TY - JOUR
T1 - Suppression of WC-independent frequency transcription by RCO-1 is essential for Neurospora circadian clock
AU - Zhou, Zhipeng
AU - Liu, Xiao
AU - Hu, Qiwen
AU - Zhang, Ning
AU - Sun, Guangyan
AU - Cha, Joonseok
AU - Wang, Ying
AU - Liu, Yi
AU - He, Qun
PY - 2013/12/10
Y1 - 2013/12/10
N2 - Rhythmic activation and repression of clock gene transcription is essential for the functions of eukaryotic circadian clocks. In the Neurospora circadian oscillator, frequency (frq) transcription requires the WHITE COLLAR (WC) complex. Here, we show that the transcriptional corepressor regulation of conidiation-1 (RCO-1) is essential for clock function by regulating frq transcription. In rco-1 mutants, both overt and molecular rhythms are abolished, frq mRNA levels are constantly high, and WC binding to the frq promoter is dramatically reduced. Surprisingly, frq mRNA levels were constantly high in the rco-1 wc double mutants, indicating that RCO-1 suppresses WC-independent transcription and promotes WC complex binding to the frq promoter. Furthermore, RCO-1 is required for maintaining normal chromatin structure at the frq locus. Deletion of H3K36 methyltransferase su(var)3-9-enhancer-of-zeste-trithorax-2 (SET-2) or the chromatin remodeling factor CHD-1 leads to WC-independent frq transcription and loss of overt rhythms. Together, our results uncover a previously unexpected regulatory mechanism for clock gene transcription.
AB - Rhythmic activation and repression of clock gene transcription is essential for the functions of eukaryotic circadian clocks. In the Neurospora circadian oscillator, frequency (frq) transcription requires the WHITE COLLAR (WC) complex. Here, we show that the transcriptional corepressor regulation of conidiation-1 (RCO-1) is essential for clock function by regulating frq transcription. In rco-1 mutants, both overt and molecular rhythms are abolished, frq mRNA levels are constantly high, and WC binding to the frq promoter is dramatically reduced. Surprisingly, frq mRNA levels were constantly high in the rco-1 wc double mutants, indicating that RCO-1 suppresses WC-independent transcription and promotes WC complex binding to the frq promoter. Furthermore, RCO-1 is required for maintaining normal chromatin structure at the frq locus. Deletion of H3K36 methyltransferase su(var)3-9-enhancer-of-zeste-trithorax-2 (SET-2) or the chromatin remodeling factor CHD-1 leads to WC-independent frq transcription and loss of overt rhythms. Together, our results uncover a previously unexpected regulatory mechanism for clock gene transcription.
KW - Clock gene frq
KW - H3K36me3
KW - RCO-1/Tup1
KW - Transcriptional repression
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U2 - 10.1073/pnas.1315133110
DO - 10.1073/pnas.1315133110
M3 - Article
C2 - 24277852
AN - SCOPUS:84890277180
SN - 0027-8424
VL - 110
SP - E4867-E4874
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 50
ER -