Pannunzio Nicholas R, Lieber Michael R
USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 1441 Eastlake Ave, Room 5428, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 1441 Eastlake Ave, Room 5428, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
Mol Cell. 2016 May 5;62(3):327-334. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.03.034.
The twisting of DNA due to the movement of RNA polymerases is the basis of numerous classic experiments in molecular biology. Recent mouse genetic models indicate that chromosomal breakage is common at sites of transcriptional turbulence. Two key studies on this point mapped breakpoints to sites of either convergent or divergent transcription but arrived at different conclusions as to which is more detrimental and why. The issue hinges on whether DNA strand separation is the basis for the chromosomal instability or collision of RNA polymerases.
由于RNA聚合酶的移动导致的DNA扭曲是分子生物学中众多经典实验的基础。最近的小鼠遗传模型表明,染色体断裂在转录紊乱的位点很常见。关于这一点的两项关键研究将断点定位到了同向或反向转录的位点,但对于哪一种更具危害性以及原因得出了不同的结论。这个问题取决于DNA链的分离是染色体不稳定的基础还是RNA聚合酶碰撞的基础。