Epigenetic DNA Modification N⁶-Methyladenine Causes Site-Specific RNA Polymerase II Transcriptional Pausing.

ABSTRACT: N⁶-Methyladenine (N⁶-mA or 6 mA) is an epigenetic DNA modification in eukaryotic genomes. In contrast to the well-established roles of 5-methylcytosine for epigenetic regulation of gene expression, the functional roles of N⁶-mA remain elusive. In particular, the impact of N⁶-mA modification of the DNA template on RNA polymerase II (pol II) transcription elongation is not known. In this work, using the Saccharomyces cerevisiae pol II transcriptional elongation system as a model, we investigated the molecular mechanism of pol II recognition and processing of N⁶-mA sites via both biochemical and structural approaches. We found that N⁶-mA causes site-specific pol II pausing/stalling. Structural analysis revealed that while N

SUBMITTER: Wang W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5812728 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature