title: A ribonucleolytic rat torpedoes RNA polymerase II.
abstract: Three recent papers reveal a fascinating link between pol II termination and ribonucleolytic decay of the nascent transcript by a 5'-3' exonuclease (yeast Rat1 and human Xrn2). The exonuclease travels with pol II and gains access to the nascent RNA after endonucleolytic cleavage at the poly(A) site or at a second cotranscriptional cleavage site (CoTC). It is then thought to track in a 5'-3' direction like a guided torpedo that ultimately helps dissociate the RNA polymerase elongation complex.
authors.affiliation: Department Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center at Fitzsimons, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
authors.forename: Weifei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bentley
mesh_terms: D005092:Exonucleases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000378:metabolism*; D020871:RNA Stability; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012319:RNA Polymerase II; D005092:Exonucleases