Novel RNA polymerase II mutation suppresses transcriptional fidelity and oxidative stress sensitivity in rpb9Delta yeast

Genes Cells. 2010 Feb;15(2):151-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2443.2009.01372.x. Epub 2010 Jan 17.

Abstract

We previously reported that transcription elongation factor S-II and RNA polymerase II subunit Rpb9 maintain transcriptional fidelity and contribute to oxidative stress resistance in yeast. Here we examined whether other transcription elongation-related factors affect transcriptional fidelity in vivo. Among the 17 mutants of transcription elongation-related factors analyzed, most were not responsible for maintaining transcriptional fidelity. This finding indicates that transcriptional fidelity is controlled by a limited number of transcription elongation-related factors including S-II and Rpb9 and not by all transcription elongation-related factors. In contrast, by screening rpb9Delta cell revertants for sensitivity to the oxidant menadione, we identified a novel mutation in RNA polymerase II, rpb1-G730D, which suppressed both reduced transcriptional fidelity and oxidative stress sensitivity. These findings suggest that the maintenance of transcriptional fidelity that is mediated by transcription machinery directly confers oxidative stress resistance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antifibrinolytic Agents / pharmacology
  • DNA, Fungal / genetics
  • DNA, Fungal / metabolism
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics*
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oxidants / pharmacology
  • Oxidative Stress / genetics*
  • Point Mutation*
  • RNA Polymerase II / genetics*
  • RNA Polymerase II / metabolism
  • Saccharomyces / drug effects
  • Saccharomyces / genetics*
  • Transcription, Genetic*
  • Vitamin K 3 / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antifibrinolytic Agents
  • DNA, Fungal
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Oxidants
  • Vitamin K 3
  • RNA Polymerase II