ABSTRACT: The wheat Pol II enzyme was purified, and a transcription initiation complex was assembled on the potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) RNA template. The transcription initiation complex was characterized using LC-MSMS.
Project description:Diverse elements within the 5’ untranslated region of an mRNA can influence the translation efficiency at the main AUG codon. We previously identified a core picornaviral like Y16X11-AUG motif with 16-nt polypyrimidine CU-tract separated by an 11-nt spacer sequence from the 13th AUG codon recognized as the preferred initiation site within the Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) internal ribosome entry site (IRES) element. The motif is proposed to function as an internal ribosomal landing site at the designated start codon. Here we exposed the cooperative role of multiple CU-rich segments flanking the TriMV YX-AUG motif to drive internal initiation of translation at the preferred start site. We propose that these auxiliary domains may enhance the ribosome capacity at proximity of the correct initiation site. These polypyrimidine tracts can be modulated with a cryptic AUG and in a position-dependent manner to replace the native YX-AUG motif and to reprogram translation to the upstream sites, and thus uncovering a new layer of control of the selection of the initiation site. In line with these observations, mass spec analysis of proteins directly interacting with translationally impaired TriMV IRES mutants that bear these motifs indicated an enrichment in 40S and 60S ribosomal related proteins, revealing a new function of polypyrimidine tracts to regulate IRES-driven translation. Accessibility of these RNA regions for in trans interaction was validated by SHAPE analysis of the entire TriMV leader sequence and supported by the ability of anti-sense oligonucleotides designed to block the CU-tracts accessibility to impair IRES activity. This is the first evidence that defines the core modular domains required for start codon selection in a complex, multi-AUG viral 5’UTR for translation in plants.
Project description:In eukaryotic cells, ribosomal RNA is transcribed by RNA polymerase I (Pol I). To initiate transcription, Pol I requires the assembly of a multi-subunit pre-initiation complex (PIC). In yeast, the minimal PIC includes Pol I, the transcription factor Rrn3 and Core Factor (CF) composed of subunits Rrn6, Rrn7 and Rrn11. We have determined the cryo-EM structure of a 18-subunit yeast Pol I complex together with CF, Rrn3 and transcription scaffold. To aid in modeling the structure based on the cryo-EM map, we performed crosslinking mass spectrometry.
Project description:Control of RNA transcription is critical for the development and homeostasis of all organisms, and can occur at multiple steps of the transcription cycle, including RNA polymerase II (Pol II) recruitment, initiation, promoter-proximal pausing, and elongation. That Pol II accumulates on many promoters in metazoans implies that steps other than Pol II recruitment are rate-limiting and regulated 1-6. By integrating genome-wide Pol II chromatin immunoprecipition (ChIP) and Global Run-On (GRO) genomic data sets from Drosophila cells, we examined critical features of Pol II near promoters. The accumulation of promoter-proximal polymerase is widespread, occurring on 70% of active genes; and unlike elongating Pol II within the body of genes, promoter Pol II are held paused by factors like NELF, unable to transcribe unless nuclei are treated with strong detergent. Notably, we find that the vast majority of promoter-proximal Pol II detected by ChIP are paused, thereby identifying the biochemical nature of this rate-limiting step in transcription. Finally, we demonstrate that Drosophila promoters do not have the upstream divergent Pol II that is seen so broadly and prominently on mammalian promoters. We postulate this is a consequence of Drosophila’s extensive use of directional core promoter sequence elements, which contrasts with mammals’ lack of directional elements and prevalence of CpG island core promoters. In support of this idea, we show that the fraction of mammalian promoters containing a TATA box core element is dramatically depleted of upstream divergent transcription. ChIP-seq data set for Pol II (rpb3) (2 replicates).
Project description:Production of mRNA depends critically on the rate of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) elongation. To dissect Pol II dynamics in mouse ES cells, we inhibited Pol II transcription at either initiation or promoter-proximal pause escape with Triptolide or Flavopiridol, and tracked Pol II kinetically using GRO-seq. Both inhibitors block transcription of more than 95% of genes, showing that pause escape, like initiation, is a ubiquitous and crucial step within the transcription cycle. Moreover, paused Pol II is relatively stable, as evidenced from half-life measurements at ~3200 genes. Finally, tracking the progression of Pol II after drug treatment establishes Pol II elongation rates at over 1,000 genes. Notably, Pol II accelerates dramatically while transcribing through genes, but slows at exons. Furthermore, intergenic variance in elongation rates is substantial, and is influenced by a positive effect of H3K79me2 and negative effects of exon density and CG content within genes. We isolated replicates of nuclei of untreated mESCs and cells treated for 2, 5, 12.5, 25 and 50 min with 300nM flavopiridol, as well as nuclei treated for 12.5, 25, and 50 min with 500nM triptolide and performed GRO-seq with these.
