Survey and summary: transcription by RNA polymerases I and III.
The task of transcribing nuclear genes is shared between three RNA polymerases in eukaryotes: RNA polymerase (pol) I synthesizes the large rRNA, pol II synthesizes mRNA and pol III synthesizes tRNA and 5S rRNA. Although pol II has received most attention, pol I and pol III are together responsible for the bulk of transcriptional activity. This survey will summarise what is known about the process of transcription by pol I and pol III, how it happens and the proteins involved. Attention will be drawn to the similarities between the three nuclear RNA polymerase systems and also to their differences.
Paule
M R
MR
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. mpaule@lamar.colostate.edu
White
R J
RJ
D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012318:RNA Polymerase I / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012320:RNA Polymerase III / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
D002843:Chromatin; D014157:Transcription Factors; D012318:RNA Polymerase I; D012320:RNA Polymerase III