TAF6delta orchestrates an apoptotic transcriptome profile and interacts functionally with p53.
BACKGROUND
TFIID is a multiprotein complex that plays a pivotal role in the regulation of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription owing to its core promoter recognition and co-activator functions. TAF6 is a core TFIID subunit whose splice variants include the major TAF6alpha isoform that is ubiquitously expressed, and the inducible TAF6delta. In contrast to TAF6alpha, TAF6delta is a pro-apoptotic isoform with a 10 amino acid deletion in its histone fold domain that abolishes its interaction with TAF9. TAF6delta expression can dictate life versus death decisions of human cells.


RESULTS
Here we define the impact of endogenous TAF6delta expression on the global transcriptome landscape. TAF6delta was found to orchestrate a transcription profile that included statistically significant enrichment of genes of apoptotic function. Interestingly, gene expression patterns controlled by TAF6delta share similarities with, but are not equivalent to, those reported to change following TAF9 and/or TAF9b depletion. Finally, because TAF6delta regulates certain p53 target genes, we tested and demonstrated a physical and functional interaction between TAF6delta and p53.


CONCLUSIONS
Together our data define a TAF6delta-driven apoptotic gene expression program and show crosstalk between the p53 and TAF6delta pathways.
Wilhelm
Emmanuelle
E
RNA Group, Département de Microbiologie et d'Infectiologie, Faculté de Médecine et Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada.
Kornete
Mara
M
Targat
Brice
B
Vigneault-Edwards
Jimmy
J
Frontini
Mattia
M
Tora
Laszlo
L
Benecke
Arndt
A
Bell
Brendan
B
D017209:Apoptosis; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D009829:Oleic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013388:Succinimides / Q000494:pharmacology; D035381:TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D035362:Transcription Factor TFIID / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*
D009829:Oleic Acids; D013388:Succinimides; C084977:TAF6 protein, human; C106849:TAF9 protein, human; D035381:TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors; D035362:Transcription Factor TFIID; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C120556:sulfo-N-succinimidyl oleate