Transcriptional repression of the yeast CHA1 gene requires the chromatin-remodeling complex RSC
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In eukaryotes, DNA is packaged into chromatin, a compact structure that must be disrupted when genes are transcribed by RNA polymerase II. For transcription to take place, chromatin is remodeled via nucleosome disruption or displacement, a fundamental transcriptional regulatory mechanism in eukaryotic organisms. Here we show that the yeast chromatin-remodeling complex, RSC (remodels the structure of chromatin), isolated on the basis of homology to the SWI/SNF complex, is required for proper transcriptional regulation and nucleosome positioning in the highly inducible CHA1 promoter. In the absence of Sth1p/Nps1p (a homolog of Swi2p/Snf2p) or of Swh3p (a homolog of Swi3p), expression of CHA1 in non-induced cells is increased to a level comparable with that of fully induced cells. Furthermore, in non-induced cells depleted for Sth1p/Nps1p or Swh3p, a nucleosome positioned over the TATA box of the CHA1 promoter is disrupted, an architectural change normally only observed during transcriptional induction. In addition, deletion of the gene-specific activator Cha4p did not affect derepression of CHA1 in cells depleted for Swh3p. Thus, CHA1 constitutes a target for the RSC complex, and we propose that RSC is essential for maintaining a repressive chromatin structure at the CHA1 promoter.
Original language | English |
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Journal | E M B O Journal |
Volume | 18 |
Issue number | 10 |
Pages (from-to) | 2836-44 |
Number of pages | 9 |
ISSN | 0261-4189 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1999 |
- Chromatin, DNA-Binding Proteins, Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal, Genes, Fungal, Membrane Transport Proteins, Nucleosomes, Phosphate Transport Proteins, RNA, Messenger, Repressor Proteins, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins, Trans-Activators, Transcription Factors, Transcription, Genetic
Research areas
ID: 41043448