RESUMEN
Many active eukaryotic gene promoters exhibit divergent noncoding transcription, but the mechanisms restricting expression of these transcripts are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate how a sequence-specific transcription factor represses divergent noncoding transcription at highly expressed genes in yeast. We find that depletion of the transcription factor Rap1 induces noncoding transcription in a large fraction of Rap1-regulated gene promoters. Specifically, Rap1 prevents transcription initiation at cryptic promoters near its binding sites, which is uncoupled from transcription regulation in the protein-coding direction. We further provide evidence that Rap1 acts independently of previously described chromatin-based mechanisms to repress cryptic or divergent transcription. Finally, we show that divergent transcription in the absence of Rap1 is elicited by the RSC chromatin remodeler. We propose that a sequence-specific transcription factor limits access of basal transcription machinery to regulatory elements and adjacent sequences that act as divergent cryptic promoters, thereby providing directionality toward productive transcription.
Asunto(s)
Regulación Fúngica de la Expresión Génica , ARN de Hongos/metabolismo , ARN no Traducido/metabolismo , Proteínas de Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolismo , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolismo , Proteínas de Unión a Telómeros/metabolismo , Factores de Transcripción/metabolismo , Transcripción Genética , Sitios de Unión , Ensamble y Desensamble de Cromatina , Regiones Promotoras Genéticas , Unión Proteica , Dominios y Motivos de Interacción de Proteínas , ARN de Hongos/genética , ARN no Traducido/genética , Proteínas Ribosómicas/genética , Proteínas Ribosómicas/metabolismo , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genética , Proteínas de Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genética , Complejo Shelterina , Proteínas de Unión a Telómeros/genética , Factores de Transcripción/genéticaRESUMEN
In eukaryotes, divergent transcription is a major source of noncoding RNAs. Recent studies have uncovered that in yeast, the transcription factor Rap1 restricts transcription in the divergent direction and thereby controls promoter directionality. Here, we summarize these findings, propose regulatory principles, and discuss the implications for eukaryotic gene regulation.