Regulation of conditional gene expression by coupled transcription repression and RNA degradation.

Gene expression is determined by a combination of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory events that were thought to occur independently. This report demonstrates that the genes associated with the Snf3p-Rgt2p glucose-sensing pathway are regulated by interconnected transcription repression and RNA degradation. Deletion of the dsRNA-specific ribonuclease III Rnt1p increased the expression of Snf3p-Rgt2p-associated transcription factors in vivo and the recombinant enzyme degraded their messenger RNA in vitro.

Genome-wide prediction and analysis of yeast RNase III-dependent snoRNA processing signals.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the maturation of both pre-rRNA and pre-small nucleolar RNAs (pre-snoRNAs) involves common factors, thereby providing a potential mechanism for the coregulation of snoRNA and rRNA synthesis. In this study, we examined the global impact of the double-stranded-RNA-specific RNase Rnt1p, which is required for pre-rRNA processing, on the maturation of all known snoRNAs. In silico searches for Rnt1p cleavage signals, and genome-wide analysis of the Rnt1p-dependent expression profile, identified seven new Rnt1p substrates.