Project description:HEK293T cells were transfected with the Rbp1-amr or slow (R729H-amr) α-amanitin resistant subunit of RNA Pol II and selected with α-amanitin 24 hours after transfection for additional 24 hours. Total RNA was extracted and global changes in gene expression were determined using microarray chips. MiRNAs are transcribed by RNA pol II but the transcriptional features influencing their synthesis are poorly defined. Here we report that a TATA-box in miRNA and a subset of protein-coding genes is associated with increased sensitivity to a slow rate of transcription elongation. We also show that promoters driven by TATA-box or NF-κB elicit high transcription re-initiation rate, but paradoxically lower levels of miRNA. Interestingly, miRNA synthesis was converted to a more productive mode by decreasing initiation rate, but less productive when the re-initiation rate increased. This phenomenon was found to be associated with a delay in miR-146a induction by NF-κB. We also demonstrate that miRNAs are remarkably strong pause sites. Our findings suggest that lower efficiency of miRNA synthesis directed by the TATA-box or NF-κB is a consequence of frequent transcription initiation that lead to Pol II crowding at pause sites, thereby increasing the chance of collision and premature termination. These findings highlight the importance of the transcription initiation mechanism for miRNA synthesis, and have implications for TATA-box promoters in general. HEK293T cells were transfected with plasmids directing the expression of α-amanitin-resistant variants of Pol II (Rpb1-amr and R749H-amr). α-amanitin was added and RNA was prepared 24 and 48 h later, respectively. The data provided is from 3 Rpb1-amr vs 3 R749H-amr (6 samples).
Project description:Ribosome biogenesis is a highly regulated multistep process that controls cell growth and proliferation. The first and key regulatory step of ribosome biogenesis is represented by the transcription of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes by RNA polymerase (pol) I in the nucleolus. Activity of RNA pol I is tightly regulated by interactions with many auxiliary factors that mediate promoter recognition and contribute to transcription initiation, elongation and termination. In this study we were able to identify by mass spectrometry some of the known components of the RNA pol I transcribing machinery, and at the same time we identify some novel interactors.
Project description:An in vivo and in vitro potato tuber development gene expression study. For in vitro tuber development expression analysis, RNA was isolated from in vitro microtubers at 2, 5, 10, 20 and 30 days following observed tuber induction. Two microtuber populations were used as biological replicates for the developmental stages. The RNA from all developmental stages was pooled to generate the reference samples. Ten microarray hybridizations were performed. For in vivo tuber development expression analysis, RNA was isolated from tubers growing in growth chamber conditions. Tissues were divided into six group, according to developmental size: stolon (no tuber formation), 1-5 mm tubers, 6-10 mm tubers, 11-15 mm tubers, 16-25 mm tubers, and 26-35 mm tubers. Two biological replicates of ten plants each were grown sequentially in the same growth chamber. The RNA from all developmental stages was pooled to generate the reference samples. Twelve microarray hybridizations were performed. For all experiments, the RNA was labeled using the indirect labeling method with random hexamer primers. Amplified cRNA was used as labeling template for stolons. Total RNA was used as labeling template in all other labeling reactions.
Project description:RNAseq experiments of Enterovirus A71 wild type demonstrate that the pyrazine-carboxamide ribonucleotide stimulates catalyzed intra- and intermolecular template switching. These results suggest that pyrazine-2 carboxamide ribonucleotides do not induce lethal mutagenesis or chain termination, but function by promoting template switching and formation of defective viral genomes. We conclude that RdRp-catalyzed intra- and intermolecular template switching can be induced by pyrazine-carboxamide ribonucleotides, defining an additional mechanistic class of antiviral ribonucleotides with potential for broad-spectrum activity.
Project description:Dioscorea tuber undergoes multiple morphological and bio-chemical changes during its 9 month growth period. A stage specific gel free analysis was done to understand the proteomic changes associated with tuber development and assign markers. On the basis of morphological traits the tuber life cycle was divided into four developmental stages namely; root initiation (S1), vegetative growth (S2), new tuber initiation (S3) and tuber maturation (S4) which was validated by principal component analysis (PCA). The first most comprehensive data set was generated by using the pooled genome information from Dioscorea + Solanum + Viridateplantae as reference set identifying 78.2% of the total 3,681 proteins. The over-representation analysis of proteins using PANTHER and KEGG MAPPER revealed both expected and novel biological processes relevant to each developmental stage. A high abundance of the enzymes of ascorbate-glutathione cycle, carbohydrate metabolism, Glycolysis, TCA cycle was detected during tuber degradation and formation. The Glycolytic and starch biosynthesis pathway were re-constructed using the information derived from the proteome data. Novel transcription factors (14) associated with oxidative stress tolerance were identified in D.alata proteome. In conclusion, the data set comprehensively describes the proteome of Dioscorea tuber and provided growth specific markers (APx, MDHAR, invertase for degradation and sucrose synthase for formation) that would pave the way to a systematic study of the tuber. The study provides information that may influence the direction of research for improving the productivity of this under-utilized crop.