Efficient and rapid nucleosome traversal by RNA polymerase II depends on a combination of transcript elongation factors.

ABSTRACT: The nucleosome is generally found to be a strong barrier to transcript elongation by RNA polymerase II (pol II) in vitro. The elongation factors TFIIF and TFIIS have been shown to cooperate in maintaining pol II in the catalytically competent state on pure DNA templates. We now show that although TFIIF or TFIIS alone is modestly stimulatory for nucleosome traversal, both factors together increase transcription through nucleosomes in a synergistic manner. We also studied the effect of TFIIF and TFIIS on transcription of nucleosomes containing a Sin mutant histone. The Sin point mutations reduce critical histone-DNA contacts near the center of the nucleosome. Significantly, we found that nucleosomes with a Sin mutant histone are traversed to the same extent and at nearly the same rate as equ

SUBMITTER: Luse DS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3057798 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature