Gene insulation. Part I: natural strategies in yeast and Drosophila

2010 ◽  
Vol 88 (6) ◽  
pp. 875-884 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michèle Amouyal
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Rna Polymerase Iii ◽  
Eukaryotic Cells ◽  
Trna Genes ◽  
Initiation Complex ◽  
Heterochromatin Formation ◽  
Transcription Initiation Complex

This review in two parts deals with the increasing number of processes known to be used by eukaryotic cells to protect gene expression from undesired genomic enhancer or chromatin effects, by means of the so-called insulators or barriers. The most advanced studies in this expanding field concern yeasts and Drosophila (this article) and the vertebrates (next article in this issue). Clearly, the cell makes use of every gene context to find the appropriate, economic, solution. Thus, besides the elements formerly identified and specifically dedicated to insulation, a number of unexpected elements are diverted from their usual function to structure the genome and enhancer action or to prevent heterochromatin spreading. They are, for instance, genes actively transcribed by RNA polymerase II or III, partial elements of these transcriptional machineries (stalled RNA polymerase II, normally required by genes that must respond quickly to stimuli, or TFIIIC bound at its B-box, normally required by RNA polymerase III for assembly of the transcription initiation complex at tRNA genes), or genomic sequences occupied by variants of standard histones, which, being rapidly and permanently replaced, impede heterochromatin formation.

scholarly journals The General Transcription Factors IIA, IIB, IIF, and IIE Are Required for RNA Polymerase II Transcription from the Human U1 Small Nuclear RNA Promoter

1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 2130-2141 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. C. Kuhlman ◽  
H. Cho ◽  
D. Reinberg ◽  
N. Hernandez
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Small Nuclear Rna ◽  
Initiation Complex ◽  
General Transcription Factors ◽  
Nuclear Rna ◽  
Transcription Initiation Complex ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii Transcription

ABSTRACT RNA polymerase II transcribes the mRNA-encoding genes and the majority of the small nuclear RNA (snRNA) genes. The formation of a minimal functional transcription initiation complex on a TATA-box-containing mRNA promoter has been well characterized and involves the ordered assembly of a number of general transcription factors (GTFs), all of which have been either cloned or purified to near homogeneity. In the human RNA polymerase II snRNA promoters, a single element, the proximal sequence element (PSE), is sufficient to direct basal levels of transcription in vitro. The PSE is recognized by the basal transcription complex SNAPc. SNAPc, which is not required for transcription from mRNA-type RNA polymerase II promoters such as the adenovirus type 2 major late (Ad2ML) promoter, is thought to recruit TATA binding protein (TBP) and nucleate the assembly of the snRNA transcription initiation complex, but little is known about which GTFs other than TBP are required. Here we show that the GTFs IIA, IIB, IIF, and IIE are required for efficient RNA polymerase II transcription from snRNA promoters. Thus, although the factors that recognize the core elements of RNA polymerase II mRNA and snRNA-type promoters differ, they mediate the recruitment of many common GTFs.

scholarly journals ScRpb4, Encoding an RNA Polymerase Subunit from Sugarcane, Is Ubiquitously Expressed and Resilient to Changes in Response to Stress Conditions

Agriculture ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 81
Author(s):  
Taehoon Kim ◽  
Fábio Ometto Dias ◽  
Agustina Gentile ◽  
Marcelo Menossi ◽  
Kevin Begcy
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Transcriptional Response ◽  
Stress Conditions ◽  
Initiation Complex ◽  
Initial Characterization ◽  
Transcription Initiation Complex

RNA polymerase II is an essential multiprotein complex that transcribes thousands of genes, being a fundamental component of the transcription initiation complex. In eukaryotes, RNA polymerase II is formed by a 10-multisubunit conserved core complex, and two additional peripheral subunits, Rpb4 and Rpb7, form the Rpb4/7 subcomplex. Although transcription is vital for cell and organismal viability, little is known about the transcription initiation complex in sugarcane. An initial characterization of the sugarcane RNA polymerase subunit IV (ScRpb4) was performed. Our results demonstrate that ScRpb4 is evolutionarily conserved across kingdoms. At the molecular level, ScRpb4 expression was found in vegetative and reproductive tissues. Furthermore, the expression of ScRpb4 remained stable under various stress conditions, most likely to ensure a proper transcriptional response. Optimal conditions to express ScRpb4 in vitro for further studies were also identified. In this study, an initial characterization of the sugarcane polymerase II subunit IV is presented. Our results open the window to more specific experiments to study ScRpb4 function, for instance, crystal structure determination and pull-down assays as well as their function under biotic and abiotic stresses.

smFRET experiments of the RNA polymerase II transcription initiation complex

Methods ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 120 ◽  
pp. 115-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Malkusch ◽  
Thilo Dörfler ◽  
Julia Nagy ◽  
Tobias Eilert ◽  
Jens Michaelis
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Initiation Complex ◽  
Transcription Initiation Complex ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii Transcription

A transcriptionally active tRNA gene interferes with nucleosome positioning in vivo

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 4015-4025
Author(s):  
R H Morse ◽  
S Y Roth ◽  
R T Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Trna Gene ◽  
Rna Polymerase Iii ◽  
Nucleosome Positioning ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Trna Genes ◽  
Start Site ◽  
Cis Acting

Incorporation into a positioned nucleosome of a cis-acting element essential for replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae disrupts the function of the element in vivo [R. T. Simpson, Nature (London) 343:387-389, 1990]. Furthermore, nucleosome positioning has been implicated in repression of transcription by RNA polymerase II in yeast cells. We have now asked whether the function of cis-acting elements essential for transcription of a gene transcribed by RNA polymerase III can be similarly affected. A tRNA gene was fused to either of two nucleosome positioning signals such that the predicted nucleosome would incorporate near its center the tRNA start site and essential A-box element. These constructs were then introduced into yeast cells on stably maintained, multicopy plasmids. Competent tRNA genes were transcribed in vivo and were not incorporated into positioned nucleosomes. Mutated, inactive tRNA genes were incorporated into nucleosomes whose positions were as predicted. This finding demonstrates that the transcriptional competence of the tRNA gene determined its ability to override a nucleosome positioning signal in vivo and establishes that a hierarchy exists between cis-acting elements and nucleosome positioning signals.

scholarly journals RNA polymerase and an activator form discrete subcomplexes in a transcription initiation complex

2006 ◽  
Vol 25 (16) ◽  
pp. 3784-3790 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Maurer ◽  
Jürgen Fritz ◽  
Georgi Muskhelishvili ◽  
Andrew Travers
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Initiation Complex ◽  
Transcription Initiation Complex
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