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Transcriptional squelching re-examined

Nature volume 390, pages 349–350 (1997)Cite this article

Abstract

The introduction of a potent transcriptional activator into eukaryotic cells can paradoxically suppress the transcription of a co-introduced target gene1,2,3. This so-called ‘squelching’ is thought to result from titration of one or more general transcription factors (GTFs)4, indicating that GTFs might be in limited supply within the cell5,6. We now find that in mammalian cells, squelching is limited to episomal target genes, whereas genes integrated into cellular chromatin are immune.

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Figure 1: Transcriptional activation of genes embedded in chromatin and episomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ARIAD Gene Therapeutics, Inc., 26 Landsdowne Street, Cambridge, 02139, Massachussetts, USA

    S. Natesan, V. M. Rivera, E. Molinari & M. Gilman

Authors
  1. S. Natesan
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  2. V. M. Rivera
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  3. E. Molinari
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  4. M. Gilman
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Natesan, S., Rivera, V., Molinari, E. et al. Transcriptional squelching re-examined. Nature 390, 349–350 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/37019

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