• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.435-439
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• 2015

THO/TREX complex plays an important role in transcriptional elongation, mRNA processing, nuclear RNA export, and genome stability. A fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, SPBC577.04 gene encoding the ortholog of THOC5, a component of THO/TREX complex, was identified and characterized. The S. pombe thoc5 (spthoc5) is not essential for both growth and mRNA export, but deletion of the spthoc5 gene caused growth defect and slight accumulation of $poly(A)^+$ RNA in the nucleus. And the functional spThoc5-GFP protein is localized mainly in the nucleus. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis showed that the Hpr1(THOC1) protein, an evolutionally well-conserved component of THO/TREX complex, interacted with spThoc5 as well as Tho2(THOC2), another subunit of THO complex. These results suggest that S. pombe Thoc5 as a component of THO/TREX complex is also involved in mRNA export from the nucleus.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.355-356
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• 2016

The THO/TREX complex consists of several conserved subunits and is required for mRNA export. In metazoans, THO/TREX binds a subset of mRNAs during RNA splicing, and facilitates their nuclear export. How THO/TREX selects RNA targets is, however, incompletely understood. In our recent study, we reported that THO is loaded onto Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) precursor transcripts independent of splicing, and facilitates convergent transcription in Drosophila ovary. The precursors are later processed into mature piRNAs, small noncoding RNAs that silence transposable elements (TEs). We observed that piRNAs originating from dual-strand clusters, where precursors are transcribed from both strands, were specifically affected by THO mutation. Analysis of THO-bound RNAs showed enrichment of dual-strand cluster transcripts. Interestingly, THO loading onto piRNA precursors was dependent on Cutoff (Cuff), which comprises the Rhino-Deadlock-Cutoff (RDC) complex that is recruited to dual-strand clusters by recognizing H3K9me3 and licenses convergent transcription from he cluster. We also found that THO mutation affected transcription from dual-strand clusters. Therefore, we concluded that THO/TREX is recruited to dual-strand piRNA clusters, independent of splicing events, via multi-protein interactions with chromatin structure. Then, it facilitates transcription likely by suppressing premature termination to ensure adequate expression of piRNA precursors.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.292-296
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• 2017

In eukaryote, THO/TREX complex plays a critical role in transcriptional elongation, pre-mRNA processing, and nuclear mRNA export. This complex is evolutionally well- conserved, but there are some differences in composition and function according to organisms. Here we showed that spTex1, a component of THO/TREX complex, is not essential for growth and mRNA export in a fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, which is more similar to higher eukaryote than budding yeast. Deletion and overexpression of the spTex1 gene do not lead to any detectable growth phenotype and accumulation of poly(A)+ RNA in the nucleus. And the spTex1-GFP protein is localized mainly in the nucleus. Yeast two-hybrid and Co-immunoprecipitation analysis showed that the spTex1 protein interacted with spHpr1 (THOC1) and spTho2 (THOC2), main subunits of THO complex. We conclude that the S. pombe Tex1 is a component of THO/TREX complex, but does not plays important roles in growth and bulk mRNA export from the nucleus.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.91-97
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• 2018

The evolutionally conserved TREX complex member, Yra1/ALY, belongs to the REF (RNA and export factor binding proteins) family of hnRNP-like proteins, which has been implicated in multiple processes including transcription, nuclear RNA stability, and mRNA export. Fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, genome encodes two members of REF proteins. In addition to Mlo3 known previously as an mRNA export factor, there is the other REF protein, Tho4, which is predicted as a component of THO complex. Here we showed that deletion of tho4 (SPBC106.12c) gene does not inhibit both growth and nuclear mRNA export. However, overexpression of tho4 displays growth retardation and slight accumulation of $poly(A)^+$ RNA in the nucleus. Neither ${\Delta}tho4$ ${\Delta}mlo3$ nor ${\Delta}tho4$ ${\Delta}mex67$ double mutants exhibit additive growth defect. Moreover, yeast two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation analysis did not show that the Tho4 protein interacted with any members of TREX complex and mRNA export factor Rae1. Contrary to expectation, these observations support that the S. pombe Tho4 is not a component of TREX complex, and not directly involved in bulk mRNA export from the nucleus.