Molecular Cell
Volume 80, Issue 2, 15 October 2020, Pages 345-358.e9
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Article
Integrator Recruits Protein Phosphatase 2A to Prevent Pause Release and Facilitate Transcription Termination

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2020.08.016Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • A short motif in IntS8 mediates association with protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A)

  • Recruitment of PP2A is necessary for Integrator-mediated gene repression

  • Integrator-bound PP2A dephosphorylates residues within the RNA Pol II CTD and Spt5

  • PP2A antagonizes transcriptional kinases to prevent productive elongation

Summary

Efficient release of promoter-proximally paused RNA Pol II into productive elongation is essential for gene expression. Recently, we reported that the Integrator complex can bind paused RNA Pol II and drive premature transcription termination, potently attenuating the activity of target genes. Premature termination requires RNA cleavage by the endonuclease subunit of Integrator, but the roles of other Integrator subunits in gene regulation have yet to be elucidated. Here we report that Integrator subunit 8 (IntS8) is critical for transcription repression and required for association with protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). We find that Integrator-bound PP2A dephosphorylates the RNA Pol II C-terminal domain and Spt5, preventing the transition to productive elongation. Thus, blocking PP2A association with Integrator stimulates pause release and gene activity. These results reveal a second catalytic function associated with Integrator-mediated transcription termination and indicate that control of productive elongation involves active competition between transcriptional kinases and phosphatases.

Keywords

transcription regulation
transcription termination
phosphatase
paused RNA Pol II
Integrator

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