Two distinct mechanisms of RNA polymerase II elongation stimulation in vivo.

Transcription by RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) relies on the elongation factors PAF1 complex (PAF), RTF1, and SPT6. Here, we use rapid factor depletion and multi-omics analysis to investigate how these elongation factors influence RNA Pol II elongation activity in human cells. Whereas depletion of PAF subunits PAF1 and CTR9 has little effect on cellular RNA synthesis, depletion of RTF1 or SPT6 strongly compromises RNA Pol II activity, albeit in fundamentally different ways. RTF1 depletion decreases RNA Pol II velocity, whereas SPT6 depletion impairs RNA Pol II progression through nucleosomes. These results show that distinct elongation factors stimulate either RNA Pol II velocity or RNA Pol II progression through chromatin in vivo. Further analysis provides evidence for two distinct barriers to early elongation: the promoter-proximal pause site and the +1 nucleosome. It emerges that the first barrier enables loading of elongation factors that are required to overcome the second and subsequent barriers to transcription.

Nuclear export is a limiting factor in eukaryotic mRNA metabolism.

The eukaryotic mRNA life cycle includes transcription, nuclear mRNA export and degradation. To quantify all these processes simultaneously, we perform thiol-linked alkylation after metabolic labeling of RNA with 4-thiouridine (4sU), followed by sequencing of RNA (SLAM-seq) in the nuclear and cytosolic compartments of human cancer cells. We develop a model that reliably quantifies mRNA-specific synthesis, nuclear export, and nuclear and cytosolic degradation rates on a genome-wide scale. We find that nuclear degradation of polyadenylated mRNA is negligible and nuclear mRNA export is slow, while cytosolic mRNA degradation is comparatively fast. Consequently, an mRNA molecule generally spends most of its life in the nucleus. We also observe large differences in the nuclear export rates of different 3'UTR transcript isoforms. Furthermore, we identify genes whose expression is abruptly induced upon metabolic labeling. These transcripts are exported substantially faster than average mRNAs, suggesting the existence of alternative export pathways. Our results highlight nuclear mRNA export as a limiting factor in mRNA metabolism and gene regulation.

Genome-wide Analysis of RNA Polymerase II Termination at Protein-Coding Genes.

At the end of protein-coding genes, RNA polymerase (Pol) II undergoes a concerted transition that involves 3'-processing of the pre-mRNA and transcription termination. Here, we present a genome-wide analysis of the 3'-transition in budding yeast. We find that the 3'-transition globally requires the Pol II elongation factor Spt5 and factors involved in the recognition of the polyadenylation (pA) site and in endonucleolytic RNA cleavage. Pol II release from DNA occurs in a narrow termination window downstream of the pA site and requires the "torpedo" exonuclease Rat1 (XRN2 in human). The Rat1-interacting factor Rai1 contributes to RNA degradation downstream of the pA site. Defects in the 3'-transition can result in increased transcription at downstream genes.

Spt5 Plays Vital Roles in the Control of Sense and Antisense Transcription Elongation.

Spt5 is an essential and conserved factor that functions in transcription and co-transcriptional processes. However, many aspects of the requirement for Spt5 in transcription are poorly understood. We have analyzed the consequences of Spt5 depletion in Schizosaccharomyces pombe using four genome-wide approaches. Our results demonstrate that Spt5 is crucial for a normal rate of RNA synthesis and distribution of RNAPII over transcription units. In the absence of Spt5, RNAPII localization changes dramatically, with reduced levels and a relative accumulation over the first ∼500 bp, suggesting that Spt5 is required for transcription past a barrier. Spt5 depletion also results in widespread antisense transcription initiating within this barrier region. Deletions of this region alter the distribution of RNAPII on the sense strand, suggesting that the barrier observed after Spt5 depletion is normally a site at which Spt5 stimulates elongation. Our results reveal a global requirement for Spt5 in transcription elongation.

The Pseudo-Natural Product Tafbromin Selectively Targets the TAF1 Bromodomain 2.

