UV-induced ubiquitination of RNA polymerase II: A novel modification deficient in Cockayne syndrome cells

Journal Article · Tue Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 1996 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.93.21.11586· OSTI ID:471597

Bregman, D R; Warren, S L; Halaban, R ^[1]

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1. Yale Univ. School of Medicine, New Haven, CT (United States); and others

Damage to actively transcribed DNA is preferentially repaired by the transcription-coupled repair (TCR) system. TCR requires RNA polymerase II (Pol II), but the mechanism by which repair enzymes preferentially recognize and repair DNA lesions on Pol II-transcribed genes is incompletely understood. Herein we demonstrate that a fraction of the large subunit of Pol II (Pol II LS) is ubiquitinated after exposing cells to UV-radiation or cisplatin but not several other DNA damaging agents. This novel covalent modification of Pol II LS occurs within 15 min of exposing cells to UV-radiation and persists for about 8-12 hr. Ubiquitinated Pol II LS is also phosphorylated on the C-terminal domain. UV-induced ubiquitination of Pol II LS can be restored by introducing cDNA constructs encoding the CSA or CSB genes, respectively, into CS-A or CS-B fibroblasts. These results suggest that ubiquitination of Pol II LS plays a role in the recognition and/or repair of damage to actively transcribed genes. Alternatively, these findings may reflect a role played by the CSA and CSB gene products in transcription. 37 refs., 4 figs.

• OSTI ID: 471597
• Journal Information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Journal Issue: 21 Vol. 93; ISSN 0027-8424; ISSN PNASA6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
DNA
DNA REPAIR
FIBROBLASTS