Grzechnik P, Tan-Wong SM, Proudfoot NJ. Terminate and make a loop: regulation of transcriptional directionality.
Trends Biochem Sci 2014;
39:319-27. [PMID:
24928762 PMCID:
PMC4085477 DOI:
10.1016/j.tibs.2014.05.001]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Revised: 04/24/2014] [Accepted: 05/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptional directionality is controlled by premature transcription termination.
Transcriptional directionality is enforced by gene looping.
mRNA-specific termination signals and factors are required for gene looping.
Bidirectional promoters are a common feature of many eukaryotic organisms from yeast to humans. RNA Polymerase II that is recruited to this type of promoter can start transcribing in either direction using alternative DNA strands as the template. Such promiscuous transcription can lead to the synthesis of unwanted transcripts that may have negative effects on gene expression. Recent studies have identified transcription termination and gene looping as critical players in the enforcement of promoter directionality. Interestingly, both mechanisms share key components. Here, we focus on recent findings relating to the transcriptional output of bidirectional promoters.
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