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EMBO reports 8, 2, 147–151 (2007)
doi:10.1038/sj.embor.7400898
A common topology for bacterial and eukaryotic transcription initiation?
Andrew Travers1 & Georgi Muskhelishvili2
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1 Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QH, UK
2 International University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, D-28759 Bremen, Germany
To whom correspondence should be addressed
Andrew Travers Tel: +44 1223 402419; Fax: +44 1223 412142; aat@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk
Received 11 September 2006; Accepted 11 December 2006.
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Abstract
DNA supercoiling is a major regulator of transcription in bacteria. Negative supercoiling acts both by promoting the formation of nucleoprotein structures containing wrapped DNA and by altering the twist of DNA. The latter affects the initiation of transcription by RNA polymerase as well as recombination processes. Here, we argue that although bacteria and eukaryotes differ in their mode of packaging DNA supercoils, increases in DNA twist are associated with chromatin folding and transcriptional silencing in both. Conversely, decreases in DNA twist are associated with chromatin unfolding and the acquisition of transcriptional competence. In other words, at the most fundamental level, the principles of genetic regulation are common to all organisms. The apparent differences in the details of regulation probably represent alternative methods of fine-tuning similar underlying processes.
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