RNA polymerase II pauses at the 5 prime end of the transcriptionally induced Drosophila hsp70 gene

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Molecular and Cellular Biology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1128/MCB.11.10.5285· OSTI ID:5144739

O'Brien, T; Lis, J T ^[1]

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1. Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)

An RNA polymerase II molecule is associated with the 5{prime} end of the Drosophila melanogaster hsp70 gene under non-heat shock conditions. This polymerase is engaged in transcription but has paused, or arrested, after synthesizing about 25 nucleotides. Resumption of elongation by this paused polymerase appears to be the rate-limiting step in hsp70 transcription in uninduced cells. Here the authors report results of nuclear run-on assays that measure the distribution of elongating and paused RNA polymerase molecules on the hsp70 gene in induced cells. Pausing of polymerase was detected at the 5{prime} end of hsp70 was transcribed approximately five times during the 25-min heat shock that they used. Therefore, once the hsp70 gene is induced to an intermediate level, initiation of transcription by RNA polymerase II remains more rapid than the resumption of elongation by a paused polymerase molecule.

• OSTI ID: 5144739
• Journal Information: Molecular and Cellular Biology; (United States), Vol. 11:10; ISSN 0270-7306
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
RNA POLYMERASES
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
TRANSCRIPTION
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
DROSOPHILA
GENE AMPLIFICATION
GENE REGULATION
ANIMALS
ARTHROPODS
DIPTERA
ENZYMES
FLIES
FRUIT FLIES
INSECTS
INVERTEBRATES
NUCLEOTIDYLTRANSFERASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORUS-GROUP TRANSFERASES
POLYMERASES
PROTEINS
TRANSFERASES
550200* - Biochemistry