DSC1-MCB regulation of meiotic transcription in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Cunliffe, L., White, S. and McInerny, C.J. (2004) DSC1-MCB regulation of meiotic transcription in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Molecular Genetics and Genomics, 271(1), pp. 60-71. (doi: 10.1007/s00438-003-0956-6)

Abstract

Meiosis is initiated from the G1 phase of the mitotic cell cycle, and consists of pre-meiotic S-phase followed by two successive nuclear divisions. Here we show that control of gene expression during pre-meiotic S-phase in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is mediated by a DNA synthesis control-like transcription factor complex (DSC1), which acts upon M lu1 cell cycle box (MCB) promoter motifs. Several genes, including <i>rec8</i>⁺, <i>rec11</i>⁺, <i>cdc18</i>⁺, and <i>cdc22</i>⁺, which contain MCB motifs in their promoter regions, are found to be co-ordinately regulated during pre-meiotic S-phase. Both synthetic and native MCB motifs are shown to confer meiotic-specific transcription on a heterologous reporter gene. A DSC1-like transcription factor complex that binds to MCB motifs was also identified in meiotic cells. The effect of mutating and over-expressing individual components of DSC1 (<i>cdc10</i>⁺, <i>res1</i>⁺, <i>res2</i>⁺, <i>rep1</i>⁺ and <i>rep2</i>⁺) on the transcription of <i>cdc22</i>⁺, <i>rec8</i>⁺ and <i>rec11</i>⁺ during meiosis was examined. We found that <i>cdc10</i>⁺, <i>res2</i>⁺, <i>rep1</i>⁺ and <i>rep2</i>⁺ are required for correct meiotic transcription, while <i>res1</i>⁺ is not required for this process. This work demonstrates a role for MCB motifs and a DSC1-like transcription factor complex in controlling transcription during meiosis in fission yeast, and suggests a mechanism for how this specific expression occurs.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: McInerny, Dr Chris and White, Dr Stewart
• Authors: Cunliffe, L., White, S., 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: Molecular Genetics and Genomics
• Journal Abbr.: Mol. Genet. Genomics
• ISSN: 1617-4615
• ISSN (Online): 1617-4623
• Published Online: 29 November 2003