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Essential role of Swp73p in the function of yeast Swi/Snf complex
B R Cairns1, R S Levinson, K R Yamamoto
1Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305, USA.
Genes & Development
|September 1, 1996
Summary
Swi/Snf complex subunit Swp73p is crucial for transcriptional activation by glucocorticoid receptor and other factors. Its absence or mutation causes temperature sensitivity and affects gene expression, highlighting its essential role.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Yeast Genetics
- Transcription Regulation
Background:
- The Swi/Snf complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an 11-polypeptide complex involved in gene regulation.
- Five novel Swp polypeptides were previously identified as components of this complex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the specific role of the Swp73p subunit within the Swi/Snf complex.
- To determine the functional significance of Swp73p in transcriptional activation and gene expression.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of deletion mutants in the SWP73 gene.
- Assessing transcriptional activation by glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and enhancer elements.
- Investigating the effects of a single amino acid substitution in Swp73p.
Main Results:
- SWP73 deletion mutants exhibit temperature-sensitive phenotypes similar to swi and snf mutants.
- Swp73p is essential for transcriptional activation by full-length GR and by enhancer elements involving Swi5p and Pho2p.
- A single amino acid change in Swp73p partially mimics deletion phenotypes, with some distinct behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Swp73p plays a critical role in facilitating transcriptional activation, with its requirement varying based on the specific activator and promoter.
- The findings suggest SWP73 may belong to a conserved gene family with analogous functions across species.
- Swp73p's involvement in enhancer-mediated activation may explain defects in HO expression observed in swi and snf mutants.