A Role for the RNA Pol II–Associated PAF Complex in AID-Induced Immune Diversification
Article A role for the RNA pol II–associated PAF complex in AID-induced immune diversification Katharina L. Willmann,1,2 Sara Milosevic,4 Siim Pauklin,1 Kerstin-Maike Schmitz,2 Gopinath Rangam,1,2 Maria T. Simon,1 Sarah Maslen,3 Mark Skehel,3 Isabelle Robert,4 Vincent Heyer,4 Ebe Schiavo,4 Bernardo Reina-San-Martin,4 Svend K. Petersen-Mahrt1,2 1DNA Editing Laboratory, London Research Institute, South Mimms EN6 3LD, England, UK 2DNA Editing in Immunity and Epigenetics, IFOM-Fondazione Instituto FIRC di Oncologia Molecolare, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milano, Italy 3Protein Analysis and Proteomics Laboratory, London Research Institute, South Mimms EN6 3LD, England, UK 4Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U964, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR7104, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France Antibody diversification requires the DNA deaminase AID to induce DNA instability at immunoglobulin (Ig) loci upon B cell stimulation. For efficient cytosine deamination, AID requires single-stranded DNA and needs to gain access to Ig loci, with RNA pol II transcrip- tion possibly providing both aspects. To understand these mechanisms, we isolated and characterized endogenous AID-containing protein complexes from the chromatin of diversi- fying B cells. The majority of proteins associated with AID belonged to RNA polymerase II elongation and chromatin modification complexes. Besides the two core polymerase sub- units, members of the PAF complex, SUPT5H, SUPT6H, and FACT complex associated with AID. We show that AID associates with RNA polymerase-associated factor 1 (PAF1) through its N-terminal domain, that depletion of PAF complex members inhibits AID-induced immune diversification, and that the PAF complex can serve as a binding platform for AID on chromatin.
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