title: Threshold phenomena and long-distance activation of transcription by RNA polymerase II.
abstract: To explore the underlying mechanisms by which genes are regulated in eukaryotes, long-distance transcriptional activation and threshold effects were reconstituted in vitro. Long-range activation of transcription by GAL4-VP16 protein located 1300 base pairs upstream of the RNA start site was dependent on packaging of the template into histone H1-containing chromatin. A transcriptional threshold effect by GAL4-VP16 was observed with repressed chromatin templates but not naked DNA templates. The experimental data with the chromatin templates were similar to the theoretical activation profile that is predicted if the action of each DNA bound protomer of GAL4-VP16 were independent and additive in terms of free energy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Laybourn
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Kadonaga
mesh_terms: D017456:Adenovirus Early Proteins; D001665:Binding Sites; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000378:metabolism*; D016329:Sp1 Transcription Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D013698:Templates, Genetic; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D017456:Adenovirus Early Proteins; D002843:Chromatin; D005656:Fungal Proteins; C070633:Gal-VP16; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D016329:Sp1 Transcription Factor; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004247:DNA; D012319:RNA Polymerase II