cis-acting elements required for RNA polymerase II and III transcription in the human U2 and U6 snRNA promoters

Lobo, S. M., Ifill, S., Hernandez, N. (May 1990) cis-acting elements required for RNA polymerase II and III transcription in the human U2 and U6 snRNA promoters. Nucleic Acids Res, 18 (10). pp. 2891-9. ISSN 0305-1048 (Print)0305-1048 (Linking)

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URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2349089
DOI: 10.1093/nar/18.10.2891

Abstract

Although the human U2 and U6 snRNA genes are transcribed by RNA polymerases II and III respectively, their promoters are remarkably similar in structure. Both promoters contain a proximal element and an enhancer region with an octamer motif. The U6 promoter contains in addition an A/T rich region that defines it as an RNA polymerase III promoter. We have examined in further detail the contributions of sequences in the human U2 and U6 promoter regions to transcription by RNA polymerase II and III. We find that although the sequences surrounding the U2 cap site favor RNA polymerase II transcription, their presence cannot suppress a shift to RNA polymerase III specificity upon insertion of the U6 A/T box. In the U6 promoter, the 3' part of the proximal element homology is essential for efficient transcription and is also involved in localizing the start site of transcription. A region downstream of the proximal element homology is required for RNA polymerase II (but not for RNA polymerase III) transcription, both in the U2 promoter and in the U6 promoter. This element may be recognized by an RNA polymerase II transcription factor or by RNA polymerase II itself. The presence of this element in the U6 promoter raises the possibility that the human U6 gene is, under certain circumstances, transcribed by RNA polymerase II.

Item Type: Paper
Uncontrolled Keywords: Base Sequence DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases/*metabolism HeLa Cells Humans Molecular Sequence Data *Promoter Regions, Genetic RNA Polymerase II/*metabolism RNA Polymerase III/*metabolism RNA, Small Nuclear/*genetics *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 > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > snRNA
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Hernandez lab
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: 25 May 1990
Date Deposited: 06 Apr 2016 14:48
Last Modified: 08 Nov 2017 16:51
PMCID: PMC330816
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/32263

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