecting the large subunit of the capping enzyme was consistent with the multifunctional roles of the capping enzyme in vivo. We report a biochemical analysis of the capping enzyme encoded by Dts36. Of the three enzymatic activities required for mRNA capping, the guanylyltransferase and methyltransferase activities are compromised while the triphosphatase activity and the D12 subunit interaction are unaffected. The mutant enzyme is also defective in stimulating early gene transcription termination and intermediate gene transcription initiation in vitro. These results confirm that the vaccinia virus mRNA capping enzyme functions not only in mRNA capping but also early gene transcription termination and intermediate gene transcription initiation in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Tate
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100266, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Rachel L Boldt
- Department of Biological Sciences, 609 Hochstetter Hall, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, United States
| | - Baron D McFadden
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100266, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Susan M D'Costa
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100266, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Nicholas M Lewandowski
- Department of Biological Sciences, 609 Hochstetter Hall, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, United States
| | - Amber N Shatzer
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100266, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Paul Gollnick
- Department of Biological Sciences, 609 Hochstetter Hall, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, United States
| | - Richard C Condit
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100266, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
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35
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Yang X, Ma C, Lewis PJ. Identification of inhibitors of bacterial RNA polymerase. Methods 2015; 86:45-50. [PMID: 25976836 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2015.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2015] [Revised: 04/28/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Very few clinically available antibiotics target bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) suggesting it is an underutilized target. The advent of detailed structural information of RNAP holoenzyme (HE) has allowed the design and in silico screening of novel transcription inhibitors. Here, we describe our approach for the design and testing of small molecule transcription inhibitors that work by preventing the interaction between the essential transcription initiation factor σ and RNAP. With the appropriate structural information this approach can be easily modified to other essential protein-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Yang
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Cong Ma
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Peter J Lewis
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
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36
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Mekler V, Severinov K. RNA polymerase molecular beacon as tool for studies of RNA polymerase-promoter interactions. Methods 2015; 86:19-26. [PMID: 25956222 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2015.04.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Revised: 04/27/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular details of formation of transcription initiation complex upon the interaction of bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) with promoters are not completely understood. One way to address this problem is to understand how RNAP interacts with different parts of promoter DNA. A recently developed fluorometric RNAP molecular beacon assay allows one to monitor the RNAP interactions with various unlabeled DNA probes and quantitatively characterize partial RNAP-promoter interactions. This paper focuses on methodological aspects of application of this powerful assay to study the mechanism of transcription initiation complex formation by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase σ(70) holoenzyme and its regulation by bacterial and phage encoded factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Mekler
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers, State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
| | - Konstantin Severinov
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers, State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 143025 Skolkovo, Russia; Institutes of Gene Biology and Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334 Moscow, Russia.
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37
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Choi KY, Kang BS, Nam MH, Sul WJ, Kim E. Functional Identification of OphR, an IclR Family Transcriptional Regulator Involved in the Regulation of the Phthalate Catabolic Operon in Rhodococcus sp. Strain DK17. Indian J Microbiol 2015; 55:313-8. [PMID: 26063941 DOI: 10.1007/s12088-015-0529-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2015] [Accepted: 04/10/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A putative gene for a transcriptional regulator (ophR) was detected near each copy of the duplicated phthalate-degrading operon of Rhodococcus sp. DK17. Sequence analysis and molecular modeling indicate that OphR belongs to the IclR family of transcriptional regulators and possesses the N-terminal DNA-binding and C-terminal effector-binding domains. DNA-binding assays demonstrate that OphR regulates the phthalate operon by binding to the ophA1-ophR intergenic region.
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38
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Fan Q, Mao H, Wu C, Liu Y, Hu Y, Zhong B, Mi Y, Hu C. ATF4 (activating transcription factor 4) from grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) modulates the transcription initiation of GRP78 and GRP94 in CIK cells. Fish Shellfish Immunol 2014; 38:140-148. [PMID: 24636856 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2014.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2013] [Revised: 02/24/2014] [Accepted: 03/07/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
GRP78 and GRP94, belong to GRP (glucose-regulated protein) family of endoplasmatic reticulum (ER) chaperone superfamily, are essential for cell survival under ER stress. ATF4 is a protective protein which regulates the adaptation of cells to ER stress by modulating the transcription of UPR (Unfolded Protein Response) target genes, including GRP78 and GRP94. To understand the molecular mechanism of ATF4 modulates the transcription initiation of CiGRP78 and CiGRP94, we cloned ATF4 ORF cDNA sequences (CiATF4) by homologous cloning techniques. The expression trend of CiATF4 was similar to CiGRP78 and CiGRP94 did under 37 °C thermal stress, namely, the expression of CiATF4 was up-regulated twice at 2 h post-thermal stress and at 18 h post recovery from thermal stress. In this paper, CiATF4 was expressed in BL21 Escherichia coli, and the expressed protein was purified by affinity chromatography with the Ni-NTA His-Bind Resin. On the basis of the cloned CiGRP78 and CiGRP94 cDNA in our laboratory previously, we cloned their promoter sequences by genomic walking approach. In vitro, gel mobility shift assays revealed that CiATF4 could bind to CiGRP78 and CiGRP94 promoter with high affinity. Subsequently, the recombinant plasmid of pGL3-CiGRPs and pcDNA3.1-CiATF4 were constructed and transiently co-transfected into Ctenopharyngodon idella kidney (CIK) cells. The impact of CiATF4 on CiGRP promoter sequences were measured by luciferase assays. These results demonstrated that CiATF4 could activate the transcription of CiGRP78 and CiGRP94. What's more, for better understanding the molecular mechanism of CiATF4 modulate the transcription initiation of CiGRP, three mutant fragments of CiGRP78 promoter recombinant plasmids (called CARE-mut/LUC, CRE1-mut/LUC and CRE2-mut/LUC) were constructed and transiently co-transfected with CiATF4 into CIK cells. The results indicated that CRE or CARE elements were the regulatory element for transcription initiation of CiGRP78. Between them, CRE element would play more important role in it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qidi Fan
- Department of Bioscience, College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Huiling Mao
- Department of Bioscience, College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Chuxin Wu
- Nanchang Teachers College, Nanchang 330103, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Department of Bioscience, College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Yousheng Hu
- Department of Bioscience, College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Bin Zhong
- Department of Bioscience, College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Yichuan Mi
- Department of Bioscience, College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Chengyu Hu
- Department of Bioscience, College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
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39
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Müller F, Tora L. Chromatin and DNA sequences in defining promoters for transcription initiation. Biochim Biophys Acta 2013; 1839:118-28. [PMID: 24275614 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2013.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2013] [Revised: 11/11/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
One of the key events in eukaryotic gene regulation and consequent transcription is the assembly of general transcription factors and RNA polymerase II into a functional pre-initiation complex at core promoters. An emerging view of complexity arising from a variety of promoter associated DNA motifs, their binding factors and recent discoveries in characterising promoter associated chromatin properties brings an old question back into the limelight: how is a promoter defined? In addition to position-dependent DNA sequence motifs, accumulating evidence suggests that several parallel acting mechanisms are involved in orchestrating a pattern marked by the state of chromatin and general transcription factor binding in preparation for defining transcription start sites. In this review we attempt to summarise these promoter features and discuss the available evidence pointing at their interactions in defining transcription initiation in developmental contexts. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Chromatin and epigenetic regulation of animal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferenc Müller
- School of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
| | - Làszlò Tora
- Cellular Signaling and Nuclear Dynamics Program, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), UMR 7104 CNRS, UdS, INSERM U964, BP 10142, F-67404 Illkirch Cedex, CU de Strasbourg, France; School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore.
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