Ume1p represses meiotic gene transcription in Saccharomyces cerevisiae through interaction with the histone deacetylase Rpd3p.

Ume1p is a member of a conserved protein family including RbAp48 that associates with histone deacetylases. Consistent with this finding, Ume1p is required for the full repression of a subset of meiotic genes during vegetative growth in budding yeast. In addition to mitotic cell division, this report describes a new role for Ume1p in meiotic gene repression in precommitment sporulating cultures returning to vegetative growth. However, Ume1p is not required to re-establish repression as part of the meiotic transient transcription program. Mutational analysis revealed that two conserved domains (NEE box and a WD repeat motif) are required for Ume1p-dependent repression. Co-immunoprecipitation studies revealed that both the NEE box and the WD repeat motif are essential for normal Rpd3p binding. Finally, Ume1p-Rpd3p association is dependent on the global co-repressor Sin3p. Moreover, this activity was localized to one of the four paired amphipathic-helix domains of Sin3p shown previously to be required for transcriptional repression. These findings support a model that Ume1p binding to Rpd3p is required for its repression activity. In addition, these results suggest that Rpd3-Ume1p-Sin3p comprises an interdependent complex required for mediating transcriptional repression.