Nutritional status modulates box C/D snoRNP biogenesis by regulated subcellular relocalization of the R2TP complex

BACKGROUND: Box C/D snoRNPs, which are typically composed of box C/D snoRNA and the four core protein components Nop1, Nop56, Nop58, and Snu13, play an essential role in the modification and processing of pre-ribosomal RNA. The highly conserved R2TP complex, comprising the proteins Rvb1, Rvb2, Tah1, and Pih1, has been shown to be required for box C/D snoRNP biogenesis and assembly; however, the molecular basis of R2TP chaperone-like activity is not yet known. RESULTS: Here, we describe an unexpected finding in which the activity of the R2TP complex is required for Nop58 protein stability and is controlled by the dynamic subcellular redistribution of the complex in response to growth conditions and nutrient availability. In growing cells, the complex localizes to the nucleus and interacts with box C/D snoRNPs. This interaction is significantly reduced in poorly growing cells as R2TP predominantly relocalizes to the cytoplasm. The R2TP-snoRNP interaction is mainly mediated by Pih1. CONCLUSIONS: The R2TP complex exerts a novel regulation on box C/D snoRNP biogenesis that affects their assembly and consequently pre-rRNA maturation in response to different growth conditions. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-014-0404-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.