Multiplexed mRNA assembly into ribonucleoprotein particles plays an operon-like role in the control of yeast cell physiology

  1. Rohini R Nair
  2. Dimitry Zabezhinsky
  3. Rita Gelin-Licht
  4. Brian J Haas
  5. Michael CA Dyhr
  6. Hannah S Sperber
  7. Chad Nusbaum
  8. Jeffrey E Gerst  Is a corresponding author
  1. Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
  2. Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, United States

Abstract

Prokaryotes utilize polycistronic messages (operons) to co-translate proteins involved in the same biological processes. Whether eukaryotes achieve similar regulation by selectively assembling and translating monocistronic messages derived from different chromosomes is unknown. We employed transcript-specific RNA pulldowns and RNA-seq/RT-PCR to identify yeast mRNAs that co-precipitate as ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes. Consistent with the hypothesis of eukaryotic RNA operons, mRNAs encoding components of the mating pathway, heat shock proteins, and mitochondrial outer membrane proteins multiplex in trans, forming discrete mRNP complexes (called transperons). Chromatin-capture and allele tagging experiments reveal that genes encoding multiplexed mRNAs physically interact, thus, RNA assembly may result from co-regulated gene expression. Transperon assembly and function depends upon histone H4 and depletion leads to defects in RNA multiplexing, decreased pheromone responsiveness and mating, and increased heat shock sensitivity. We propose that intergenic associations and non-canonical histone H4 functions contribute to transperon formation in eukaryotic cells and regulate cell physiology.

Data availability

All data is available within the text, figures, and tables of the manuscript

Article and author information

Author details

  1. Rohini R Nair

    Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
    Competing interests
    No competing interests declared.
  2. Dimitry Zabezhinsky

    Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
    Competing interests
    No competing interests declared.
  3. Rita Gelin-Licht

    Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
    Competing interests
    No competing interests declared.
  4. Brian J Haas

    Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
    Competing interests
    No competing interests declared.
  5. Michael CA Dyhr

    Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
    Competing interests
    No competing interests declared.
  6. Hannah S Sperber

    Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
    Competing interests
    No competing interests declared.
  7. Chad Nusbaum

    Technology Labs, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
    Competing interests
    Chad Nusbaum, Chad Nusbaum is affiliated with Cellarity Inc. The author has no financial interests to declare..
  8. Jeffrey E Gerst

    Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
    For correspondence
    jeffrey.gerst@weizmann.ac.il
    Competing interests
    No competing interests declared.
    ORCID icon "This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0002-8411-6881

Funding

German-Israeli Foundation for Scientific Research and Development (I-1190-96.13/2012)

  • Jeffrey E Gerst

Minerva Foundation (711130)

  • Jeffrey E Gerst

Astrachan Olga Klein Fund, Weizmann Institute

  • Jeffrey E Gerst

National Institutes of Health (NHGRI U54HG00306)

  • Chad Nusbaum

Israel Council of Higher Education

  • Rita Gelin-Licht

Israel Science Foundation (578/18)

  • Jeffrey E Gerst

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.

Copyright

© 2021, Nair et al.

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.

Metrics

  • 2,603
    views
  • 314
    downloads
  • 20
    citations

Views, downloads and citations are aggregated across all versions of this paper published by eLife.

Download links

Share this article

https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.66050

Further reading

    1. Cell Biology
    Tomoharu Kanie, Beibei Liu ... Peter K Jackson
    Research Article Updated

    Distal appendages are ninefold symmetric blade-like structures attached to the distal end of the mother centriole. These structures are critical for the formation of the primary cilium, by regulating at least four critical steps: preciliary vesicle recruitment, recruitment and initiation of intraflagellar transport (IFT), and removal of CP110. While specific proteins that localize to the distal appendages have been identified, how exactly each protein functions to achieve the multiple roles of the distal appendages is poorly understood. Here, we comprehensively analyze known and newly discovered distal appendage proteins (CEP83, SCLT1, CEP164, TTBK2, FBF1, CEP89, KIZ, ANKRD26, PIDD1, LRRC45, NCS1, CEP15) for their precise localization, order of recruitment, and their roles in each step of cilia formation. Using CRISPR-Cas9 knockouts, we show that the order of the recruitment of the distal appendage proteins is highly interconnected and a more complex hierarchy. Our analysis highlights two protein modules, CEP83-SCLT1 and CEP164-TTBK2, as critical for structural assembly of distal appendages. Functional assays revealed that CEP89 selectively functions in the RAB34+ vesicle recruitment, while deletion of the integral components, CEP83-SCLT1-CEP164-TTBK2, severely compromised all four steps of cilium formation. Collectively, our analyses provide a more comprehensive view of the organization and the function of the distal appendage, paving the way for molecular understanding of ciliary assembly.

    1. Cell Biology
    2. Medicine
    Slaven Crnkovic, Helene Thekkekara Puthenparampil ... Grazyna Kwapiszewska
    Research Article

    Background:

    Pulmonary vascular remodeling is a progressive pathological process characterized by functional alterations within pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and adventitial fibroblasts (PAAFs). Mechanisms driving the transition to a diseased phenotype remain elusive.

    Methods:

    We combined transcriptomic and proteomic profiling with phenotypic characterization of source-matched cells from healthy controls and individuals with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). Bidirectional cellular crosstalk was examined using direct and indirect co-culture models, and phenotypic responses were assessed via transcriptome analysis.

    Results:

    PASMC and PAAF undergo distinct phenotypic shifts during pulmonary vascular remodeling, with limited shared features, such as reduced mitochondrial content and hyperpolarization. IPAH-PASMC exhibit increased glycosaminoglycan production and downregulation of contractile machinery, while IPAH-PAAF display a hyperproliferative phenotype. We identified alterations in extracellular matrix components, including laminin and collagen, alongside pentraxin-3 and hepatocyte growth factor, as potential regulators of PASMC phenotypic transitions mediated by PAAF.

    Conclusions:

    While PASMCs and PAAFs retain their core cellular identities, they acquire distinct disease-associated states. These findings provide new insights into the dynamic interplay of pulmonary vascular mesenchymal cells in disease pathogenesis.

    Funding:

    This work was supported by Cardio-Pulmonary Institute EXC 2026 390649896 (GK) and Austrian Science Fund (FWF) grant I 4651-B (SC).