Abstract
In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the RNA interference (RNAi) machinery converts pericentromeric transcripts into small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and is required for the assembly of pericentromeric heterochromatin. Here we describe a mutation in the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII). Both wild-type and mutant RNAPII localized to the pericentromere. However, the mutation resulted in the loss of heterochromatic histone modifications and in the accumulation of pericentromeric transcripts, accompanied by the loss of siRNAs. This phenotype resembles mutants in RNAi and suggests that RNAPII couples pericentromeric transcription with siRNA processing and heterochromatin assembly.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Centromere / metabolism
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Chromosome Segregation
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Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
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Heterochromatin / metabolism*
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Histones / metabolism
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Methylation
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
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Point Mutation
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RNA Interference*
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RNA Polymerase II / chemistry
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RNA Polymerase II / genetics
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RNA Polymerase II / metabolism*
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RNA, Fungal / metabolism
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism*
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Schizosaccharomyces / enzymology
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Schizosaccharomyces / genetics
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Schizosaccharomyces / metabolism*
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Transcription, Genetic
Substances
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Heterochromatin
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Histones
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RNA, Fungal
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RNA, Messenger
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RNA, Small Interfering
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RNA Polymerase II