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Defining mechanisms that regulate RNA polymerase II transcription in vivo

Nature volume 461, pages 186–192 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

In the eukaryotic genome, the thousands of genes that encode messenger RNA are transcribed by a molecular machine called RNA polymerase II. Analysing the distribution and status of RNA polymerase II across a genome has provided crucial insights into the long-standing mysteries of transcription and its regulation. These studies identify points in the transcription cycle where RNA polymerase II accumulates after encountering a rate-limiting step. When coupled with genome-wide mapping of transcription factors, these approaches identify key regulatory steps and factors and, importantly, provide an understanding of the mechanistic generalities, as well as the rich diversities, of gene regulation.

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Figure 1: Transcription regulatory interactions.
Figure 2: The transcription cycle is a multistep process.

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Acknowledgements

We thank members of the Lis laboratory for discussions and critical reading of the manuscript. Work in our laboratory is supported by US National Institutes of Health grant GM25232.

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  1. Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, 14853, New York, USA

    Nicholas J. Fuda, M. Behfar Ardehali & John T. Lis

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Fuda, N., Ardehali, M. & Lis, J. Defining mechanisms that regulate RNA polymerase II transcription in vivo. Nature 461, 186–192 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08449

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