Transcription of a 5’ extended mRNA isoform directs dynamic chromatin changes and interference of a downstream promoter

Abstract

Cell differentiation programs require dynamic regulation of gene expression. During meiotic prophase in <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>, expression of the kinetochore complex subunit Ndc80 is downregulated by a 5' extended long undecoded <i>NDC80</i> transcript isoform. Here we demonstrate a transcriptional interference mechanism that is responsible for inhibiting expression of the coding <i>NDC80</i> mRNA isoform. Transcription from a distal <i>NDC80</i> promoter directs Set1-dependent histone H3K4 dimethylation and Set2-dependent H3K36 trimethylation to establish a repressive chromatin state in the downstream canonical <i>NDC80</i> promoter. As a consequence, <i>NDC80</i> expression is repressed during meiotic prophase. The transcriptional mechanism described here is rapidly reversible, adaptable to fine-tune gene expression, and relies on Set2 and the Set3 histone deacetylase complex. Thus, expression of a 5' extended mRNA isoform causes transcriptional interference at the downstream promoter. We demonstrate that this is an effective mechanism to promote dynamic changes in gene expression during cell differentiation.