title: Active genes dynamically colocalize to shared sites of ongoing transcription.
abstract: The intranuclear position of many genes has been correlated with their activity state, suggesting that migration to functional subcompartments may influence gene expression. Indeed, nascent RNA production and RNA polymerase II seem to be localized into discrete foci or 'transcription factories'. Current estimates from cultured cells indicate that multiple genes could occupy the same factory, although this has not yet been observed. Here we show that, during transcription in vivo, distal genes colocalize to the same transcription factory at high frequencies. Active genes are dynamically organized into shared nuclear subcompartments, and movement into or out of these factories results in activation or abatement of transcription. Thus, rather than recruiting and assembling transcription complexes, active genes migrate to preassembled transcription sites.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Expression, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, CB2 4AT, UK.
authors.forename: Cameron S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Osborne
authors.forename: Lyubomira
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chakalova
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horton
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Debrand
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Goyenechea
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Wolf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Reik
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fraser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000235:genetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008957:Models, Genetic; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000235:genetics; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014576:Uroporphyrinogen III Synthetase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C468768:AHSP protein, human; D001798:Blood Proteins; C485621:KCNQ1OT1 long non-coding RNA, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II; D005914:Globins; D012319:RNA Polymerase II; D014576:Uroporphyrinogen III Synthetase