RNA Pol II Subunit Rpb7 Promotes Centromeric Transcription and RNAi-directed Chromatin Silencing

Overview

Journal Genes Dev

Specialty Molecular Biology

Date 2005 Oct 6

PMID 16204182

Citations 137

Authors

Ingela Djupedal

Manuela Portoso

Henrik Spahr

Carolina Bonilla

Claes M Gustafsson

Robin C Allshire

Karl Ekwall

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Fission yeast centromeric repeats are transcribed into small interfering RNA (siRNA) precursors (pre-siRNAs), which are processed by Dicer to direct heterochromatin formation. Recently, Rpb1 and Rpb2 subunits of RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) were shown to mediate RNA interference (RNAi)-directed chromatin modification but did not affect pre-siRNA levels. Here we show that another Pol II subunit, Rpb7 has a specific role in pre-siRNA transcription. We define a centromeric pre-siRNA promoter from which initiation is exquisitely sensitive to the rpb7-G150D mutation. In contrast to other Pol II subunits, Rpb7 promotes pre-siRNA transcription required for RNAi-directed chromatin silencing.

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