Introns regulate RNA and protein abundance in yeast.
The purpose of introns in the architecturally simple genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is not well understood. To assay the functional relevance of introns, a series of computational analyses and several detailed deletion studies were completed on the intronic genes of S. cerevisiae. Mining existing data from genomewide studies on yeast revealed that intron-containing genes produce more RNA and more protein and are more likely to be haplo-insufficient than nonintronic genes. These observations for all intronic genes held true for distinct subsets of genes including ribosomal, nonribosomal, duplicated, and nonduplicated. Corroborating the result of computational analyses, deletion of introns from three essential genes decreased cellular RNA levels and caused measurable growth defects. These data provide evidence that introns improve transcriptional and translational yield and are required for competitive growth of yeast.
Juneau
Kara
K
Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA. kjuneau@stanford.edu
Miranda
Molly
M
Hillenmeyer
Maureen E
ME
Nislow
Corey
C
Davis
Ronald W
RW
D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D020440:Gene Duplication; D015870:Gene Expression; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D016681:Genome, Fungal; D007438:Introns / Q000502:physiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000235:genetics; D054645:Protein Phosphatase 1; D012326:RNA Splicing / Q000502:physiology; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000378:metabolism*; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015003:Yeasts / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development
C465210:Act1 protein, S cerevisiae; D000199:Actins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; C092048:GLC7 protein, S cerevisiae; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; D054645:Protein Phosphatase 1