Compositions for inhibition of RNA polymerase I and methods of production and use thereof

1. A method of inhibiting interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 in a cell, said method comprising at least one step selected from the group consisting of:

(a) administering to said cell a composition comprising an isolated peptide fragment and an element attached thereto, the element comprising a tag containing a protein transduction domain attached to the N-terminus of the peptide fragment, wherein the protein transduction domain enables the composition to transduce across the membrane of the cell, wherein the composition enters a nucleolus of the cell and inhibits interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 within the nucleolus of the cell; and

(b) introducing into a cell a recombinant vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a peptide fragment and an element attached thereto, the element comprising a tag containing a protein transduction domain attached to the N-terminus of the peptide fragment, wherein the peptide fragment is expressed within the cell and inhibits interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 within a nucleolus of the cell; and

wherein each of the isolated peptide fragment of (a) and the peptide fragment encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of (b) is 22-27 amino acids in length and comprises the sequence of:

(i) SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, or SEQ ID NO:3;

(ii) X 1 X 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 X 6 H 7 X 8 G 9 X 10 L 11 X 12 H 13 G 14 X 15 X 16 N 17 A 18 S 19 X 20 P 21 K 22 (SEQ ID NO:4), wherein X 1 is N, F, or K; X 2 is K, R, L, or I; X 3 is V, Q, L, or M; X 4 is S, G, or A; X 5 is S, P, A, V, or T; X 6 is S or T; X 8 is I or V; X 10 is L or C, X 12 is V or I; X 15 is C, A, I, or T; X 16 is F or I; X 20 is I or V;

(iii) amino acids 6-27 of SEQ ID NO:179;

(iv) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:180;

(v) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:181;

(vi) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:182;

(vii) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:183;

(viii) amino acids 3-24 of SEQ ID NO:184;

(ix) amino acids 3-24 of SEQ ID NO:185;

(x) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:186; or

(xi) amino acids 5-26 of SEQ ID NO:187.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inhibition of interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 results in the inhibition of rDNA transcription.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inhibition of interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 results in the inhibition of synthesis of 45S pre-ribosomal RNA.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inhibition of interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 results in the inhibition of cell growth.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tag is a TAT peptide.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the isolated peptide further comprises a fluorescent tag.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a targeting moiety.

8. A method of inhibiting interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 in a cell, the method comprising the step of:

administering to said cell a composition comprising an isolated peptide fragment and an element attached thereto, the element comprising a tag containing a protein transduction domain attached to the N-terminus of the peptide fragment, wherein the protein transduction domain enables the composition to transduce across the membrane of the cell, and wherein the isolated peptide fragment is 22-27 amino acids in length and comprises the sequence of:

(i) SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, or SEQ ID NO:3;

(ii) X 1 X 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 X 6 H 7 X 8 G 9 X 10 L 11 X 12 H 13 G 14 X 15 X 16 N 17 A 18 S 19 X 20 P 21 K 22 (SEQ ID NO:4), wherein X 1 is N, F, or K; X 2 is K, R, L, or I; X 3 is V, Q, L, or M; X 4 is S, G, or A; X 5 is S, P, A, V, or T; X 6 is S or T; X 8 is I or V; X 10 is L or C; X 12 is V or I; X 15 is C, A, I, or T; X 16 is F or I; X 20 is I or V;

(iii) amino acids 6-27 of SEQ ID NO:179;

(iv) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:180;

(v) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:181;

(vi) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:182;

(vii) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:183;

(viii) amino acids 3-24 of SEQ ID NO:184;

(ix) amino acids 3-24 of SEQ ID NO:185;

(x) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:186; or

(xi) amino acids 5-26 of SEQ ID NO:187; and

wherein the composition enters a nucleolus of the cell and inhibits interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 within the nucleolus of the cell.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the inhibition of interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 results in the inhibition of rDNA transcription.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the inhibition of interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 results in the inhibition of synthesis of 45S pre-ribosomal RNA.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the inhibition of interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 results in the inhibition of cell growth.

12. A method of inhibiting interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 in a cell, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) introducing into said cell a recombinant vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding an isolated peptide fragment and an element attached thereto, the element comprising a tag containing a protein transduction domain attached to the N-terminus of the peptide fragment, wherein the isolated peptide fragment is 22-27 amino acids in length and comprises the sequence of:

(i) SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, or SEQ ID NO:3;

(ii) X 1 X 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 X 6 H 7 X 8 G 9 X 10 L 11 X 12 H 13 G 14 X 15 X 16 N 17 A 18 S 19 X 20 P 21 K 22 (SEQ ID NO:4), wherein X 1 is N, F, or K; X 2 is K, R, L, or I; X 3 is V, Q, L, or M; X 4 is S, G, or A; X 5 is S, P, A, V, or T; X 6 is S or T; X 8 is I or V; X 10 is L or C; X 12 is V or I; X 15 is C, A, I, or T; X 16 is F or I; X 20 is I or V;

(iii) amino acids 6-27 of SEQ ID NO:179;

(iv) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:180;

(v) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:181;

(vi) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:182;

(vii) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:183;

(viii) amino acids 3-24 of SEQ ID NO:184;

(ix) amino acids 3-24 of SEQ ID NO:185;

(x) amino acids 4-25 of SEQ ID NO:186; or

(xi) amino acids 5-26 of SEQ ID NO:187; and

(b) culturing the cell under conditions that allow for expression of the peptide fragment, wherein the peptide fragment is produced within the cell and inhibits interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 within the nucleolus of the cell.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the inhibition of interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 results in the inhibition of rDNA transcription.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the inhibition of interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 results in the inhibition of synthesis of 45S pre-ribosomal RNA.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the inhibition of interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 results in the inhibition of cell growth.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inhibition of interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 results in cell death.

17. The method of claim 8 , wherein the inhibition of interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 results in cell death.

18. The method of claim 8 , wherein the isolated peptide further comprises a fluorescent tag.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the inhibition of interaction of Rrn3 and Rpa43 results in cell death.