RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is a major DNA-dependent RNA polymerase in mammals that transcribes mRNAs and long non-coding RNAs. While studying the inhibition of Pol II that is mediated by binding of the B2 non-coding RNA, Wagner et al. found that Pol II overcomes this inhibition by acting as an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) to elongate the B2 RNA using another region of B2 as a template. RdRPs are known to have important amplification roles in RNA interference in some eukaryotes, but it remains to be seen whether similar roles will be found for this RdRP activity of Pol II.
References
Wagner, S. D. et al. RNA polymerase II acts as an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase to extend and destabilize a non-coding RNA. EMBO J. 8 Feb 2013 (10.1038/emboj.2013.18)
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Burgess, D. New tricks for an old enzyme. Nat Rev Genet 14, 241 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3468
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3468
