A role for the transcription factor Mca1 in activating the meiosis-specific copper transporter Mfc1

When reproduction in fungi takes place by sexual means, meiosis enables the formation of haploid spores from diploid precursor cells. Copper is required for completion of meiosis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. During the meiotic program, genes encoding copper transporters exhibit distinct temporal expression profiles. In the case of the major facilitator copper transporter 1 (Mfc1), its maximal expression is induced during middle-phase meiosis and requires the presence of the Zn(6)Cys(2) binuclear cluster-type transcription factor Mca1. In this study, we further characterize the mechanism by which Mca1 affects the copper-starvation-induced expression of mfc1(+). Using a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) approach, results showed that a functional Mca1-TAP occupies the mfc1(+) promoter irrespective of whether this gene is transcriptionally active. Under conditions of copper starvation, results showed that the presence of Mca1 promotes RNA polymerase II (Pol II) occupancy along the mfc1(+) transcribed region. In contrast, Pol II did not significantly occupy the mfc1(+) locus in meiotic cells that were incubated in the presence of copper. Further analysis by ChIP assays revealed that binding of Pol II to chromatin at the chromosomal locus of mfc1(+) is exclusively detected during meiosis and absent in cells proliferating in mitosis. Protein function analysis of a series of internal mutants compared to the full-length Mca1 identified a minimal form of Mca1 consisting of its DNA-binding domain (residues 1 to 150) fused to the amino acids 299 to 600. This shorter form is sufficient to enhance Pol II occupancy at the mfc1(+) locus under low copper conditions. Taken together, these results revealed novel characteristics of Mca1 and identified an internal region of Mca1 that is required to promote Pol II-dependent mfc1(+) transcription during meiosis.