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Discontinuous transcription of ribosomal DNA in human cells.

ABSTRACT: Numerous studies show that various genes in all kinds of organisms are transcribed discontinuously, i.e. in short bursts or pulses with periods of inactivity between them. But it remains unclear whether ribosomal DNA (rDNA), represented by multiple copies in every cell, is also expressed in such manner. In this work, we synchronized the pol I activity in the populations of tumour derived as well as normal human cells by cold block and release. Our experiments with 5-fluorouridine (FU) and BrUTP confirmed that the nucleolar transcription can be efficiently and reversibly arrested at +4°C. Then using special software for analysis of the microscopic images, we measured the intensity of transcription signal (incorporated FU) in the nucleoli at different time points after the release. We found that the ribosomal genes in the human cells are transcribed discontinuously with periods ranging from 45 min to 75 min. Our data indicate that the dynamics of rDNA transcription follows the undulating pattern, in which the bursts are alternated by periods of rare transcription events.

SUBMITTER: Smirnov E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7051091 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Discontinuous transcription of ribosomal DNA in human cells.

Smirnov Evgeny E Trosan Peter P Cabral Joao Victor JV Studeny Pavel P Kereïche Sami S Jirsova Katerina K Cmarko Dušan D

PloS one 20200302 3

Numerous studies show that various genes in all kinds of organisms are transcribed discontinuously, i.e. in short bursts or pulses with periods of inactivity between them. But it remains unclear whether ribosomal DNA (rDNA), represented by multiple copies in every cell, is also expressed in such manner. In this work, we synchronized the pol I activity in the populations of tumour derived as well as normal human cells by cold block and release. Our experiments with 5-fluorouridine (FU) and BrUTP ...[more]

PMID: 32119673

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Project description:We have previously demonstrated that the expression of human ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) in normal and cancer cells is differentially regulated by methylation of the promoter CpG islands. Furthermore, we showed that the methyl CpG-binding protein MBD2 plays a selective role in the methylation-mediated block in rDNA expression. Here, we analyzed the role of three functional mammalian DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) in regulating the rDNA promoters activity. Immunofluorescence analysis and biochemical fractionation showed that all three DNMTs (DNMT1, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B) are associated with the inactive rDNA in the nucleolus. Although DNMTs associate with both methylated and unmethylated rDNA promoters, DNMT1 preferentially associates with the methylated genes. The rDNA primary transcript level was significantly elevated in DNMT1-/- or DNMT3B-/- human colon carcinoma (HCT116) cells. Southern blot analysis demonstrated a moderate level of rDNA promoter hypomethylation in DNMT1-/- cells and a dramatic loss of rDNA promoter methylation in double knockout cells. Transient overexpression of DNMT1 or DNMT3B suppressed the luciferase expression from both methylated and unmethylated pHrD-IRES-Luc, a reporter plasmid where the rDNA promoter drives luciferase expression. DNMT1-mediated suppression of the unmethylated promoter involves de novo methylation of the promoter, whereas histone deacetylase 2 cooperates with DNMT1 to inhibit the methylated rDNA promoter. Unlike DNMT1, both the wild type and catalytically inactive DNMT3B mutant can suppress rDNA promoter irrespective of its methylation status. DNMT3B-mediated suppression of the rDNA promoter also involves histone deacetylation. Treatment of HCT116 cells with Decitabine (a DNMT inhibitor) or trichostatin A (a histone deacetylase inhibitor) up-regulated endogenous rDNA expression. These inhibitors synergistically activated methylated pHrD-IRES-Luc, whereas they exhibited additive effects on the unmethylated promoter. These results demonstrate localization of DNMTs with the inactive rDNA in the nucleolus, the specific role of DNMT1 and DNMT3B in rDNA expression and the differential regulation of rDNA expression from the methylated and unmethylated rDNA promoters.

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Discontinuous transcription of ribosomal DNA in human cells.

Publications

Discontinuous transcription of ribosomal DNA in human cells.

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