Positional dependence of transcriptional inhibition by DNA torsional stress in yeast chromosomes.

ABSTRACT: How DNA helical tension is constrained along the linear chromosomes of eukaryotic cells is poorly understood. In this study, we induced the accumulation of DNA (+) helical tension in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells and examined how DNA transcription was affected along yeast chromosomes. The results revealed that, whereas the overwinding of DNA produced a general impairment of transcription initiation, genes situated at <100 kb from the chromosomal ends gradually escaped from the transcription stall. This novel positional effect seemed to be a simple function of the gene distance to the telomere: It occurred evenly in all 32 chromosome extremities and was independent of the atypical structure and transcription activity of subtelomeric chromatin. These results suggest that DNA helical tension

SUBMITTER: Joshi RS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2805846 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature