Role for DNA polymerase alpha in epigenetic control of transcriptional silencing in fission yeast

Nakayama, J., Allshire, R. C., Klar, A. J. S., Grewal, S. I. S. (June 2001) Role for DNA polymerase alpha in epigenetic control of transcriptional silencing in fission yeast. Embo Journal, 20 (11). pp. 2857-2866. ISSN 0261-4189

URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11387218
DOI: 10.1093/emboj/20.11.2857

Abstract

In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, transcriptional silencing at the mating-type region, centromeres and telomeres is epigenetically controlled, and results from the assembly of higher order chromatin structures. Chromatin proteins associated with these silenced loci are believed to serve as molecular bookmarks that help promote inheritance of the silenced state during cell division. Specifically, a chromo-domain protein Swi6 is believed to be an important determinant of the epigenetic imprint. Here, we show that a mutation in DNA polymerase alpha (pol alpha) affects Swi6 localization at the mating-type region and causes a 45-fold increase in spontaneous transition from the silenced epigenetic state to the expressed state. We also demonstrate that pol alpha mutant cells are defective in Swi6 localization at centromeres and telomeres, Genetic analysis suggests that Pola and Swi6 are part of the same silencing pathway, Interestingly, we found that Swi6 directly binds to Pol alpha in vitro. Moreover, silencing-defective mutant Pol alpha displays reduced binding to Swi6 protein. This work indicates involvement of a DNA replication protein, Pol alpha, in heterochromatin assembly and inheritance of epigenetic chromatin structures.

Item Type: Paper
Uncontrolled Keywords: DNA polymerase epigenetic fission yeast heterochromatin silencing ORIGIN RECOGNITION COMPLEX POSITION-EFFECT VARIEGATION SCHIZOSACCHAROMYCES-POMBE CHROMOSOME SEGREGATION REPRESS TRANSCRIPTION STRAND BREAKS HP1 PROTEINS REPLICATION CHROMATIN INHERITANCE
Subjects: bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > enzymes > DNA polymerase
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > transcription
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > enzymes
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > epigenetics
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > epigenetics
organism description > yeast
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Grewal lab
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: June 2001
Date Deposited: 17 Jan 2014 20:02
Last Modified: 17 Jan 2014 20:02
PMCID: PMC125490
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/29274

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