Phenotypic assays detect small-molecule bioactivity at functionally relevant cellular sites, and inherently cover a variety of targets and mechanisms of action. They can uncover new small molecule-target pairs and may give rise to novel biological insights. By means of an osteoblast differentiation assay which employs a Hedgehog (Hh) signaling agonist as stimulus and which monitors an endogenous marker for osteoblasts, we identified a pyrrolo[3,4-g]quinoline (PQ) pseudo-natural product (PNP) class of osteogenesis inhibitors. The most potent PQ, termed Tafbromin, impairs canonical Hh signaling and modulates osteoblast differentiation through binding to the bromodomain 2 of the TATA-box binding protein-associated factor 1 (TAF1). Tafbromin is the most selective TAF1 bromodomain 2 ligand and promises to be an invaluable tool for the study of biological processes mediated by TAF1(2) bromodomains.

Native molecule sequencing by nano-ID reveals synthesis and stability of RNA isoforms.

Eukaryotic genes often generate a variety of RNA isoforms that can lead to functionally distinct protein variants. The synthesis and stability of RNA isoforms is poorly characterized because current methods to quantify RNA metabolism use short-read sequencing and cannot detect RNA isoforms. Here we present nanopore sequencing-based isoform dynamics (nano-ID), a method that detects newly synthesized RNA isoforms and monitors isoform metabolism. Nano-ID combines metabolic RNA labeling, long-read nanopore sequencing of native RNA molecules, and machine learning. Nano-ID derives RNA stability estimates and evaluates stability determining factors such as RNA sequence, poly(A)-tail length, secondary structure, translation efficiency, and RNA-binding proteins. Application of nano-ID to the heat shock response in human cells reveals that many RNA isoforms change their stability. Nano-ID also shows that the metabolism of individual RNA isoforms differs strongly from that estimated for the combined RNA signal at a specific gene locus. Nano-ID enables studies of RNA metabolism at the level of single RNA molecules and isoforms in different cell states and conditions.

The Cdk8 kinase module regulates interaction of the mediator complex with RNA polymerase II.

The Cdk8 kinase module (CKM) is a dissociable part of the coactivator complex mediator, which regulates gene transcription by RNA polymerase II. The CKM has both negative and positive functions in gene transcription that remain poorly understood at the mechanistic level. In order to reconstitute the role of the CKM in transcription initiation, we prepared recombinant CKM from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We showed that CKM bound to the core mediator (cMed) complex, sterically inhibiting cMed from binding to the polymerase II preinitiation complex (PIC) in vitro. We further showed that the Cdk8 kinase activity of the CKM weakened CKM-cMed interaction, thereby facilitating dissociation of the CKM and enabling mediator to bind the PIC in order to stimulate transcription initiation. Finally, we report that the kinase activity of Cdk8 is required for gene activation during the stressful condition of heat shock in vivo but not under steady-state growth conditions. Based on these results, we propose a model in which the CKM negatively regulates mediator function at upstream-activating sequences by preventing mediator binding to the PIC at the gene promoter. However, during gene activation in response to stress, the Cdk8 kinase activity of the CKM may release mediator and allow its binding to the PIC, thereby accounting for the positive function of CKM. This may impart improved adaptability to stress by allowing a rapid transcriptional response to environmental changes, and we speculate that a similar mechanism in metazoans may allow the precise timing of developmental transcription programs.

Global analysis of eukaryotic mRNA degradation reveals Xrn1-dependent buffering of transcript levels.

The rates of mRNA synthesis and degradation determine cellular mRNA levels and can be monitored by comparative dynamic transcriptome analysis (cDTA) that uses nonperturbing metabolic RNA labeling. Here we present cDTA data for 46 yeast strains lacking genes involved in mRNA degradation and metabolism. In these strains, changes in mRNA degradation rates are generally compensated by changes in mRNA synthesis rates, resulting in a buffering of mRNA levels. We show that buffering of mRNA levels requires the RNA exonuclease Xrn1. The buffering is rapidly established when mRNA synthesis is impaired, but is delayed when mRNA degradation is impaired, apparently due to Xrn1-dependent transcription repressor induction. Cluster analysis of the data defines the general mRNA degradation machinery, reveals different substrate preferences for the two mRNA deadenylase complexes Ccr4-Not and Pan2-Pan3, and unveils an interwoven cellular mRNA surveillance network.

The APT complex is involved in non-coding RNA transcription and is distinct from CPF.

The 3'-ends of eukaryotic pre-mRNAs are processed in the nucleus by a large multiprotein complex, the cleavage and polyadenylation factor (CPF). CPF cleaves RNA, adds a poly(A) tail and signals transcription termination. CPF harbors four enzymatic activities essential for these processes, but how these are coordinated remains poorly understood. Several subunits of CPF, including two protein phosphatases, are also found in the related 'associated with Pta1' (APT) complex, but the relationship between CPF and APT is unclear. Here, we show that the APT complex is physically distinct from CPF. The 21 kDa Syc1 protein is associated only with APT, and not with CPF, and is therefore the defining subunit of APT. Using ChIP-seq, PAR-CLIP and RNA-seq, we show that Syc1/APT has distinct, but possibly overlapping, functions from those of CPF. Syc1/APT plays a more important role in sn/snoRNA production whereas CPF processes the 3'-ends of protein-coding pre-mRNAs. These results define distinct protein machineries for synthesis of mature eukaryotic protein-coding and non-coding RNAs.

Cis-regulatory elements explain most of the mRNA stability variation across genes in yeast.

The stability of mRNA is one of the major determinants of gene expression. Although a wealth of sequence elements regulating mRNA stability has been described, their quantitative contributions to half-life are unknown. Here, we built a quantitative model for Saccharomyces cerevisiae based on functional mRNA sequence features that explains 59% of the half-life variation between genes and predicts half-life at a median relative error of 30%. The model revealed a new destabilizing 3' UTR motif, ATATTC, which we functionally validated. Codon usage proves to be the major determinant of mRNA stability. Nonetheless, single-nucleotide variations have the largest effect when occurring on 3' UTR motifs or upstream AUGs. Analyzing mRNA half-life data of 34 knockout strains showed that the effect of codon usage not only requires functional decapping and deadenylation, but also the 5'-to-3' exonuclease Xrn1, the nonsense-mediated decay genes, but not no-go decay. Altogether, this study quantitatively delineates the contributions of mRNA sequence features on stability in yeast, reveals their functional dependencies on degradation pathways, and allows accurate prediction of half-life from mRNA sequence.

EBF1 binds to EBNA2 and promotes the assembly of EBNA2 chromatin complexes in B cells.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection converts resting human B cells into permanently proliferating lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). The Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) plays a key role in this process. It preferentially binds to B cell enhancers and establishes a specific viral and cellular gene expression program in LCLs. The cellular DNA binding factor CBF1/CSL serves as a sequence specific chromatin anchor for EBNA2. The ubiquitous expression of this highly conserved protein raises the question whether additional cellular factors might determine EBNA2 chromatin binding selectively in B cells. Here we used CBF1 deficient B cells to identify cellular genes up or downregulated by EBNA2 as well as CBF1 independent EBNA2 chromatin binding sites. Apparently, CBF1 independent EBNA2 target genes and chromatin binding sites can be identified but are less frequent than CBF1 dependent EBNA2 functions. CBF1 independent EBNA2 binding sites are highly enriched for EBF1 binding motifs. We show that EBNA2 binds to EBF1 via its N-terminal domain. CBF1 proficient and deficient B cells require EBF1 to bind to CBF1 independent binding sites. Our results identify EBF1 as a co-factor of EBNA2 which conveys B cell specificity to EBNA2.

Determinants of RNA metabolism in the Schizosaccharomyces pombe genome.

To decrypt the regulatory code of the genome, sequence elements must be defined that determine the kinetics of RNA metabolism and thus gene expression. Here, we attempt such decryption in an eukaryotic model organism, the fission yeast S. pombe. We first derive an improved genome annotation that redefines borders of 36% of expressed mRNAs and adds 487 non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). We then combine RNA labeling in vivo with mathematical modeling to obtain rates of RNA synthesis and degradation for 5,484 expressed RNAs and splicing rates for 4,958 introns. We identify functional sequence elements in DNA and RNA that control RNA metabolic rates and quantify the contributions of individual nucleotides to RNA synthesis, splicing, and degradation. Our approach reveals distinct kinetics of mRNA and ncRNA metabolism, separates antisense regulation by transcription interference from RNA interference, and provides a general tool for studying the regulatory code of genomes.

Comparative dynamic transcriptome analysis (cDTA) reveals mutual feedback between mRNA synthesis and degradation.

To monitor eukaryotic mRNA metabolism, we developed comparative dynamic transcriptome analysis (cDTA). cDTA provides absolute rates of mRNA synthesis and decay in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc) cells with the use of Schizosaccharomyces pombe (Sp) as an internal standard. cDTA uses nonperturbing metabolic labeling that supersedes conventional methods for mRNA turnover analysis. cDTA reveals that Sc and Sp transcripts that encode orthologous proteins have similar synthesis rates, whereas decay rates are fivefold lower in Sp, resulting in similar mRNA concentrations despite the larger Sp cell volume. cDTA of Sc mutants reveals that a eukaryote can buffer mRNA levels. Impairing transcription with a point mutation in RNA polymerase (Pol) II causes decreased mRNA synthesis rates as expected, but also decreased decay rates. Impairing mRNA degradation by deleting deadenylase subunits of the Ccr4-Not complex causes decreased decay rates as expected, but also decreased synthesis rates. Extended kinetic modeling reveals mutual feedback between mRNA synthesis and degradation that may be achieved by a factor that inhibits synthesis and enhances degradation.

Periodic mRNA synthesis and degradation co-operate during cell cycle gene expression.

During the cell cycle, the levels of hundreds of mRNAs change in a periodic manner, but how this is achieved by alterations in the rates of mRNA synthesis and degradation has not been studied systematically. Here, we used metabolic RNA labeling and comparative dynamic transcriptome analysis (cDTA) to derive mRNA synthesis and degradation rates every 5 min during three cell cycle periods of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A novel statistical model identified 479 genes that show periodic changes in mRNA synthesis and generally also periodic changes in their mRNA degradation rates. Peaks of mRNA degradation generally follow peaks of mRNA synthesis, resulting in sharp and high peaks of mRNA levels at defined times during the cell cycle. Whereas the timing of mRNA synthesis is set by upstream DNA motifs and their associated transcription factors (TFs), the synthesis rate of a periodically expressed gene is apparently set by its core promoter.

Mediator phosphorylation prevents stress response transcription during non-stress conditions.

The multiprotein complex Mediator is a coactivator of RNA polymerase (Pol) II transcription that is required for the regulated expression of protein-coding genes. Mediator serves as an end point of signaling pathways and regulates Pol II transcription, but the mechanisms it uses are not well understood. Here, we used mass spectrometry and dynamic transcriptome analysis to investigate a functional role of Mediator phosphorylation in gene expression. Affinity purification and mass spectrometry revealed that Mediator from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is phosphorylated at multiple sites of 17 of its 25 subunits. Mediator phosphorylation levels change upon an external stimulus set by exposure of cells to high salt concentrations. Phosphorylated sites in the Mediator tail subunit Med15 are required for suppression of stress-induced changes in gene expression under non-stress conditions. Thus dynamic and differential Mediator phosphorylation contributes to gene regulation in eukaryotic cells.

MC EMiNEM maps the interaction landscape of the Mediator.

The Mediator is a highly conserved, large multiprotein complex that is involved essentially in the regulation of eukaryotic mRNA transcription. It acts as a general transcription factor by integrating regulatory signals from gene-specific activators or repressors to the RNA Polymerase II. The internal network of interactions between Mediator subunits that conveys these signals is largely unknown. Here, we introduce MC EMiNEM, a novel method for the retrieval of functional dependencies between proteins that have pleiotropic effects on mRNA transcription. MC EMiNEM is based on Nested Effects Models (NEMs), a class of probabilistic graphical models that extends the idea of hierarchical clustering. It combines mode-hopping Monte Carlo (MC) sampling with an Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm for NEMs to increase sensitivity compared to existing methods. A meta-analysis of four Mediator perturbation studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, three of which are unpublished, provides new insight into the Mediator signaling network. In addition to the known modular organization of the Mediator subunits, MC EMiNEM reveals a hierarchical ordering of its internal information flow, which is putatively transmitted through structural changes within the complex. We identify the N-terminus of Med7 as a peripheral entity, entailing only local structural changes upon perturbation, while the C-terminus of Med7 and Med19 appear to play a central role. MC EMiNEM associates Mediator subunits to most directly affected genes, which, in conjunction with gene set enrichment analysis, allows us to construct an interaction map of Mediator subunits and transcription factors.

Drosophila miR-277 controls branched-chain amino acid catabolism and affects lifespan.

Development, growth and adult survival are coordinated with available metabolic resources, ascertaining that the organism responds appropriately to environmental conditions. MicroRNAs are short (21-23 nt) regulatory RNAs that confer specificity on the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) to inhibit a given set of mRNA targets. We profiled changes in miRNA expression during adult life in Drosophila melanogaster and determined that miR-277 is downregulated during adult life. Molecular analysis revealed that this miRNA controls branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism and as a result it can modulate the activity of the TOR kinase, a central growth regulator, in cultured cells. Metabolite analysis in cultured cells as well as flies suggests that the mechanistic basis may be an accumulation of branched-chain α-keto-acids (BCKA), rather than BCAAs, thus avoiding potentially detrimental consequences of increased branched chain amino acid levels on e.g., translational fidelity. Constitutive miR-277 expression shortens lifespan and is synthetically lethal with reduced insulin signaling, indicating that metabolic control underlies this phenotype. Transgenic inhibition with a miRNA sponge construct also shortens lifespan, in particular on protein-rich food. Thus, optimal metabolic adaptation appears to require tuning of cellular BCAA catabolism by miR-277.

Tetraspanin 5 (TSPAN5), a Novel Gatekeeper of the Tumor Suppressor DLC1 and Myocardin-Related Transcription Factors (MRTFs), Controls HCC Growth and Senescence.

Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most lethal and common cancers in the human population, and new molecular targets for therapeutic intervention are urgently needed. Deleted in liver cancer 1 (DLC1) was originally identified as a tumor suppressor gene in human HCC. DLC1 is a Rho-GTPase-activating protein (RhoGAP) which accelerates the return of RhoGTPases to an inactive state. We recently described that the restoration of DLC1 expression induces cellular senescence. However, this principle is not amenable to direct therapeutic targeting. We therefore performed gene expression profiling for HepG2 cells depleted of DLC1 to identify druggable gene targets mediating the effects of DLC1 on senescence induction. This approach revealed that versican (VCAN), tetraspanin 5 (TSPAN5) and N-cadherin (CDH2) were strongly upregulated upon DLC1 depletion in HCC cells, but only TSPAN5 affected the proliferation of HCC cells and human HCC. The depletion of TSPAN5 induced oncogene-induced senescence (OIS), mediated by the p16INK4a/pRb pathways. Mechanistically, silencing TSPAN5 reduced actin polymerization and thereby myocardin-related transcription factor A- filamin A (MRTF-A-FLNA) complex formation, resulting in decreased expression of MRTF/SRF-dependent target genes and senescence induction in vitro and in vivo. Our results identify TSPAN5 as a novel druggable target for HCC.

Dynamitin mutagenesis reveals protein-protein interactions important for dynactin structure.

Dynactin is a highly conserved, multiprotein complex that works in conjunction with microtubule-based motors to power a variety of intracellular motile events. Dynamitin (p50) is a core element of dynactin structure. In the present study, we use targeted mutagenesis to evaluate how dynamitin's different structural domains contribute to its ability to self-associate, interact with dynactin and assemble into a complex with its close binding partner, p24. We show that these interactions involve three distinct structural elements: (i) a previously unidentified dimerization motif in the N-terminal 100 amino acids, (ii) an alpha-helical motif spanning aa 106-162 and (iii) the C-terminal half of the molecule (aa 213-406), which is predicted to fold into an antiparallel alpha-helix bundle. The N-terminal half of dynamitin by itself is sufficient to disrupt dynactin, although very high concentrations are required. The ability of mutations in dynamitin's interaction domains to disrupt dynactin in vitro was found to correlate with their inhibitory effects when expressed in cells. We determined that the dynactin subunit, p24, governs dynamitin oligomerization by binding dynamitin along its length. This suppresses aberrant multimerization and drives formation of a protein complex that is identical to the native dynactin shoulder.

Analysis of the dynein-dynactin interaction in vitro and in vivo.

Cytoplasmic dynein and dynactin are megadalton-sized multisubunit molecules that function together as a cytoskeletal motor. In the present study, we explore the mechanism of dynein-dynactin binding in vitro and then extend our findings to an in vivo context. Solution binding assays were used to define binding domains in the dynein intermediate chain (IC) and dynactin p150Glued subunit. Transient overexpression of a series of fragments of the dynein IC was used to determine the importance of this subunit for dynein function in mammalian tissue culture cells. Our results suggest that a functional dynein-dynactin interaction is required for proper microtubule organization and for the transport and localization of centrosomal components and endomembrane compartments. The dynein IC fragments have different effects on endomembrane localization, suggesting that different endomembranes may bind dynein via distinct mechanisms.