Proteasome recognized as nuclear player on gene-transcription team

One of the most common agents in the cytoplasm of the cell, the proteasome, also plays a widespread and critical role in transcription from inside the cell nucleus.

Pam Silver, Kathryn Auld, and their colleagues report in the March 17, 2006 Molecular Cell that the proteasome binds and critically regulates the transcription of some of the most highly expressed and important genes in the yeast genome, including those involved in lipid metabolism, mating behavior, and the making of ribosomal proteins.

“We found the proteasome to be very important in so many roles in yeast transcription that I cannot imagine it is not important in other organisms,” Auld said.