Transcription factories are nuclear subcompartments that remain in the absence of transcription.
Nascent transcription occurs at nuclear foci of concentrated, hyperphosphorylated RNA polymerase II (RNAPII). We investigate RNAPII localization, distal gene co-association, and Hbb locus conformation during inhibition of transcription. Our results show distal active genes remain associated with RNAPII foci and each other in the absence of elongation. When initiation is inhibited, active genes dissociate from RNAPII foci and each other, suggesting initiation is necessary to tether distal active genes to shared foci. In the absence of transcription RNAPII foci remain, indicating they are not simple accumulations of RNAPII on transcribed genes but exist as independent nuclear subcompartments.
Mitchell
Jennifer A
JA
Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Expression, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom.
Fraser
Peter
P
D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D053903:DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008957:Models, Genetic; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D035602:Transcriptional Elongation Factors / Q000378:metabolism
D002843:Chromatin; D035602:Transcriptional Elongation Factors; D012319:RNA Polymerase II