The cloned RNA polymerase II transcription factor IID selects RNA polymerase III to transcribe the human U6 gene in vitro

Lobo, S. M., Lister, J., Sullivan, M. L., Hernandez, N. (August 1991) The cloned RNA polymerase II transcription factor IID selects RNA polymerase III to transcribe the human U6 gene in vitro. Genes Dev, 5 (8). pp. 1477-89. ISSN 0890-9369 (Print)0890-9369 (Linking)

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URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1869050
DOI: 10.1101/gad.5.8.1477

Abstract

Although the human U2 and U6 snRNA genes are transcribed by different RNA polymerases (i.e., RNA polymerases II and III, respectively), their promoters are very similar in structure. Both contain a proximal sequence element (PSE) and an octamer motif-containing enhancer, and these elements are interchangeable between the two promoters. The RNA polymerase III specificity of the U6 promoter is conferred by a single A/T-rich element located around position -25. Mutation of the A/T-rich region converts the U6 promoter into an RNA polymerase II promoter, whereas insertion of the A/T-rich region into the U2 promoter converts that promoter into an RNA polymerase III promoter. We show that this A/T-rich element can be replaced by a number of TATA boxes derived from mRNA promoters transcribed by RNA polymerase II with little effect on RNA polymerase III transcription. Furthermore, the cloned RNA polymerase II transcription factor TFIID both binds to the U6 A/T-rich region and directs accurate RNA polymerase III transcription in vitro. Mutations in the U6 A/T-rich region that convert the U6 promoter into an RNA polymerase II promoter also abolish TFIID binding. Together, these observations suggest that in the human snRNA promoters, unlike in mRNA promoters, binding of TFIID directs the assembly of RNA polymerase III transcription complexes, whereas the lack of TFIID binding results in the assembly of RNA polymerase II snRNA transcription complexes.

Item Type: Paper
Uncontrolled Keywords: Base Sequence Cell Nucleus/physiology Cloning, Molecular HeLa Cells/physiology Humans Models, Genetic Molecular Sequence Data Mutagenesis, Site-Directed Promoter Regions, Genetic RNA Polymerase II/*metabolism RNA Polymerase III/metabolism RNA, Small Nuclear/*genetics Recombinant Proteins/metabolism TATA Box Transcription Factor TFIID Transcription Factors/genetics/*metabolism *Transcription, Genetic Transfection
Subjects: bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > transcription
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > enzymes > RNA polymerase
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > transcription factor
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Hernandez lab
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: August 1991
Date Deposited: 14 Jan 2016 16:01
Last Modified: 03 Nov 2017 20:53
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/32058

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