Shannon M. Roberts1, Fred Winston2
1Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
2Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Tóm tắt
The Saccharomyces cerevisiae transcription factor Spt20/Ada5 was originally identified by mutations that suppress Ty insertion alleles and by mutations that suppress the toxicity caused by Gal4-VP16 overexpression. Here we present evidence for physical associations between Spt20/Ada5 and three other Spt proteins, suggesting that they exist in a complex. A related study demonstrates that this complex also contains the histone acetyltransferase, Gcn5, and Ada2. This complex has been named SAGA (Spt/Ada/Gcn5 acetyltransferase). To identify functions that genetically interact with SAGA, we have screened for mutations that cause lethality in an spt20Δ/ada5Δ mutant. Our screen identified mutations in SNF2, SIN4, and GAL11. These mutations affect two known transcription complexes: Snf/Swi, which functions in nucleosome remodeling, and Srb/mediator, which is required for regulated transcription by RNA polymerase II. Systematic analysis has demonstrated that spt20Δ/ada5Δ and spt7Δ mutations cause lethality with every snf/swi and srb/mediator mutation tested. Furthermore, a gcn5Δ mutation causes severe sickness with snf/swi mutations, but not with srb/mediator mutations. These findings suggest that SAGA has multiple activities and plays critical roles in transcription by RNA polymerase II.
