GC skew defines distinct RNA polymerase pause sites in CpG island promoters.

ABSTRACT: CpG islands (CGIs) are associated with over half of human gene promoters and are characterized by a unique chromatin environment and high levels of bidirectional transcriptional activity relative to surrounding genomic regions, suggesting that RNA polymerase (Pol II) progression past the CGI boundaries is restricted. Here we describe a novel transcriptional regulatory step wherein Pol II encounters an additional barrier to elongation distinct from the promoter-proximal pause and occurring at the downstream boundary of the CGI domain. For most CGI-associated promoters, Pol II exhibits a dominant pause at either the promoter-proximal or this distal site that correlates, both in position and in intensity, with local regions of high GC skew, a sequence feature known to form unique secondary st

SUBMITTER: Kellner WA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4617957 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature