An interaction between two RNA binding proteins, Nab2 and Pub1, links mRNA processing/export and mRNA stability

mRNA stability is modulated by elements in the mRNA transcript and their cognate RNA binding proteins. Poly(U) binding protein 1 (Pub1) is a cytoplasmic Saccharomyces cerevisiae mRNA binding protein that stabilizes transcripts containing AU-rich elements (AREs) or stabilizer elements (STEs). In a yeast two-hybrid screen, we identified nuclear poly(A) binding protein 2 (Nab2) as being a Pub1-interacting protein. Nab2 is an essential nucleocytoplasmic shuttling mRNA binding protein that regulates poly(A) tail length and mRNA export. The interaction between Pub1 and Nab2 was confirmed by copurification and in vitro binding assays. The interaction is mediated by the Nab2 zinc finger domain. Analysis of the functional link between these proteins reveals that Nab2, like Pub1, can modulate the stability of specific mRNA transcripts. The half-life of the RPS16B transcript, an ARE-like sequence-containing Pub1 target, is decreased in both nab2-1 and nab2-67 mutants. In contrast, GCN4, an STE-containing Pub1 target, is not affected. Similar results were obtained for other ARE- and STE-containing Pub1 target transcripts. Further analysis reveals that the ARE-like sequence is necessary for Nab2-mediated transcript stabilization. These results suggest that Nab2 functions together with Pub1 to modulate mRNA stability and strengthen a model where nuclear events are coupled to the control of mRNA turnover in the cytoplasm

A Role for Checkpoint Kinase-Dependent Rad26 Phosphorylation in Transcription-Coupled DNA Repair in Saccharomyces cerevisiae▿ †

Upon DNA damage, eukaryotic cells activate a conserved signal transduction cascade known as the DNA damage checkpoint (DDC). We investigated the influence of DDC kinases on nucleotide excision repair (NER) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and found that repair of both strands of an active gene is affected by Mec1 but not by the downstream checkpoint kinases, Rad53 and Chk1. Repair of the nontranscribed strand (by global genome repair) requires new protein synthesis, possibly reflecting the involvement of Mec1 in the activation of repair genes. In contrast, repair of the transcribed strand by transcription-coupled NER (TC-NER) occurs in the absence of new protein synthesis, and DNA damage results in Mec1-dependent but Rad53-, Chk1-, Tel1-, and Dun1-independent phosphorylation of the TC-NER factor Rad26, a member of the Swi/Snf group of ATP-dependent translocases and yeast homologue of Cockayne syndrome B. Mutation of the Rad26 phosphorylation site results in a decrease in the rate of TC-NER, pointing to direct activation of Rad26 by Mec1 kinase. These findings establish a direct role for Mec1 kinase in transcription-coupled repair, at least partly via phosphorylation of Rad26, the main transcription-repair coupling factor

Structure of the N-Terminal Mlp1-Binding Domain of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mRNA-Binding Protein, Nab2

Nuclear abundant poly(A) RNA-binding protein 2 (Nab2) is an essential yeast heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein that modulates both mRNA nuclear export and poly(A) tail length. The N-terminal domain of Nab2 (residues 1–97) mediates interactions with both the C-terminal globular domain of the nuclear pore-associated protein, myosin-like protein 1 (Mlp1), and the mRNA export factor, Gfd1. The solution and crystal structures of the Nab2 N-terminal domain show a primarily helical fold that is analogous to the PWI fold found in several other RNA-binding proteins. In contrast to other PWI-containing proteins, we find no evidence that the Nab2 N-terminal domain binds to nucleic acids. Instead, this domain appears to mediate protein:protein interactions that facilitate the nuclear export of mRNA. The Nab2 N-terminal domain has a distinctive hydrophobic patch centered on Phe73, consistent with this region of the surface being a protein:protein interaction site. Engineered mutations within this hydrophobic patch attenuate the interaction with the Mlp1 C-terminal domain but do not alter the interaction with Gfd1, indicating that this patch forms a crucial component of the interface between Nab2 and Mlp1

Actively transcribed GAL genes can be physically linked to the nuclear pore by the SAGA chromatin modifying complex

Recent work has demonstrated that some actively transcribed genes closely associate with nuclear pore complexes (NPC) at the nuclear periphery. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mlp1 and Mlp2 proteins are components of the inner nuclear basket of the nuclear pore that mediate interactions with these active genes. To investigate the physical link between the NPC and active loci, we identified proteins that interact with the carboxyl-terminal globular domain of Mlp1 by tandem affinity purification coupled with mass spectrometry. This analysis led to the identification of several components of the Spt-Ada-Gcn5-acetyltransferase ( SAGA) histone acetyltransferase complex, Gcn5, Ada2, and Spt7. We utilized co-immunoprecipitation and in vitro binding assays to confirm the interaction between the Mlp proteins and SAGA components. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that Mlp1 and SAGA components associate with the same region of the GAL promoters. Critically, this Mlp-promoter interaction depends on the integrity of the SAGA complex. These results identify a physical association between SAGA and the NPC, and support previous results that relied upon visualization of GAL loci at the nuclear periphery by microscopy ( Cabal, G. G. Genovesio, A., Rodriguez-Navarro, S., Zimmer, C., Gadal, O., Lesne, A., Buc, H., Feuerbach- Fournier, F., Olivo-Marin, J.-C., Hurt, E. C., and Nehrbass, U. ( 2006) Nature 441, 770-773). We propose that a physical interaction between nuclear pore components and the SAGA complex can link the actively transcribed GAL genes to the nuclear pore