GSE173721
Genetic analysis argues for a coactivator function for the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Tup1 corepressor [ChIP-Seq]
The Tup1-Cyc8 corepressor complex of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is recruited to promoters by DNA-binding proteins to repress transcription of genes, including the a-specific mating type genes. We report here a tup1(S649F) mutant that displays mating irregularities similar to a tup1 null and an a-predominant growth defect. RNA-Seq and ChIP-Seq were used to analyze gene expression and Tup1 binding changes in mutant vs. wild-type in both a and a cells. Increased Tup1(S649F) binding tended to occur upstream of upregulated genes, whereas locations with decreased binding usually did not show changes in gene expression, suggesting this mutant not only loses corepressor function but also behaves as a coactivator. Based upon studies demonstrating a dual role of Tup1 in both repression and activation, we postulate that the coactivator function of Tup1(S649F) results from diminished interaction with repressor proteins, including a2. We also found that large changes in mating type-specific gene expression between a and a or between mutant and wild-type were not easily explained by the range of Tup1 binding levels within their promoters, as predicted by the classic model of a-specific gene repression by Tup1. Most surprisingly, we observed Tup1 binding upstream of the a-specific gene MFA2 and the a-specific gene MF(ALPHA)1 in cells in which each gene was expressed rather than repressed. These results, combined with identification of additional mating related genes upregulated in the tup1(S649F) a strain, illustrate that the role of Tup1 in distinguishing mating types in yeast appears to be both more comprehensive and more nuanced than previously appreciated. Overall design: Genomic localization of Tup1-V5 and Tup1(S649F)-V5 was determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation from cross-linked S. cerevisiae cells, followed by Illumina paired-end sequencing. Three replicate ChIPs and a single input control are included for each strain.