Global expression changes resulting from loss of telomeric DNA in fission yeast

Mandell, J. G., Bahler, J., Volpe, T. A., Martienssen, R. A., Cech, T. R. (2005) Global expression changes resulting from loss of telomeric DNA in fission yeast. Genome Biology, 6 (1). ISSN 1465-6914

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Abstract

Background: Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells lacking the catalytic subunit of telomerase (encoded by trtl(+)) lose telomeric DNA and enter crisis, but rare survivors arise with either circular or linear chromosomes. Survivors with linear chromosomes have normal growth rates and morphology, but those with circular chromosomes have growth defects and are enlarged. We report the global gene-expression response of S. pombe to loss of trtl(+). Results: Survivors with linear chromosomes had expression profiles similar to cells with native telomeres, whereas survivors with circular chromosomes showed continued upregulation of core environmental stress response (CESR) genes. In addition, survivors with circular chromosomes had altered expression of 51 genes compared to survivors with linear chromosomes, providing an expression signature. S. pombe progressing through crisis displayed two waves of altered gene expression. One coincided with crisis and consisted of around 110 genes, 44% of which overlapped with the CESR. The second was synchronized with the emergence of survivors and consisted of a single class of open reading frames (ORFs) with homology both to RecQ helicases and to dh repeats at centromeres targeted for heterochromatin formation via an RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism. Accumulation of transcript from the ORF was found not only in trtl-cells, but also in dcrl- and agol-RNAi mutants, suggesting that RNAi may control its expression. Conclusions: These results demonstrate a correlation between a state of cellular stress, short telomeres and growth defects in cells with circular chromosomes. A putative new RecQ helicase was expressed as survivors emerged and appears to be transcriptionally regulated by RNAi, suggesting that this mechanism operates at telomeres.

Item Type: Paper
Additional Information: ISI Document Delivery No.: 887WW Times Cited: 5 Cited Reference Count: 64 R1
Uncontrolled Keywords: CELLS LACKING TELOMERASE SCHIZOSACCHAROMYCES-POMBE SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE RNA INTERFERENCE BINDING PROTEIN MAINTENANCE HOMOLOG GENOME GENE HETEROCHROMATIN
Subjects: bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > annotation > gene expression profiling annotation
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > telomeres
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Martienssen lab
Depositing User: CSHL Librarian
Date: 2005
Date Deposited: 09 Jan 2012 15:19
Last Modified: 10 Apr 2014 14:20
PMCID: PMC549061
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/22644

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