Transcription profiling of fission yeast at different time points after the start of glucose starvation identifies stepwise chromatin remodeling by a cascade of transcription initiation of non-coding RNAs

ABSTRACT: Recent transcriptome analyses using high-density tiling arrays and data from large-scale analyses of full-length cDNA libraries by the FANTOM3 consortium reveal that many transcripts are non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). These transcriptome analyses indicate that many of the non-coding regions, previously thought to be functionally inert, are actually transcriptionally active regions with various features. In addition, most relatively large (~several kb) polyadenylated mRNA transcripts are transcribed from regions harboring little coding potential. However the function of such ncRNAs is mostly unknown and has been a matter of debate. Here, we show that RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) transcription of ncRNAs is required for chromatin remodeling at the fission yeast fbp1+ locus during transcriptional activation. The chromatin at fbp1+ is progressively converted to an open configuration, as several species of ncRNAs are transcribed through fbp1+. This is coupled with the translocation of RNAPII through the region upstream of the eventual fbp1+ transcriptional start site. Insertion of a transcription terminator into this upstream region abolishes both the cascade of transcription of ncRNAs and the progressive chromatin alteration. Moreover, our genome tiling array analysis of S. pombe transcripts uncovered additional loci in which transcription events occur far upstream from promoters upon glucose starvation. Our results demonstrate that transcription through the promoter region is required to make DNA sequences accessible to transcriptional activators and RNAPII.

ORGANISM(S): Schizosaccharomyces pombe

SUBMITTER: Kazuto Kugou 

PROVIDER: E-MEXP-1747 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress