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Transcriptional regulation of meiosis in budding yeast

Transcriptional regulation of meiosis in budding yeast

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the UCS4 element upstream <strong>of</strong> the CYC1 UAS results <strong>in</strong> 17-fold repression, depend<strong>in</strong>g on overexpression<br />

<strong>of</strong> Rme1, as well as on the presence <strong>of</strong> both the RRE and the modulation sites (Covitz<br />

and Mitchell, 1993). Unlike the <strong>in</strong>tact IME1 gene, repression dependent on over-expression <strong>of</strong><br />

Rme1 and dependence on MAT was not reported. It is not surpris<strong>in</strong>g, therefore, that <strong>in</strong> this<br />

heterologous system repression is accomplished by sequester<strong>in</strong>g the b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> a transcriptional<br />

activator (Shimizu et al., 1997b). The mode by which Rme1 represses transcription <strong>of</strong> IME1 is<br />

not known, however, it repression activity depends on S<strong>in</strong>4 and Rgr1 (Covitz et al., 1994), two<br />

components <strong>of</strong> the RNA polymerase SRB mediator complex (Myer and Young, 1998). These<br />

prote<strong>in</strong>s are not required for the stability <strong>of</strong> Rme1 (Covitz et al., 1994), or it’s b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g to DNA<br />

(Shimizu et al., 1998).<br />

Rme1 also functions as a transcriptional activator; it activates the transcription <strong>of</strong> CLN2 whose<br />

promoter <strong>in</strong>cludes Rme1’s b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g site (Toone et al., 1995). Accord<strong>in</strong>gly, Rme1 also activates the<br />

transcription <strong>of</strong> CYC1 and HIS3 when artificially tethered to their promoters (Covitz and<br />

Mitchell, 1993; Covitz et al., 1994). The transcription <strong>of</strong> RME1 is ma<strong>in</strong>ly <strong>in</strong>duced <strong>in</strong> G1 (Frenz et<br />

al., 2001), suggest<strong>in</strong>g that although this gene is non-essential, it might contribute to the high level<br />

expression <strong>of</strong> Cln2 at this stage <strong>in</strong> the cell cycle. <strong>Transcriptional</strong> activation is <strong>in</strong>dependent <strong>of</strong> Rgr1<br />

or S<strong>in</strong>4 (Blumental-Perry et al., 2002), although the function <strong>of</strong> Rme1 as an activator or repressor<br />

is mediated through the same doma<strong>in</strong> (Blumental-Perry et al., 2002). These results suggest that<br />

the function <strong>of</strong> Rme1 is determ<strong>in</strong>ed by <strong>in</strong>teract<strong>in</strong>g prote<strong>in</strong>s b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g to nearby DNA sites.<br />

The effect <strong>of</strong> MAT on the transcription <strong>of</strong> IME1 is evident only upon nitrogen depletion; In SA<br />

media the level <strong>of</strong> IME1 mRNA is low and identical <strong>in</strong> haploid and MATa/MATα diploid cells<br />

(Kassir et al., 1988), and only SPM and <strong>in</strong> MATa/MATα that IME1 is fully <strong>in</strong>duced. Moreover,<br />

s<strong>in</strong>ce nitrogen depletion <strong>in</strong>duces the transcription <strong>of</strong> RME1 (Frenz et al., 2001), it is possible that<br />

Rme1 represses transcription only <strong>in</strong> the absence <strong>of</strong> nitrogen. This hypothesis predicts that <strong>in</strong> the<br />

absence <strong>of</strong> Rme1, <strong>in</strong>itiation <strong>of</strong> <strong>meiosis</strong> will not depend on nitrogen depletion. However, cells<br />

where either RME1 or UCS3 along with UCS4 (the sites mediat<strong>in</strong>g the MAT signal) have been<br />

deleted, <strong>in</strong>duce <strong>meiosis</strong> only upon nitrogen depletion (Kassir and Simchen, 1976; Sagee et al.,<br />

1998). The effect <strong>of</strong> Rme1 is mediated through one <strong>of</strong> two mechanisms: by direct b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g and<br />

repression <strong>of</strong> IME1, and by activation <strong>of</strong> CLN2 transcription (Frenz et al., 2001; Toone et al.,<br />

1995). The <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> activity <strong>of</strong> the Cln/Cdc28 complex could result <strong>in</strong> an <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong><br />

phosphorylation <strong>of</strong> Ime1, and its sequester<strong>in</strong>g from the nucleus (Colom<strong>in</strong>a et al., 1999).<br />

Consequently, the reduction <strong>in</strong> positive auto<strong>regulation</strong>, would lead to a decrease <strong>in</strong> the level <strong>of</strong><br />

IME1 mRNA.<br />

8

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