Previous Article | Next Article ![]()
Molecular and Cellular Biology, January 2002, p. 286-297, Vol. 22, No. 1
0270-7306/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/MCB.22.1.286-297.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
Received 27 March 2001/ Returned for modification 27 April 2001/ Accepted 10 October 2001
Mammalian heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K) is an RNA- and DNA-binding protein implicated in the regulation of gene expression processes. To better understand its function, we studied two Saccharomyces cerevisiae homologues of the human hnRNP K, PBP2 and HEK2 (heterogeneous nuclear RNP K-like gene). pbp2
and hek2
mutations inhibited expression of a marker gene that was inserted near telomere but not at internal chromosomal locations. The telomere proximal to the ectopic marker gene became longer, while most of the other telomeres were not altered in the double mutant cells. We provide evidence that telomere elongation might be the primary event that causes enhanced silencing of an adjacent reporter gene. The telomere lengthening could, in part, be explained by the inhibitory effect of hek2
mutation on the telomeric rapid deletion pathway. Hek2p was detected in a complex with chromosome regions proximal to the affected telomere, suggesting a direct involvement of this protein in telomere maintenance. These results identify a role for hnRNP K-like genes in the structural and functional organization of telomeric chromatin in yeast.
* Corresponding author. Mailing address for Karol Bomsztyk: Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Box 356521, Seattle, WA 98195-6521. Phone: (206) 543-3792. Fax: (206) 685-8661. E-mail: karolb{at}u.washington.edu.
This article has been cited by other articles:
Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology. For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»