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Molecular and Cellular Biology, November 2002, p. 8088-8099, Vol. 22, No. 22
0270-7306/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/MCB.22.22.8088-8099.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Subnuclear Localization of Ku Protein: Functional Association with RNA Polymerase II Elongation Sites

Xianming Mo{dagger} and William S. Dynan*

Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30912

Received 29 May 2002/ Returned for modification 8 July 2002/ Accepted 12 August 2002

Ku is an abundant nuclear protein with an essential function in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks. Various observations suggest that Ku also interacts with the cellular transcription machinery, although the mechanism and significance of this interaction are not well understood. In the present study, we investigated the subnuclear distribution of Ku in normally growing human cells by using confocal microscopy, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and protein immunoprecipitation. All three approaches indicated association of Ku with RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) elongation sites. This association occurred independently of the DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit and was highly selective. There was no detectable association with the initiating isoform of RNAP II or with the general transcription initiation factors. In vitro protein-protein interaction assays demonstrated that the association of Ku with elongation proteins is mediated, in part, by a discrete C-terminal domain in the Ku80 subunit. Functional disruption of this interaction with a dominant-negative mutant inhibited transcription in vitro and in vivo and suppressed cell growth. These results suggest that association of Ku with transcription sites is important for maintenance of global transcription levels. Tethering of double-strand break repair proteins to defined subnuclear structures may also be advantageous in maintenance of genome stability.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: IMMAG Room CB-2803, Medical College of Georgia, 1120 15th St., Augusta, GA 30912. Phone: (706) 721-8756. Fax: (706) 721-8752. E-mail: wdynan{at}mail.mcg.edu.

{dagger} Present address: Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, 13125 Berlin, Germany.

Molecular and Cellular Biology, November 2002, p. 8088-8099, Vol. 22, No. 22
0022-538X/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/MCB.22.22.8088-8099.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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