Chp1-Tas3 interaction is required to recruit RITS to fission yeast centromeres and for maintenance of centromeric heterochromatin.

ABSTRACT: The maintenance of centromeric heterochromatin in fission yeast relies on the RNA interference-dependent complexes RITS (RNA-induced transcriptional silencing complex) and RDRC (RNA-directed RNA polymerase complex), which cooperate in a positive feedback loop to recruit high levels of histone H3 K9 methyltransferase activity to centromeres and to promote the assembly and maintenance of centromeric heterochromatin. However, it is unclear how these complexes are targeted to chromatin. RITS comprises Chp1, which binds K9-methylated histone H3; Ago1, which binds short interfering (siRNAs); the adaptor protein Tas3, which links Ago1 to Chp1; and centromeric siRNAs. We have generated mutants in RITS to determine the contribution of the two potential chromatin-targeting proteins Chp1 and Ago1 to

SUBMITTER: Debeauchamp JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2268443 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature