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Title: Positive modulation of RNA polymerase III transcription by ribosomal proteins

Journal Article · · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
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  1. Dipartimento di Biochimica e Biologia Molecolare, Universita degli Studi di Parma, Viale G.P. Usberti 23/A, 43100 Parma (Italy)
  2. Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Institut de Biologie et de Technologies de Saclay, SBIGeM, F-91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex (France)
  3. Dipartimento di Chimica Organica e Biochimica, Universita di Napoli Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126 Napoli (Italy)

A yeast nuclear fraction of unknown composition, named TFIIIE, was reported previously to enhance transcription of tRNA and 5S rRNA genes in vitro. We show that TFIIIE activity co-purifies with a specific subset of ribosomal proteins (RPs) which, as revealed by chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis, generally interact with tRNA and 5S rRNA genes, but not with a Pol II-specific promoter. Only Rpl6Ap and Rpl6Bp, among the tested RPs, were found associated to a TATA-containing tRNA{sup Ile}(TAT) gene. The RPL6A gene also emerged as a strong multicopy suppressor of a conditional mutation in the basal transcription factor TFIIIC, while RPL26A and RPL14A behaved as weak suppressors. The data delineate a novel extra-ribosomal role for one or a few RPs which, by influencing 5S rRNA and tRNA synthesis, could play a key role in the coordinate regulation of the different sub-pathways required for ribosome biogenesis and functionality.

OSTI ID:
21255870
Journal Information:
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol. 379, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.12.097; PII: S0006-291X(08)02503-5; Copyright (c) 2008 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0006-291X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English