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CCG-1423-derived compounds reduce global RNA synthesis and inhibit transcriptional responses
Open accessAbstract
Myocardin-related transcription factors (MRTFs) are coactivators of serum response factor (SRF), and thereby regulate cytoskeletal gene expression in response to actin dynamics. MRTFs have also been implicated in transcription of heat shock protein (HSP)-encoding genes in fly ovaries, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that, in mammalian cells, MRTFs are dispensable for gene induction of HSP-encoding genes. However, the widely used small-molecule inhibitors of the MRTF-SRF transcription pathway, derived from CCG-1423, also efficiently inhibit gene transcription of HSP-encoding genes in both fly and mammalian cells in the absence of MRTFs. Quantifying RNA synthesis and RNA polymerase distribution demonstrates that CCG-1423-derived compounds have a genome-wide effect on transcription. Indeed, tracking nascent transcription at nucleotide resolution reveals that CCG-1423-derived compounds reduce RNA polymerase II elongation, and severely dampen the transcriptional response to heat shock. The effects of CCG-1423-derived compounds therefore extend beyond the MRTF-SRF pathway into nascent transcription, opening novel opportunities for their use in transcription research.
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“Nonspecific effects of the CCG inhibitor may be explained because this inhibitor affects the global transcriptional regulation through the inhibition of RNA pol II [43].”
From Mechanical stiffness orchestrates distinct regulation of MRTFs and YAP / TAZ transcriptional cofactors in hepatocytes (2026) · cites this paper as [43]
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“In PH, CCG inhibitors required high concentrations to downregulate MRTcoF protein targets in TCPD (> 75 μm); however, CCG molecules have been reported as inhibiting global transcriptional activation at ≥ 25 μm [43].”
From Mechanical stiffness orchestrates distinct regulation of MRTFs and YAP / TAZ transcriptional cofactors in hepatocytes (2026) · cites this paper as [43]
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Citations
Cites
RNA polymerase II speed: a key player in controlling and adapting transcriptome composition
Muniz, L., Nicolas, E., & Trouche, D. (2021) · The EMBO Journal · doi:10.15252/embj.2020105740 · Cited by 198
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Torres‐Ortiz, B. S., Pérez‐Calixto, D., Carretero‐Ortega, J., Guzman‐López, A. G., Pinto‐Dueñas, D. C., Hernández‐Juárez, M., Jiménez‐Escobar, A., Rodríguez‐Hernández, A., Díaz‐Bello, B., Serna‐Márquez, N., et al. (2026) · The FEBS Journal · doi:10.1111/febs.70570
Metadata
- Authors
- Prajapati, B., Sokolova, M., Sidorenko, E., Kyriacou, M., Kyheröinen, S., Vihervaara, A., & Vartiainen, M. K.
- Affiliations
- University of Helsinki (FI)
- Science for Life Laboratory (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Vartiainen, Maria K.
- Venue
- Journal of Cell Science
- Publisher
- The Company of Biologists
- Published
- 2024-07-01
- Volume
- 137
- Issue
- 13
- ISSN
- 0021-9533 (ISSN-L)
- 1477-9137
- OpenAlex
- W4399386461
- Cited by
- 6
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3
- FWCI
- 0.82
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Cell Science (publishedVersion)
- bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Sigrid Juséliuksen Säätiö
- Jane ja Aatos Erkon Säätiö
- Research Council of Finland (338281, 324952, 330254)
- Veteskapsrådet (2021-02668)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Heat shock proteins research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA Research and Splicing
- Keywords
- CCG-1423, MRTF, serum response factor, heat shock proteins, transcriptional inhibition, RNA polymerase II elongation, nascent transcription, small molecule inhibitors, actin cytoskeleton, heat shock response
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Heat-Shock Proteins, Humans, RNA, RNA Polymerase II, Transcription, Genetic, Trans-Activators, Serum Response Factor, Mice
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