Transcription elongation factor Spt6 associates with RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) via a tandem SH2 (tSH2) domain. The mechanism and significance of the RNAP II-Spt6 interaction is still unclear. Recently, it was proposed that Spt6-tSH2 is recruited via a newly described phosphorylated linker between the Rpb1 core and its C-terminal domain (CTD). Here, we report binding studies with isolated tSH2 of Spt6 (Spt6-tSH2) and Spt6 lacking the first unstructured 297 residues (Spt6ΔN) with a minimal CTD substrate of two repetitive heptads phosphorylated at different sites. The data demonstrate that Spt6 also binds the phosphorylated CTD, a site that was originally proposed as a recognition epitope. We also show that an extended CTD substrate harboring 13 repetitive heptads of the tyrosine-phosphorylated CTD binds Spt6-tSH2 and Spt6ΔN with tighter affinity than the minimal CTD substrate. The enhanced binding is achieved by avidity originating from multiple phosphorylation marks present in the CTD. Interestingly, we found that the steric effects of additional domains in the Spt6ΔN construct partially obscure the binding of the tSH2 domain to the multivalent ligand. We show that Spt6-tSH2 binds various phosphorylation patterns in the CTD and found that the studied combinations of phospho-CTD marks (1,2; 1,5; 2,4; and 2,7) all facilitate the interaction of CTD with Spt6. Our structural studies reveal a plasticity of the tSH2 binding pockets that enables the accommodation of CTDs with phosphorylation marks in different registers.

• MeSH
• epitopy genetika   MeSH
• fosforylace genetika   MeSH
• genetická transkripce * MeSH
• histonové chaperony genetika   MeSH
• RNA-polymerasa II genetika   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae - proteiny genetika   MeSH
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae genetika   MeSH
• sekvence aminokyselin genetika   MeSH
• src homologní domény genetika   MeSH
• transkripční elongační faktory genetika   MeSH
• vazba proteinů genetika   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

The C-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is a regulatory hub for transcription and RNA processing. Here, we identify PHD-finger protein 3 (PHF3) as a regulator of transcription and mRNA stability that docks onto Pol II CTD through its SPOC domain. We characterize SPOC as a CTD reader domain that preferentially binds two phosphorylated Serine-2 marks in adjacent CTD repeats. PHF3 drives liquid-liquid phase separation of phosphorylated Pol II, colocalizes with Pol II clusters and tracks with Pol II across the length of genes. PHF3 knock-out or SPOC deletion in human cells results in increased Pol II stalling, reduced elongation rate and an increase in mRNA stability, with marked derepression of neuronal genes. Key neuronal genes are aberrantly expressed in Phf3 knock-out mouse embryonic stem cells, resulting in impaired neuronal differentiation. Our data suggest that PHF3 acts as a prominent effector of neuronal gene regulation by bridging transcription with mRNA decay.

• MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• fosforylace MeSH
• genetická transkripce MeSH
• genový knockdown MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• myši knockoutované MeSH
• neurony chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• posttranskripční úpravy RNA MeSH
• proteinové domény MeSH
• regulace genové exprese MeSH
• RNA-polymerasa II chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• RNA * chemie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• stabilita RNA MeSH
• transkripční faktory genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH