Loss of the Mediator subunit Med20 affects transcription of tRNA and other non-coding RNA genes in fission yeast

•Loss of Mediator subunit Med20 causes accumulation of abberant tRNA transcripts.•Loss of Med20 causes accumulation of polyadenylated non-coding RNA.•Maf1 and Med20 function in distinct pathways.

Mediator is a co-regulator of RNA polymerase II (Pol II), transducing signals from regulatory elements and transcription factors to the general transcription machinery at the promoter. We here demonstrate that Med20 influences ribosomal protein expression in fission yeast. In addition, loss of Med20 leads to an accumulation of aberrant, readthrough tRNA transcripts. These transcripts are polyadenylated and targeted for degradation by the exosome. Similarly, other non-coding RNA molecules, such as snRNA, snoRNA and rRNA, are also enriched in the polyadenylate preparations in the absence of Med20. We suggest that fission yeast Mediator takes part in a regulatory pathway that affects Pol III-dependent transcripts.