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ERK-mediated NELF-A phosphorylation promotes transcription elongation of immediate-early genes by releasing promoter-proximal pausing of RNA polymerase II.

ABSTRACT: Growth factor-induced, ERK-mediated induction of immediate-early genes (IEGs) is crucial for cell growth and tumorigenesis. Although IEG expression is mainly regulated at the level of transcription elongation by RNA polymerase-II (Pol-II) promoter-proximal pausing and its release, the role of ERK in this process remains unknown. Here, we identified negative elongation factor (NELF)-A as an ERK substrate. Upon growth factor stimulation, ERK phosphorylates NELF-A, which dissociates NELF from paused Pol-II at the promoter-proximal regions of IEGs, allowing Pol-II to resume elongation and produce full-length transcripts. Furthermore, we found that in cancer cells, PP2A efficiently dephosphorylates NELF-A, thereby preventing aberrant IEG expression induced by ERK-activating oncogenes. However, when PP2A inhibitor proteins are overexpressed, as is frequently observed in cancers, decreased PP2A activity combined with oncogene-mediated ERK activation conspire to induce NELF-A phosphorylation and IEG upregulation, resulting in tumor progression. Our data delineate previously unexplored roles of ERK and PP2A inhibitor proteins in carcinogenesis.

SUBMITTER: Ohe S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9719515 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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ERK-mediated NELF-A phosphorylation promotes transcription elongation of immediate-early genes by releasing promoter-proximal pausing of RNA polymerase II.

Ohe Seina S Kubota Yuji Y Yamaguchi Kiyoshi K Takagi Yusuke Y Nashimoto Junichiro J Kozuka-Hata Hiroko H Oyama Masaaki M Furukawa Yoichi Y Takekawa Mutsuhiro M

Nature communications 20221203 1

Growth factor-induced, ERK-mediated induction of immediate-early genes (IEGs) is crucial for cell growth and tumorigenesis. Although IEG expression is mainly regulated at the level of transcription elongation by RNA polymerase-II (Pol-II) promoter-proximal pausing and its release, the role of ERK in this process remains unknown. Here, we identified negative elongation factor (NELF)-A as an ERK substrate. Upon growth factor stimulation, ERK phosphorylates NELF-A, which dissociates NELF from pause ...[more]

PMID: 36463234

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Project description:Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) genes are transcribed by cellular RNA polymerase II (Pol II). Expression of viral immediate early (?) genes is followed sequentially by early (?), late (?1), and true late (?2) genes. We used precision nuclear run-on with deep sequencing to map and to quantify Pol II on the HSV-1(F) genome with single-nucleotide resolution. Approximately 30% of total Pol II relocated to viral genomes within 3?h postinfection (hpi), when it occupied genes of all temporal classes. At that time, Pol II on ? genes accumulated most heavily at promoter-proximal pause (PPP) sites located ?60?nucleotides downstream of the transcriptional start site, while ? genes bore Pol II more evenly across gene bodies. At 6 hpi, Pol II increased on ?1 and ?2 genes while Pol II pausing remained prominent on ? genes. At that time, average cytoplasmic mRNA expression from ? and ? genes decreased, relative to levels at 3 hpi, while ?1 relative expression increased slightly and ?2 expression increased more substantially. Cycloheximide treatment during the first 3?h reduced the amount of Pol II associated with the viral genome and confined most of the remaining Pol II to ? gene PPP sites. Inhibition of both cyclin-dependent kinase 9 activity and viral DNA replication reduced Pol II on the viral genome and restricted much of the remaining Pol II to PPP sites.IMPORTANCE These data suggest that viral transcription is regulated not only by Pol II recruitment to viral genes but also by control of elongation into viral gene bodies. We provide a detailed map of Pol II occupancy on the HSV-1 genome that clarifies features of the viral transcriptome, including the first identification of Pol II PPP sites. The data indicate that Pol II is recruited to late genes early in infection. Comparing ? and ? gene occupancy at PPP sites and gene bodies suggests that Pol II is released more efficiently into the bodies of ? genes than ? genes at 3 hpi and that repression of ? gene expression late in infection is mediated by prolonged promoter-proximal pausing. In addition, DNA replication is required to maintain full Pol II occupancy on viral DNA and to promote elongation on late genes later in infection.

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ERK-mediated NELF-A phosphorylation promotes transcription elongation of immediate-early genes by releasing promoter-proximal pausing of RNA polymerase II.

Publications

ERK-mediated NELF-A phosphorylation promotes transcription elongation of immediate-early genes by releasing promoter-proximal pausing of RNA polymerase II.

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