Project description:In the cell, stalled ribosomes are rescued through ribosome-associated protein quality-control (RQC) pathways. We demonstrate that RqcH is responsible for tRNAAla selection during RQC elongation, whereas RqcP lacks any tRNA specificity. The ribosomal protein uL11 is crucial for RqcH, but not RqcP, recruitment to the 50S subunit, and B. subtilis lacking uL11 are RQC-deficient. Through mutational mapping, we identify critical residues within RqcH and RqcP that are important for interaction with the P-site tRNA and/or the 50S subunit. Collectively, our findings provide mechanistic insight into the role of RqcH and RqcP in the bacterial RQC pathway. the synthesis of C-terminal poly-Alanine ‘tail’. While it is well-established that RqcP and RqcH are essential for poly-Alanine-tailing in living cells, here, by reconstituting the RQC elongation biochemically we provide a direct proof that the two factors are sufficient. We demonstrate that while RqcH is responsible for tRNAAla selection during RQC elongation, RqcP lacks the tRNA specificity. Through mutational mapping we show that stable interaction of RqcP with 23S rRNA – but not with tRNA – is crucial for RQC, supporting the role of the E-site bound RqcP as a pawl of RQC elongation ratchet. We show that ribosomal protein uL11 is crucial for RqcH – but nor RqcP – recruitment to 50S, and B. subtilis lacking uL11 is RQC-deficient. Finally, we show that proteins encoded by non-stop mRNAs are not universally efficiently targeted by RQC, and that simultaneous disruption of RQC and trans-translation results in bacterial filamentation
Project description:Hepatic gluconeogenesis from amino acids contributes significantly to diabetic hyperglycemia, but the molecular mechanisms involved are incompletely understood. Alanine transaminases (ALT1 and ALT2) catalyze the interconversion of alanine and pyruvate, which is required for gluconeogenesis from alanine. Hepatocyte-specific knockout of Gpt2 attenuated incorporation of 13C-alanine into newly synthesized glucose by hepatocytes. However, Gpt2 knockout in liver had no effect on glucose concentrations in lean mice, which may suggest that metabolic compensation is occurring.
Project description:In the cell, stalled ribosomes are rescued through ribosome-associated protein quality-control (RQC) pathways. After splitting of the stalled ribosome, a C-terminal polyalanine 'tail' is added to the unfinished polypeptide attached to the tRNA on the 50S ribosomal subunit. In Bacillus subtilis, polyalanine tailing is catalyzed by the NEMF family protein RqcH, in cooperation with RqcP. However, the mechanistic details of this process remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that RqcH is responsible for tRNAAla selection during RQC elongation, whereas RqcP lacks any tRNA specificity. The ribosomal protein uL11 is crucial for RqcH, but not RqcP, recruitment to the 50S subunit, and B. subtilis lacking uL11 are RQC-deficient. Through mutational mapping, we identify critical residues within RqcH and RqcP that are important for interaction with the P-site tRNA and/or the 50S subunit. Additionally, we have reconstituted polyalanine-tailing in vitro and can demonstrate that RqcH and RqcP are necessary and sufficient for processivity in a minimal system. Moreover, the in vitro reconstituted system recapitulates our in vivo findings by reproducing the importance of conserved residues of RqcH and RqcP for functionality. Collectively, our findings provide mechanistic insight into the role of RqcH and RqcP in the bacterial RQC pathway.
Project description:Cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) interacts with Cyclin K to form a a functional nuclear kinase complex, which has been reported to phosphorylate the carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) for transcriptional regulation and co-transcriptional RNA processing. However, the precise mechanisms and targets of CDK12 action remain largely unknown. Here, we combined a chemical genetic screen and phosphoproteomic strategies and identified a landscape of nuclear CDK12 substrates, which included proteins that regulate transcription, chromatin organization, and RNA splicing. Next, we confirmed that the LEO1 subunit of the transcription elongation factor PAF1 complex (PAF1C) is a bona fide substrate of CDK12. Acute depletion of LEO1 reduces Pol II occupancy on the chromatin, while mutations of LEO1 phosphorylation sites to non-phosphorylatable alanine residues attenuated the association of PAF1C with elongating Pol II and chromatin, resulting in impaired processive transcription elongation. Furthermore, LEO1 C-terminus could interact with and be dephosphorylated by the Integrator-PP2A complex (INTAC), while acute depletion of INTAC in cells promotes the association between PAF1C and elongating Pol II on the chromatin. Together, this study provides a novel transcriptional regulatory mechanism that the CDK12-INTAC axis fine-tunes LEO1 phosphorylation for processive transcription elongation.
Project description:The MYC oncoprotein binds to promoter-proximal regions of virtually all transcribed genes and is expressed in a strictly growth factor-dependent manner in non-tumor cells. Here we show that MYC directly binds SPT5, a subunit of the RNA polymerase II (POL2) elongation factor DSIF. MYC recruits SPT5 to genes and enables the CDK7-dependent transfer of SPT5 onto POL2. Consistent with known functions of SPT5, MYC is required for fast and processive transcription elongation. In addition, MYC increases the directionality of promoters by stimulating sense transcription and suppressing the synthesis of antisense RNAs. Our results argue that MYC controls the productive assembly of POL2 with general elongation factors to form processive elongation complexes. The high levels of MYC that are expressed in tumors sequester SPT5 into non-functional complexes, slows transcription at growth-suppressive genes and promotes uncontrolled cellular growth.
Project description:Cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) interacts with Cyclin K to form a functional nuclear kinase that promotes processive transcription elongation through phosphorylation of the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) C-terminal domain (CTD). To gain a broader understanding of CDK12 cellular function, we used chemical-genetic and phosphoproteomic screening to identify a landscape of nuclear human CDK12 substrates, including regulators of transcription, chromatin organization, and RNA splicing. We further validated LEO1, a subunit of the PAF1 complex (PAF1C), as a bona fide cellular substrate of CDK12. Acute depletion of LEO1, or substituting LEO1 phosphorylation sites with alanine, attenuated PAF1C association with elongating Pol II and impaired processive transcription elongation. We also found that LEO1 interacts with, and is dephosphorylated by, the Integrator-PP2A complex (INTAC) and that INTAC promotes the association of PAF1C with Pol II. Together, this study reveals a previously unknown role for CDK12 and INTAC in regulating LEO1 phosphorylation for transcriptional regulation, providing important insights into gene transcription and its regulation.