title: Recent highlights of RNA-polymerase-II-mediated transcription.
abstract: Considerable advances into the basis of RNA-polymerase-II-mediated transcriptional regulation have recently emerged. Biochemical, genetic and structural studies have contributed to novel insights into transcription, as well as the functional significance of covalent histone modifications. New details regarding transcription elongation through chromatin have further defined the mechanism behind this action, and identified how chromatin structure may be maintained after RNAP II traverses a nucleosome. ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes, along with histone chaperone complexes, were recently discovered to facilitate histone exchange. In addition, it has become increasingly clear that transcription by RNA polymerase II extends beyond RNA synthesis, towards a more active role in mRNA maturation, surveillance and export to the cytoplasm.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Division of Nucleic Acids Enzymology, Department of Biochemistry, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Sims
authors.forename: Subhrangsu S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reinberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000235:genetics; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D035602:Transcriptional Elongation Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D006657:Histones; D009707:Nucleosomes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D035602:Transcriptional Elongation Factors; D012319:RNA Polymerase II