Def1 interacts with TFIIH and modulates RNA polymerase II transcription

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Significance All eukaryotes respond to DNA damage by polyubiquitylation and degradation of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (pol II), facilitated by the Elongin-Cullin ubiquitin ligase. In yeast, the recruitment of the ubiquitin ligase to pol II is dependent on Def1. We report a finding made in the course of isolating TFIIH-Def1 from yeast that suggests a potential novel function of Def1 as a transcription regulator in response to cellular stress. The function of Def1 in transcription regulation is demonstrably separable from its role in coordinating pol II stability in response to cellular stress.