The Effect of Subunit Deletions on SAGA Complex Binding in Sacharomyces Cerevisiae
Open Access
Author:
Driban, Matthew
Area of Honors:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Benjamin Franklin Pugh, Thesis Supervisor Craig Eugene Cameron, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
Yeast Genomics SAGA Transcription ChIP Preinitiation Complex TBP Pol II Knockouts Heat Shock Cell Stress
Abstract:
The SAGA complex is a multi-functional protein complex primarily involved in transcriptional regulation and histone modification, particularly under stress conditions. Notably the SAGA complex has also been linked to development of certain neurodegenerative diseases and cancers, making characterization of SAGA in peril a priority. Here, to better characterize SAGA’s ability to regulate gene expression under various conditions of stress, I analyzed SAGA’s binding characteristics under two conditions in combination: subunit knockouts and heat shock. These analyses resulted in a clearer picture of SAGA’s gene regulatory role under different conditions of stress, lending insights into several critical disease phenotypes. In particular, the importance of the subunits Gcn5, Spt20, and Ahc1 in recruiting transcription pre-initiation complex machinery were elucidated. Together, these results yield better characterization of SAGA’s mechanistic response to stress, especially in shedding light on Gcn5 and Spt20’s critical importance in TBP recruitment.
