Distinct pathways for snoRNA and mRNA termination

Minkyu Kim; Lidia Vasiljeva; Oliver J Rando; Alexander Zhelkovsky; Claire Moore; Stephen Buratowski

doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2006.11.011

Distinct pathways for snoRNA and mRNA termination

Mol Cell. 2006 Dec 8;24(5):723-734. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2006.11.011.

Authors

Minkyu Kim¹, Lidia Vasiljeva¹, Oliver J Rando², Alexander Zhelkovsky³, Claire Moore³, Stephen Buratowski⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
² Bauer Center for Genomics Research, Harvard University, 7 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.
³ Department of Molecular Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02111.
⁴ Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115. Electronic address: steveb@hms.harvard.edu.

PMID: 17157255
DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2006.11.011

Abstract

Transcription termination at mRNA genes is linked to polyadenylation. Cleavage at the poly(A) site generates an entry point for the Rat1/Xrn2 exonuclease, which degrades the downstream transcript to promote termination. Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are also transcribed by RNA polymerase II but are not polyadenylated. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments show that polyadenylation factors and Rat1 localize to snoRNA genes, but mutations that disrupt poly(A) site cleavage or Rat1 activity do not lead to termination defects at these genes. Conversely, mutations of Nrd1, Sen1, and Ssu72 affect termination at snoRNAs but not at several mRNA genes. The exosome complex was required for 3' trimming, but not termination, of snoRNAs. Both the mRNA and snoRNA pathways require Pcf11 but show differential effects of individual mutant alleles. These results suggest that in yeast the transcribing RNA polymerase II can choose between two distinct termination mechanisms but keeps both options available during elongation.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Blotting, Northern
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
DNA Helicases
DNA Polymerase II / metabolism
Exoribonucleases / genetics
Exoribonucleases / metabolism
Fungal Proteins / metabolism
Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
RNA Helicases
RNA, Messenger / genetics
RNA, Messenger / metabolism*
RNA, Small Nucleolar / genetics
RNA, Small Nucleolar / metabolism*
RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
Ribonucleoproteins / metabolism
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / genetics
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / metabolism
Transcription, Genetic

Substances

Fungal Proteins
NAB3 protein, S cerevisiae
NRD1 protein, S cerevisiae
Nuclear Proteins
RNA, Messenger
RNA, Small Nucleolar
RNA-Binding Proteins
Ribonucleoproteins
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
RAT1 protein, S cerevisiae
DNA Polymerase II
Exoribonucleases
SEN1 protein, S cerevisiae
DNA Helicases
RNA Helicases

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding