The Peptidyl Prolyl Isomerase Rrd1 Regulates the Elongation of RNA Polymerase II during Transcriptional Stresses

Rapamycin is an anticancer agent and immunosuppressant that acts by inhibiting the TOR signaling pathway. In yeast, rapamycin mediates a profound transcriptional response for which the RRD1 gene is required. To further investigate this connection, we performed genome-wide location analysis of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) and Rrd1 in response to rapamycin and found that Rrd1 colocalizes with RNAPII on actively transcribed genes and that both are recruited to rapamycin responsive genes. Strikingly, when Rrd1 is lacking, RNAPII remains inappropriately associated to ribosomal genes and fails to be recruited to rapamycin responsive genes. This occurs independently of TATA box binding protein recruitment but involves the modulation of the phosphorylation status of RNAPII CTD by Rrd1. Further, we demonstrate that Rrd1 is also involved in various other transcriptional stress responses besides rapamycin. We propose that Rrd1 is a novel transcription elongation factor that fine-tunes the transcriptional stress response of RNAPII

A Viable Hypomorphic Allele of the Essential IMP3 Gene Reveals Novel Protein Functions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the essential IMP3 gene encodes a component of the SSU processome, a large ribonucleoprotein complex required for processing of small ribosomal subunit RNA precursors. Mutation of the IMP3 termination codon to a sense codon resulted in a viable mutant allele producing a C-terminal elongated form of the Imp3 protein. A strain expressing the mutant allele displayed ribosome biogenesis defects equivalent to IMP3 depletion. This hypomorphic allele represented a unique opportunity to investigate and better understand the Imp3p functions. We demonstrated that the +1 frameshifting was increased in the mutant strain. Further characterizations revealed involvement of the Imp3 protein in DNA repair and telomere length control, pointing to a functional relationship between both pathways and ribosome biogenesis

Evaluation of the IDI-MRSA Assay for Detection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Nasal and Rectal Specimens Pooled in a Selective Broth

Rapid detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) by PCR can be performed directly from nasal specimens with the IDI-MRSA assay. To improve the efficiency of screening, we evaluated the performance of the IDI-MRSA assay for the detection of MRSA from pooled and unpooled specimens cultured in a selective broth. Of the 287 specimens evaluated, 71 were culture and PCR positive, 203 were culture and PCR negative, 3 were culture positive and PCR negative, 8 were culture negative and PCR positive, and 2 remained inhibited. A methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus isolate was recovered from five of the eight specimens with false-positive PCR results. Compared to the results of culture, the sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values of the IDI-MRSA assay for detection of MRSA from broth were 96%, 96%, 90%, and 98%, respectively. Following implementation of the IDI-MRSA assay, PCR-positive broths were subcultured for evaluation of assay performance. Of the 298 IDI-MRSA assay-positive broths, the results for 103 could not be confirmed by culture. A methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) isolate was recovered from 77 of these 103 broths. Repeat testing by the IDI-MRSA assay directly with the MSSA isolates confirmed the original positive PCR result. The positive predictive value of the IDI-MRSA assay fell from 90% during the evaluation phase to 65% postimplementation. The IDI-MRSA assay performed well for the detection of MRSA from a selective broth compared to the performance of the detection of MRSA from culture. However, because of the burden associated with implementation of infection control precautions, cultures remain essential in confirming positive IDI-MRSA results