Repression of RNA polymerase II and III transcription during M phase of the cell cycle

Nuclear transcription is repressed when eukaryotic cells enter mitosis. Using Xenopus egg extracts shifted to the mitotic state with recombinant cyclin B1 protein, we have been able to reproduce mitotic repression of transcription in vitro. Active RNA polymerase III transcription is observed in interphase extracts in the absence of added cyclin, but is strongly repressed by the induction of cdc2/cyclin B (maturation/mitosis promoting factor, MPF) kinase activity in the mitotic extract. Studies with protein kinase inhibitors show that protein phosphorylation is required for repression. Add-back experiments indicate that repression of class III gene transcription is due to inactivation of the transcription factor TFIIIB. TFIIIB is composed of the TATA-box binding protein (TBP) and TBP-associated factors of 75 and 92 kDa. In the present study, we show that TBP and a polypeptide of 92 kDa are substrates of the mitotic kinase in highly purified TF- IIIB fractions. We also show that a phosphatase present in the Xenopus egg extract can reactivate transcription after repression by the mitotic kinases. This result suggests a mechanism for reactivation of transcription after exit from mitosis into the G1 phase of the cell cycle. As for pol III genes, purified cdc2/cyclin B kinase is sufficient to inhibit transcription by RNA polymerase II in a reconstituted transcription system containing the basal transcription factors and polymerase.