Genetic and genomic analyses of RNA polymerase II-pausing factor in regulation of mammalian transcription and cell growth.

ABSTRACT: Many mammalian genes are occupied by paused RNA polymerase II (pol II) in the promoter-proximal region on both sides of the transcription start site. However, the impact of pol II pausing on gene expression and cell biology is not fully understood. In this study, we used a Cre-Lox system to conditionally knock out the b subunit of mouse negative elongation factor (Nelf-b), a key pol II-pausing factor, in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. We found that Nelf-b was associated with the promoter-proximal region of the majority of expressed genes, yet genetic ablation of Nelf-b only affected the steady-state mRNA levels of a small percentage of the Nelf-b-associated genes. Interestingly, Nelf-b deletion also increased levels of transcription start site upstream transcripts at multiple negative elonga

SUBMITTER: Sun J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3196092 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature