Genetic organization, length conservation, and evolution of RNA polymerase II carboxyl-terminal domain.

ABSTRACT: With a simple tandem iterated sequence, the carboxyl terminal domain (CTD) of eukaryotic RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) serves as the central coordinator of mRNA synthesis by harmonizing a diversity of sequential interactions with transcription and processing factors. Despite intense research interest, many key questions regarding functional and evolutionary constraints on the CTD remain unanswered; for example, what selects for the canonical heptad sequence, its tandem array across organismal diversity, and constant CTD length within given species and finally and how a sequence-identical, repetitive structure can orchestrate a diversity of simultaneous and sequential, stage-dependent interactions with both modifying enzymes and binding partners? Here we examine comparative sequence evolution

SUBMITTER: Liu P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2981489 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature