Formation of a carboxy-terminal domain phosphatase (Fcp1)/TFIIF/RNA polymerase II (pol II) complex in Schizosaccharomyces pombe involves direct interaction between Fcp1 and the Rpb4 subunit of pol II

Mol Cell Biol. 2002 Mar;22(5):1577-88. doi: 10.1128/MCB.22.5.1577-1588.2002.

Abstract

In transcriptional regulation, RNA polymerase II (pol II) interacts and forms complexes with a number of protein factors. To isolate and identify the pol II-associated proteins, we constructed a Schizosaccharomyces pombe strain carrying a FLAG tag sequence fused to the rpb3 gene encoding the pol II subunit Rpb3. By immunoaffinity purification with anti-FLAG antibody-resin, a pol II complex containing the Rpb1 subunit with a nonphosphorylated carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) was isolated. In addition to the pol II subunits, the complex was found to contain three subunits of a transcription factor TFIIF (TFIIF alpha, TFIIF beta, and Tfg3) and TFIIF-interacting CTD-phosphatase Fcp1. The same type of pol II complex could also be purified from an Fcp1-tagged strain. The isolated Fcp1 showed CTD-phosphatase activity in vitro. The fcp1 gene is essential for cell viability. Fcp1 and pol II interacted directly in vitro. Furthermore, by chemical cross-linking, glutathione S-transferase pulldown, and affinity chromatography, the Fcp1-interacting subunit of pol II was identified as Rpb4, which plays regulatory roles in transcription. We also constructed an S. pombe thiamine-dependent rpb4 shut-off system. On repression of rpb4 expression, the cell produced more of the nonphosphorylated form of Rpb1, but the pol II complex isolated with the anti-FLAG antibody contained less Fcp1 and more of the phosphorylated form of Rpb1 with a concomitant reduction in Rpb4. This result indicates the importance of Fcp1-Rpb4 interaction for formation of the Fcp1/TFIIF/pol II complex in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / genetics
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / metabolism*
  • Protein Binding
  • RNA Polymerase II / metabolism*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • Schizosaccharomyces / enzymology
  • Schizosaccharomyces / genetics*
  • Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors, TFII*
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Transcription Factors, TFII
  • RNA Polymerase II
  • RPB4 protein, S cerevisiae
  • rpb4 protein, S pombe
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases
  • carboxy-terminal domain phosphatase
  • transcription factor TFIIF