Diverse and dynamic functions of the Sir silencing complex

Nat Genet. 1999 Nov;23(3):281-5. doi: 10.1038/15458.

Abstract

The yeast Sir protein complex has been implicated in transcriptional silencing and suppression of recombination. The Sir complex creates structured chromosomal domains at telomeres, silent mating-type loci and ribosomal DNA to invoke these functional states. Mechanistic insights into the function of Sir proteins implicate a range of activities in yeast, including repair of DNA double-strand breaks, regulation of the mitotic cell cycle, meiosis and ageing. I speculate that the Sir proteins may be capable of enzymatic modification of chromatin and other substrates, which enables them to carry out a broad range of cellular functions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cell Cycle / genetics
  • Chromatin / genetics
  • Chromatin / metabolism
  • DNA Repair / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal
  • Gene Silencing*
  • Histone Deacetylases*
  • Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / genetics
  • Silent Information Regulator Proteins, Saccharomyces cerevisiae*
  • Sirtuin 2
  • Sirtuins
  • Telomere / genetics
  • Telomere / metabolism
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Yeasts / cytology
  • Yeasts / enzymology
  • Yeasts / genetics*
  • Yeasts / metabolism

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Silent Information Regulator Proteins, Saccharomyces cerevisiae
  • Trans-Activators
  • SIR2 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Sirtuin 2
  • Sirtuins
  • Histone Deacetylases