Fkh2p and Sep1p regulate mitotic gene transcription in fission yeast

Buck, V., Ng, S.S., Ruiz-Garcia, A.B., Papadopoulou, K., Bhatti, S., Samuel, J.M., Anderson, M., Millar, J.B.A. and McInerny, C.J. (2004) Fkh2p and Sep1p regulate mitotic gene transcription in fission yeast. Journal of Cell Science, 117(23), pp. 5623-5632. (doi: 10.1242/jcs.01473)

Abstract

In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, several genes including cdc15⁺, spo12⁺, fin1⁺, slp1⁺, ace2⁺ and plo1⁺ are periodically expressed during M phase. The products of these genes control various aspects of cell cycle progression including sister chromatid separation, septation and cytokinesis. We demonstrate that periodic expression of these genes is regulated by a common promoter sequence element, named a PCB. In a genetic screen for cell cycle regulators we have identified a novel forkhead transcription factor, Fkh2p, which is periodically phosphorylated in M phase. We show that Fhk2p and another forkhead transcription factor, Sep1p, are necessary for PCB-driven M-phase-specific transcription. In a previous report we identified a complex by electrophoretic mobility shift assay, which we termed PBF, that binds to a 150 bp region of the cdc15⁺ promoter that contains the PCB element. We have identified Mbx1p, a novel MADS box protein, as a component of PBF. However, although Mbx1p is periodically phosphorylated in M phase, Mbx1p is not required for periodic gene transcription in M phase. Moreover, although PBF is absent in strains bearing a C-terminal epitope tag on Fkh2p, simultaneous deletion of fkh2⁺ and sep1⁺ does not abolish PBF binding activity. This suggests that Mbx1p binds to gene promoters, but is not required for transcriptional activation. Together these results suggest that the activation of the Fkh2p and Sep1p forkhead transcription factors triggers mitotic gene transcription in fission yeast.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: McInerny, Dr Chris
• Authors: Buck, V., Ng, S.S., Ruiz-Garcia, A.B., Papadopoulou, K., Bhatti, S., Samuel, J.M., Anderson, M., Millar, J.B.A., and McInerny, C.J.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Life Sciences; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Molecular Biosciences
• Journal Name: Journal of Cell Science
• Journal Abbr.: J. Cell. Sci.
• ISSN: 0021-9533
• ISSN (Online): 1477-9137

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
35618	1	Cell and life cycle specific transcription in fission yeast	Christopher McInerny	Medical Research Council (MRC)	G0300187	Life Sciences Biomolecular Science