title: Transcription through chromatin: understanding a complex FACT.
abstract: In eukaryotic cells, genomic DNA is assembled with chromosomal proteins, mainly histones, in a highly compact structure termed chromatin. In this form, DNA is not readily accessible to the cellular machineries, which require DNA as a template. Dynamic changes in chromatin organization play a critical role in regulation of DNA-dependent processes such as transcription, DNA replication, recombination and repair. Chromatin structure is altered in transcriptionally active loci: the basic chromatin unit, the nucleosome, appears to be depleted for one histone H2A/H2B dimer. Previously, reconstitution of RNA polymerase II (PolII)-driven transcription on chromatin templates in a highly purified in vitro system led to identification of FACT (for facilitates chromatin transcription), which was required for productive transcript elongation through nucleosomes. FACT was proposed to promote PolII transcription through nucleosomes by removing either one or both H2A/H2B dimers. Here we present an overview of the earlier studies, which resulted in the initial identification and characterization of FACT, as well as the recent findings that refine the model for the mechanism of FACT function in transcription.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biochemistry, Division of Nucleic Acids Enzymology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 663 Hoes Lane, SRB, Piscataway, NJ 08854-5635, USA.
authors.forename: Rimma
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Belotserkovskaya
authors.forename: Abbie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lis
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reinberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012319:RNA Polymerase II; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D035602:Transcriptional Elongation Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D006657:Histones; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009707:Nucleosomes; D014157:Transcription Factors; D035602:Transcriptional Elongation Factors; D012319:RNA Polymerase II