Acute stress drives global repression through two independent RNA polymerase II stalling events in Saccharomyces

Nitika Badjatia, Matthew J. Rossi, Alain R. Bataille, Chitvan Mittal, William K.M. Lai, B. Franklin Pugh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

In multicellular eukaryotes, RNA polymerase (Pol) II pauses transcription ~30–50 bp after initiation. While the budding yeast Saccharomyces has its transcription mechanisms mostly conserved with other eukaryotes, it appears to lack this fundamental promoter-proximal pausing. However, we now report that nearly all yeast genes, including constitutive and inducible genes, manifest two distinct transcriptional stall sites that are brought on by acute environmental signaling (e.g., peroxide stress). Pol II first stalls at the pre-initiation stage before promoter clearance, but after DNA melting and factor acquisition, and may involve inhibited dephosphorylation. The second stall occurs at the +2 nucleosome. It acquires most, but not all, elongation factor interactions. Its regulation may include Bur1/Spt4/5. Our results suggest that a double Pol II stall is a mechanism to downregulate essentially all genes in concert.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number108640
JournalCell Reports
Volume34
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 19 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • DSIF
  • Pol II pausing
  • peroxide stress
  • promoter-proximal pausing
  • transcription elongation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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