Gene Regulation and Control of Chromatin Structure by Abf1 and Rap1

Rap 1和Abf 1是在酵母中的转录激活和抑制、复制和端粒结构中起作用的一般调节因子（GRF）。 这两个GRF共享创建开放染色质的局部区域的能力，其可以促进其他激活剂与基因启动子的结合，从而有助于基因激活。然而，这两个GRF在某些方面也不同。 最引人注目的是，需要Rap 1的持续结合以促进持续的转录激活，而Abf 1结合的丧失（使用abf 1 -1 ts突变体）不会导致转录降低。因此，至少一些启动子保留Abf 1结合的“记忆”。 本项目将结合生物化学、遗传学和基因组学方法，对Rap 1和Abf 1参与转录激活和干扰局部染色质结构的机制以及这种“记忆效应”的基础进行新的研究。基因激活依赖于特定转录因子与基因启动子的结合。 在这个项目中，两个这样的因子，Abf 1和Rap 1，作为“一般调节因子”，通过帮助激活酵母中的许多基因进行研究。 这些研究将包括生物化学，遗传学和基因组学方法来理解这两个因素有助于转录激活的机制，包括它们对基因启动子包装到染色质中的影响。 这项工作的结果将提供可能适用于所有真核生物的新信息，因为转录机制高度保守。 这些调查将包括进行夏季研究的本科生的参与，并将产生将提供给科学界的基因组数据。

Rap1 and Abf1 are General Regulatory Factors (GRFs) that function in transcriptional activation and repression, replication, and telomere structure in yeast. These two GRFs share an ability to create a local region of open chromatin which can facilitate binding of other activators to gene promoters and thus contribute to gene activation. However, these two GRFs also differ in some respects. Most dramatically, continued binding of Rap1 is required to facilitate ongoing transcriptional activation, whereas loss of Abf1 binding (using an abf1-1 ts mutant) does not result in decreased transcription. Thus, at least some promoters retain a "memory" of Abf1 binding. In this project, new insight into the mechanism by which Rap1 and Abf1 contribute to transcriptional activation and perturb local chromatin structure, and into the basis of this "memory effect," will be obtained using a combination of biochemical, genetic, and genomic approaches.Gene activation depends on binding of specific transcription factors to gene promoters. In this project, two such factors, Abf1 and Rap1, that operate as "General Regulatory Factors" by assisting in activation of many genes in yeast will be investigated. The studies will include biochemical, genetic and genomic approaches to understanding the mechanism by which these two factors contribute to transcriptional activation, including their effects on the packaging of gene promoters into chromatin. The results of this work will provide new information that is likely to apply to all eukaryotes, as the transcription machinery is highly conserved. These investigations will include participation by undergraduates conducting summer research, and will yield genomic data that will be made available to the scientific community.