We aim to understand the physical basis for the regulation of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) machinery and the crosstalk between the transcription and RNA processing pathways. The machinery is exceedingly large, consisting of Pol II at its heart and layers of trans-acting regulatory factors that modulate the Pol II activities. The advent of the crystal structure of Pol II core enzyme (513 kDa) has made it feasible to unravel the apparatus in more elaborative fashions. We have developed a structural paradigm in which functional Pol II complexes containing trans-acting regulators can be determined and mechanistic hypotheses emerging from the structures tested biochemically and genetically. Transcription is the first step in gene expression. Signals from many cellular processes such as nutrient sensing, catabolite repression, hormone stimulation, cell differentiation and responses to environmental stimuli ultimately reach the level of transcription to exert their effects. Aberration of transcriptional control is one of the mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis. The main characteristic of cancer cells is that they are highly proliferative due to their abilities to evade the programmed lifetime limit on normal cells. This means disruption of normal genetic programs, or more precisely, malfunction in the expression of genetic information stored in the DNA. As such, oncogene products are frequently found to be key players in the control networks of signal transduction, cell cycle progression and transcription regulation. The early elongation process of Pol II has been recognized as a major rate-limiting step in transcription regulation. The process is closely linked with cotranscriptional RNA processing, histone modification, and RNA export by mechanisms that are not yet clear. We propose to elucidate structures of Pol II early-elongation complexes to help understand the molecular underpinning of the central regulatory transition that occurs during the early phase of transcription.
Specific aim are: (1) Determination and verification of the crystal structures of Spt5-Spt4-Pol II elongation complexes; (2) Defining the mechanism of cotranscriptional capping within the early elongation complex; and (3) Crystallization of Spt5/4-Pol IIO-CE, the complete early elongation/capping complex. Results will illuminate how interactions from trans-acting regulator (e.g., Spt5-Spt4) bound at the surface of Pol II control DNA/RNA transactions at the interior of the polymerase - whether there is a conformational relay system among the cis-acting Pol II subunits. The work will also determine the mechanistic parameters underlying cotranscriptional RNA 5' capping and assess the hypothesis of expanded Pol II spatial organization induced by the recruitment of processing factors. The proposed research will finally integrate the functional players of early elongation to allow for structural elucidation of the holo-complex that mediates the RNA processing-coupled transcription in the nucleus.

Public Health Relevance

This project analyzes the structural and biochemical properties of the gene-reading protein machine - the RNA polymerase II transcription system. Focus is placed on understanding how trans-acting regulators control activities at the interior of the polymerase to modulate gene transcription.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM100997-04
Application #
8843465
Study Section
Macromolecular Structure and Function B Study Section (MSFB)
Program Officer
Preusch, Peter
Project Start
2012-05-01
Project End
2016-04-30
Budget Start
2015-05-01
Budget End
2016-04-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
$290,018
Indirect Cost
$76,589
Name
Medical College of Wisconsin
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
937639060
City
Milwaukee
State
WI
Country
United States
Zip Code
53226
Crickard, J Brooks; Fu, Jianhua; Reese, Joseph C (2016) Biochemical Analysis of Yeast Suppressor of Ty 4/5 (Spt4/5) Reveals the Importance of Nucleic Acid Interactions in the Prevention of RNA Polymerase II Arrest. J Biol Chem 291:9853-70
Meyer, Peter A; Li, Sheng; Zhang, Mincheng et al. (2015) Structures and Functions of the Multiple KOW Domains of Transcription Elongation Factor Spt5. Mol Cell Biol 35:3354-69
Dutta, Arnob; Babbarwal, Vinod; Fu, Jianhua et al. (2015) Ccr4-Not and TFIIS Function Cooperatively To Rescue Arrested RNA Polymerase II. Mol Cell Biol 35:1915-25
Babbarwal, Vinod; Fu, Jianhua; Reese, Joseph C (2014) The Rpb4/7 module of RNA polymerase II is required for carbon catabolite repressor protein 4-negative on TATA (Ccr4-not) complex to promote elongation. J Biol Chem 289:33125-30
Hartzog, Grant A; Fu, Jianhua (2013) The Spt4-Spt5 complex: a multi-faceted regulator of transcription elongation. Biochim Biophys Acta 1829:105-15
Meyer, Peter A; Fu, Jianhua (2012) Mutual remodeling and conformation grid: a mediator code? Structure 20:755-7
Kruk, Jennifer A; Dutta, Arnob; Fu, Jianhua et al. (2011) The multifunctional Ccr4-Not complex directly promotes transcription elongation. Genes Dev 25:581-93