Identification of proteins associated with RNA polymerase III using a modified tandem chromatin affinity purification.

To identify the proteins associated with the RNA polymerase III (Pol III) machinery in exponentially growing yeast cells, we developed our own tandem chromatin affinity purification procedure (TChAP) after in vivo cross-link, allowing a reproducible and good recovery of the protein bait and its associated partners. In contrast to TFIIIA that could only be purified as a free protein, this protocol allows us to capture free Pol III together with Pol III bound on its target genes. Transcription factors, elongation factors, RNA-associated proteins and proteins involved in Pol III biogenesis were identified by mass spectrometry. Interestingly, the presence of all the TFIIIB subunits found associated with Pol III together with the absence of TFIIIC and chromatin factors including histones suggest that DNA-bound Pol III purified using TChAP is mainly engaged in transcription reinitiation.

Sub1 and Maf1, two effectors of RNA polymerase III, are involved in the yeast quiescence cycle.

Sub1 and Maf1 exert an opposite effect on RNA polymerase III transcription interfering with different steps of the transcription cycle. In this study, we present evidence that Sub1 and Maf1 also exhibit an opposite role on yeast chronological life span. First, cells lacking Sub1 need more time than wild type to exit from resting and this lag in re-proliferation is correlated with a delay in transcriptional reactivation. Second, our data show that the capacity of the cells to properly establish a quiescent state is impaired in the absence of Sub1 resulting in a premature death that is dependent on the Ras/PKA and Tor1/Sch9 signalling pathways. On the other hand, we show that maf1Δ cells are long-lived mutant suggesting a connection between Pol III transcription and yeast longevity.