Wotton D, Shore D
Department of Microbiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032, USA.
Genes Dev. 1997 Mar 15;11(6):748-60. doi: 10.1101/gad.11.6.748.
The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rap1 protein binds with high affinity to sites within the poly(C(1-3)A) tracts at telomeres, where it plays a role in both telomere length regulation and the initiation of telomeric silencing. Rap1p initiates silencing at telomeres by interacting through its carboxy-terminal domain with Sir3p and Sir4p, both of which are required for repression. This same domain of Rap1p also negatively regulates telomere elongation, through an unknown mechanism. We have identified a new Rap1-interacting factor (Rif2p) that plays a role in telomere length regulation. Rif2p has considerable functional similarities with a Rap1p-interacting factor (Rif1p) identified previously. Mutations in RIF1 or RIF2 (unlike mutations in the silencing genes SIR3 and SIR4) result in moderate telomere elongation and improved telomeric silencing. However, deletion of both RIF1 and RIF2 in the same cell results in a dramatic increase in telomere length, similar to that seen with a carboxy-terminal truncation of Rap1p. In addition, overexpression of either RIF1 or RIF2 decreases telomere length, and co-overexpression of these proteins can reverse the telomere elongation effect of overexpression of the Rap1p carboxyl terminus. Finally, we show that Rif1p and Rif2p can interact with each other in vivo. These results suggest that telomere length regulation is mediated by a protein complex consisting of Rif1p and Rif2p, each of which has distinct regulatory functions. One role of Rap1p in telomere length regulation is to recruit these proteins to the telomeres.
酿酒酵母Rap1蛋白以高亲和力结合于端粒处的聚(C(1-3)A)序列内的位点,在端粒长度调控和端粒沉默起始过程中发挥作用。Rap1p通过其羧基末端结构域与Sir3p和Sir4p相互作用,从而起始端粒处的沉默,这两种蛋白都是沉默所必需的。Rap1p的同一结构域还通过未知机制对端粒延伸起负调控作用。我们鉴定出一种新的Rap1相互作用因子(Rif2p),它在端粒长度调控中发挥作用。Rif2p与先前鉴定出的Rap1相互作用因子(Rif1p)具有相当多的功能相似性。RIF1或RIF2中的突变(与沉默基因SIR3和SIR4中的突变不同)会导致端粒适度延伸并改善端粒沉默。然而,在同一细胞中同时缺失RIF1和RIF2会导致端粒长度急剧增加,类似于Rap1p羧基末端截短的情况。此外,RIF1或RIF2的过表达会缩短端粒长度,并且这些蛋白的共同过表达可以逆转Rap1p羧基末端过表达的端粒延伸效应。最后,我们表明Rif1p和Rif2p在体内可以相互作用。这些结果表明,端粒长度调控由Rif1p和Rif2p组成的蛋白复合物介导,它们各自具有不同的调控功能。Rap1p在端粒长度调控中的一个作用是将这些蛋白招募到端粒上。