Open AccessTransient transcriptional responses to stress are generated by opposing effects of mRNA production and degradation
Author(s) -
Shalem Ophir,
Dahan Orna,
Levo Michal,
Martinez Maria Rodriguez,
Furman Itay,
Segal Eran,
Pilpel Yitzhak
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
molecular systems biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.523
H-Index - 148
ISSN - 1744-4292
DOI - 10.1038/msb.2008.59
Subject(s) - biology , transient (computer programming) , messenger rna , microbiology and biotechnology , degradation (telecommunications) , stress (linguistics) , computational biology , genetics , gene , computer science , telecommunications , linguistics , philosophy , operating system
The state of the transcriptome reflects a balance between mRNA production and degradation. Yet how these two regulatory arms interact in shaping the kinetics of the transcriptome in response to environmental changes is not known. We subjected yeast to two stresses, one that induces a fast and transient response, and another that triggers a slow enduring response. We then used microarrays following transcriptional arrest to measure genome‐wide decay profiles under each condition. We found condition‐specific changes in mRNA decay rates and coordination between mRNA production and degradation. In the transient response, most induced genes were surprisingly destabilized, whereas repressed genes were somewhat stabilized, exhibiting counteraction between production and degradation. This strategy can reconcile high steady‐state level with short response time among induced genes. In contrast, the stress that induces the slow response displays the more expected behavior, whereby most induced genes are stabilized, and repressed genes are destabilized. Our results show genome‐wide interplay between mRNA production and degradation, and that alternative modes of such interplay determine the kinetics of the transcriptome in response to stress.