Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.7.6 (RNA polymerase)
 34,946 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Human positive transcriptional elongation factor b (P-TEFb), consisting of a cyclin-dependent kinase 9-cyclin T heterodimer, stimulates general and disease-specific transcriptional elongation by phosphorylating RNA polymerase II. The HEXIM1 protein, aided by the 7SK snRNA, sequesters P-TEFb into an inactive 7SK.HEXIM1.P-TEFb small nuclear ribonucleic acid particle for inhibition of transcription and, consequently, cell proliferation. Here we show that, like HEXIM1, a highly homologous protein named HEXIM2 also possesses the ability to inactivate P-TEFb to suppress transcription through a 7SK-mediated interaction with P-TEFb. Furthermore, HEXIM1 and HEXIM2 can form stable homo- and hetero-oligomers (most likely dimers), which may nucleate the formation of the 7SK small nuclear ribonucleic acid particle. Despite their similar functions, HEXIM1 and HEXIM2 exhibit distinct expression patterns in various human tissues and established cell lines. In HEXIM1-knocked down cells, HEXIM2 can functionally and quantitatively compensate for the loss of HEXIM1 to maintain a constant level of the 7SK/HEXIM-bound P-TEFb. Our results demonstrate that there is a tightly regulated cellular process to maintain the balance between active and inactive P-TEFb complexes, which controls global transcription as well as cell growth and differentiation.
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PMID:Compensatory contributions of HEXIM1 and HEXIM2 in maintaining the balance of active and inactive positive transcription elongation factor b complexes for control of transcription. 1571 61

The kinase activity of positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb), composed of cyclin-dependent kinase 9 and cyclin T1 or T2, is required for the transition of RNA polymerase II into productive elongation. P-TEFb activity has been shown to be negatively regulated by association with the small nuclear RNA 7SK and the HEXIM1 protein. Here, we characterize HEXIM2, a previously predicted protein with sequence similarity to HEXIM1. HEXIM2 is expressed in HeLa and Jurkat cells, and glycerol gradient analysis and immunoprecipitations indicate that HEXIM2, like HEXIM1, has a regulated association with P-TEFb. As HEXIM1 is knocked down, HEXIM2 functionally compensates for its association with P-TEFb. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and in vitro kinase assays demonstrate that HEXIM2 forms complexes containing 7SK and P-TEFb and, in conjunction with 7SK, inhibits P-TEFb kinase activity. Our results provide strong evidence that HEXIM2 is a regulator of P-TEFb function. Furthermore, our results support the idea that the utilization of HEXIM1 or HEXIM2 to bind and inhibit P-TEFb can be differentially regulated in vivo.
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PMID:HEXIM2, a HEXIM1-related protein, regulates positive transcription elongation factor b through association with 7SK. 1571 62

Basal transcription of the HIV LTR is highly repressed and requires Tat to recruit the positive transcription elongation factor, P-TEFb, which functions to promote the transition of RNA polymerase II from abortive to productive elongation. P-TEFb is found in two forms in cells, a free, active form and a large, inactive complex that also contains 7SK RNA and HEXIM1 or HEXIM2. Here we show that HIV infection of cells led to the release of P-TEFb from the large form. Consistent with Tat being the cause of this effect, transfection of a FLAG-tagged Tat in 293T cells caused a dramatic shift of P-TEFb out of the large form to a smaller form containing Tat. In vitro, Tat competed with HEXIM1 for binding to 7SK, blocked the formation of the P-TEFb-HEXIM1-7SK complex, and caused the release P-TEFb from a pre-formed P-TEFb-HEXIM1-7SK complex. These findings indicate that Tat can acquire P-TEFb from the large form. In addition, we found that HEXIM1 binds tightly to the HIV 5' UTR containing TAR and recruits and inhibits P-TEFb activity. This suggests that in the absence of Tat, HEXIM1 may bind to TAR and repress transcription elongation of the HIV LTR.
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PMID:Manipulation of P-TEFb control machinery by HIV: recruitment of P-TEFb from the large form by Tat and binding of HEXIM1 to TAR. 1757 89

