The RNA polymerase II Rpb4/7 subcomplex regulates cellular lifespan through an mRNA decay process.

In budding yeast, a highly conserved heterodimeric protein complex that is composed of the Rpb4 and Rpb7 proteins within RNA polymerase II shuttles between the nucleus and cytoplasm where it coordinates various steps of gene expression by associating with mRNAs. Although distinct stages of gene expression potentially contribute to the regulation of cellular lifespan, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Here, we addressed the role of the dissociable Rpb4/7 heterodimeric protein complex in the regulation of replicative lifespan during various stages of gene expression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We observed that the loss of Rpb4 resulted in a shortened lifespan. In contrast, we found that defects in the dissociation of Rpb4/7 from the RNA polymerase core complex and in translation initiation steps affected by Rpb4/7 did not impact lifespan. Tandem affinity purification experiments demonstrated that Rpb7 physically associates with Tpk2 and Pat1, which are both implicated in mRNA degradation. Consistent with this data, the loss of the mRNA decay regulators Pat1 and Dhh1 reduced the cellular lifespan. In summary, our findings further reinforce the pivotal role of Rpb4/7 in the coordination of distinct steps of gene expression and suggest that among the many stages of gene expression, mRNA decay is a critical process that is required for normal replicative lifespan.