Association of the histone methyltransferase Set2 with RNA polymerase II plays a role in transcription elongation

J Biol Chem. 2002 Dec 20;277(51):49383-8. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M209294200. Epub 2002 Oct 14.

Abstract

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein, Set2, has recently been shown to be a histone methyltransferase. To elucidate the function of Set2, its associated proteins were identified using tandem affinity purification and mass spectrometry. We found that Set2 associates with RNA polymerase II. The interaction between the Set2 protein and RNA polymerase II requires the WW domain in Set2 and phosphorylation of the carboxyl-terminal domain of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II. Set2 directly binds to the carboxyl-terminal domain with phosphorylated Ser(2) in the heptapeptide repeats. set2 deletion mutant is sensitive to 6-azauracil, a property often associated with impaired transcription elongation. Together, our results suggest that Set2 through association with the elongating form of RNA polymerase II plays an important role in transcription elongation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Gene Deletion
  • Glutathione Transferase / metabolism
  • HeLa Cells
  • Histone Methyltransferases
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase*
  • Humans
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Methylation
  • Methyltransferases / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Phenotype
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Methyltransferases
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • RNA Polymerase II / metabolism*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / metabolism*
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Transcription, Genetic*
  • Uracil / analogs & derivatives*
  • Uracil / pharmacology

Substances

  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • Uracil
  • Histone Methyltransferases
  • Methyltransferases
  • Protein Methyltransferases
  • Set2 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase
  • Glutathione Transferase
  • RNA Polymerase II
  • azauracil