Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.
Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2011 May;12(5):283-94. doi: 10.1038/nrm3098. Epub 2011 Apr 13.
The pervasiveness of RNA synthesis in eukaryotes is largely the result of RNA polymerase II (Pol II)-mediated transcription, and termination of its activity is necessary to partition the genome and maintain the proper expression of neighbouring genes. Despite its ever-increasing biological significance, transcription termination remains one of the least understood processes in gene expression. However, recent mechanistic studies have revealed a striking convergence among several overlapping models of termination, including the poly(A)- and Sen1-dependent pathways, as well as new insights into the specificity of Pol II termination among its diverse gene targets. Broader knowledge of the role of Pol II carboxy-terminal domain phosphorylation in promoting alternative mechanisms of termination has also been gained.
真核生物中 RNA 合成的普遍性在很大程度上是由 RNA 聚合酶 II(Pol II)介导的转录产生的,而终止其活性对于基因组的划分和相邻基因的正确表达是必要的。尽管转录终止在基因表达中的作用越来越重要,但它仍然是了解最少的过程之一。然而,最近的机制研究揭示了几个重叠的终止模型之间惊人的趋同,包括多聚(A)和 Sen1 依赖性途径,以及对 Pol II 在其不同基因靶标中终止特异性的新见解。人们对 Pol II 羧基末端结构域磷酸化在促进终止的替代机制中的作用有了更广泛的认识。