Trans-acting antisense RNAs mediate transcriptional gene cosuppression in S. cerevisiae.
Homology-dependent gene silencing, a phenomenon described as cosuppression in plants, depends on siRNAs. We provide evidence that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is missing the RNAi machinery, protein coding gene cosuppression exists. Indeed, introduction of an additional copy of PHO84 on a plasmid or within the genome results in the cosilencing of both the transgene and the endogenous gene. This repression is transcriptional and position-independent and requires trans-acting antisense RNAs. Antisense RNAs induce transcriptional gene silencing both in cis and in trans, and the two pathways differ by the implication of the Hda1/2/3 complex. We also show that trans-silencing is influenced by the Set1 histone methyltransferase, which promotes antisense RNA production. Finally we show that although antisense-mediated cis-silencing occurs in other genes, trans-silencing so far depends on features specific to PHO84. All together our data highlight the importance of noncoding RNAs in mediating RNAi-independent transcriptional gene silencing.
Camblong
Jurgi
J
Department of Cell Biology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Beyrouthy
Nissrine
N
Guffanti
Elisa
E
Schlaepfer
Guillaume
G
Steinmetz
Lars M
LM
Stutz
Françoise
F
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018628:Gene Dosage / Q000235:genetics; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000378:metabolism; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; D028081:Proton-Phosphate Symporters / Q000235:genetics; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000378:metabolism*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013489:Suppression, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C105495:PHO84 protein, S cerevisiae; D028081:Proton-Phosphate Symporters; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; C411250:SET1 protein, S cerevisiae; D006655:Histone Deacetylases