Photo of Steve Buratowski

Stephen Buratowski, Ph.D.

Hamilton Kuhn Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology

Our lab studies eukaryotic gene expression. We are concentrating on three areas: (A) the functions and interactions of the RNA polymerase II (RNApII) basal transcription factors, (B) the communication between chromatin and the transcription machinery, and (C) mRNA processing enzymes and their interactions with RNApII.

Research:

Our lab studies eukaryotic gene expression. We are concentrating on three areas: (A) the functions and interactions of the RNA polymerase II (RNApII) basal transcription factors, (B) the communication between chromatin and the transcription machinery, and (C) mRNA processing enzymes and their interactions with RNApII. Using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a combination of biochemical and genetic techniques are being brought to bear on these questions. Several dozen proteins are required simply to initiate transcription, and many more are required for processes linked to transcription. Therefore, it is now necessary to decipher the functions of each of the individual factors. Some of our recent projects:

1. The RNApII C-terminal domain (CTD) and mRNA processing enzymes. mRNAs are capped at the 5' end and polyadenylated at the 3' ends. We discovered that the phosphorylated CTD acts as a binding site for mRNA processing enzymes, thereby linking transcription and mRNA processing. Interestingly, the pattern of CTD phosphorylation changes at various points of transcription initiation and elongation. It appears that these different phosphorylated forms bind different sets of factors involved in regulation of elongation, termination, capping, splicing, and polyadenylation.

2. We are studying the many factors that modulate transcription elongation and termination by RNApII. We have found that different mechanisms are used for termination at different classes of genes. Genes that encode polyadenylated mRNAs use an exonuclease-dependent pathway, while genes for the non-polyadenylated sn/snoRNAs use a pathway that includes the exosome and the Nrd1 and Nab3 RNA binding proteins. We are working to further understand the two pathways and how the choice is made between them.

3. Connections between transcription and chromatin structure. We and others showed that the act of transcription causes major changes in the nucleosomes that package the gene. For example, the histone methyltransferases Set1 and Set2 are targeted to promoter and coding regions, respectively, via binding to the phosphorylated RNApII CTD. Specific demethylases also regulate gene regulation. These transcription-coupled histone methylation patterns have been linked to human cancers, but yeast provides a perfect model system for getting at their basic functions.

Address: 

Room C-347

240 Longwood Avenue

Boston, MA 02115

Publications View
In vitro assembly and proteomic analysis of RNA polymerase II complexes.
Authors: Authors: Joo YJ, Ficarro SB, Marto JA, Buratowski S.
Methods
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Excessive Cell Growth Causes Cytoplasm Dilution And Contributes to Senescence.
Authors: Authors: Neurohr GE, Terry RL, Lengefeld J, Bonney M, Brittingham GP, Moretto F, Miettinen TP, Vaites LP, Soares LM, Paulo JA, Harper JW, Buratowski S, Manalis S, van Werven FJ, Holt LJ, Amon A.
Cell
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A role for Mog1 in H2Bub1 and H3K4me3 regulation affecting RNAPII transcription and mRNA export.
Authors: Authors: Oliete-Calvo P, Serrano-Quílez J, Nuño-Cabanes C, Pérez-Martínez ME, Soares LM, Dichtl B, Buratowski S, Pérez-Ortín JE, Rodríguez-Navarro S.
EMBO Rep
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Rpd3L HDAC links H3K4me3 to transcriptional repression memory.
Authors: Authors: Lee BB, Choi A, Kim JH, Jun Y, Woo H, Ha SD, Yoon CY, Hwang JT, Steinmetz L, Buratowski S, Lee S, Kim HY, Kim T.
Nucleic Acids Res
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Cell-Cycle Modulation of Transcription Termination Factor Sen1.
Authors: Authors: Mischo HE, Chun Y, Harlen KM, Smalec BM, Dhir S, Churchman LS, Buratowski S.
Mol Cell
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Efficient termination of nuclear lncRNA transcription promotes mitochondrial genome maintenance.
Authors: Authors: du Mee DJM, Ivanov M, Parker JP, Buratowski S, Marquardt S.
Elife
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Erratum: Modulation of mRNA and lncRNA expression dynamics by the Set2-Rpd3S pathway.
Authors: Authors: Kim JH, Lee BB, Oh YM, Zhu C, Steinmetz LM, Lee Y, Kim WK, Lee SB, Buratowski S, Kim T.
Nat Commun
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Determinants of Histone H3K4 Methylation Patterns.
Authors: Authors: Soares LM, He PC, Chun Y, Suh H, Kim T, Buratowski S.
Mol Cell
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Downstream promoter interactions of TFIID TAFs facilitate transcription reinitiation.
Authors: Authors: Joo YJ, Ficarro SB, Soares LM, Chun Y, Marto JA, Buratowski S.
Genes Dev
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Microprocessor Recruitment to Elongating RNA Polymerase II Is Required for Differential Expression of MicroRNAs.
Authors: Authors: Church VA, Pressman S, Isaji M, Truscott M, Cizmecioglu NT, Buratowski S, Frolov MV, Carthew RW.
Cell Rep
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