The positive transcription elongation factor P-TEFb controls the elongation of transcription by RNA polymerase II. P-TEFb is inactivated upon binding to HEXIM1 or HEXIM2 proteins associated with a noncoding RNA, 7SK. In response to the inhibition of transcription, 7SK RNA, as well as HEXIM proteins, is released by an unknown mechanism and P-TEFb is activated. New partners of 7SK RNA were searched for as potential players in this feedback process. A subset of heterogeneous ribonuclear proteins, hnRNPs Q and R and hnRNPs A1 and A2, were thus identified as major 7SK RNA-associated proteins. The degree of association of 7SK RNA with these hnRNPs increased when P-TEFb-HEXIM1-7SK was dissociated following the inhibition of transcription or HEXIM1 knockdown. This finding suggested that 7SK RNA shuttles from HEXIM1-P-TEFb complexes to hnRNPs. The transcription-dependent dissociation of P-TEFb-HEXIM1-7SK complexes was attenuated when both hnRNPs A1 and A2 were knocked down by small interfering RNA. As hnRNPs are known to interact transiently with RNA while it is synthesized, hnRNPs released from nascent transcripts may trap 7SK RNA and thereby contribute to the activation of P-TEFb.
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PMID:The transcription-dependent dissociation of P-TEFb-HEXIM1-7SK RNA relies upon formation of hnRNP-7SK RNA complexes. 1770 95

The human 7SK small nuclear RNA (snRNA) is an abundant noncoding RNA whose function has been conserved in evolution from invertebrates to humans. It is transcribed by RNA polymerase III (RNAPIII) and is located in the nucleus. Together with associated cellular proteins, 7SK snRNA regulates the activity of the positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb). In humans, this regulation is accomplished by the recruitment of P-TEFb by the 7SK snRNA-binding proteins, hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA)-induced mRNA 1/2 (HEXIM1 or HEXIM2), which inhibit the kinase activity of P-TEFb. P-TEFb regulates the transition of promoter proximally paused RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) into productive elongation, thereby, allowing efficient mRNA production. The protein composition of the 7SK small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) is regulated dynamically. While the Lupus antigen (La)-related protein 7 (LARP7) is a constitutive component, the methylphosphate capping enzyme (MePCE) associates secondarily to phosphorylate the 5' end of 7SK snRNA. The release of active P-TEFb is closely followed by release of HEXIM proteins and both are replaced by heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs). The released P-TEFb activates the expression of most cellular and viral genes. Regulated release of P-TEFb determines the expression pattern of many of the genes that respond to environmental stimuli and regulate growth, proliferation, and differentiation of cells.
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PMID:7SK snRNA: a noncoding RNA that plays a major role in regulating eukaryotic transcription. 2185 33

By phosphorylating negative elongation factors and the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII), positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb), which is composed of CycT1 or CycT2 and CDK9, activates eukaryotic transcription elongation. In growing cells, it is found in active and inactive forms. In the former, free P-TEFb is a potent transcriptional coactivator. In the latter, it is inhibited by HEXIM1 or HEXIM2 in the 7SK small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP), which contains, additionally, 7SK snRNA, methyl phosphate-capping enzyme (MePCE), and La-related protein 7 (LARP7). This P-TEFb equilibrium determines the state of growth and proliferation of the cell. In this study, the release of P-TEFb from the 7SK snRNP led to increased synthesis of HEXIM1 but not HEXIM2 in HeLa cells, and this occurred only from an unannotated, proximal promoter. ChIP with sequencing revealed P-TEFb-sensitive poised RNA polymerase II at this proximal but not the previously annotated distal HEXIM1 promoter. Its immediate upstream sequences were fused to luciferase reporters and were found to be responsive to many P-TEFb-releasing compounds. The superelongation complex subunits AF4/FMR2 family member 4 (AFF4) and elongation factor RNA polymerase II 2 (ELL2) were recruited to this proximal promoter after P-TEFb release and were required for its transcriptional effects. Thus, P-TEFb regulates its own equilibrium in cells, most likely to maintain optimal cellular homeostasis.
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PMID:Release of positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) from 7SK small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) activates hexamethylene bisacetamide-inducible protein (HEXIM1) transcription. 2451 7