Cascade transcription of mRNA-type long non-coding RNAs (mlonRNAs) and local chromatin remodeling.
Eukaryotic transcriptome analyses have revealed the presence of a huge number of mRNA-type non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Expression of them is often developmentally regulated, but little is known about their function. We have recently demonstrated that cascade of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII)-mediated transcription initiation of such mRNA-type long ncRNAs (mlonRNA) results in stepwise disruption of local chromatin structure at the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe fbp1(+) locus during transcriptional activation upon glucose derepression. Similar transition of RNA transcripts coupled with local chromatin alteration is observed meiotically in the fission yeast recombination hotspot ade6-M26. Here, we hypothesize that RNAPII transcription of mlonRNAs disrupts chromatin array. This idea may provide a new clue to understand why so many species of ncRNAs are expressed in eukaryotic cells.
Hirota
Kouji
K
Department of Radiation Genetics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Yoshida Konoe, Sakyo-ku, Japan. khirota@rg.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Ohta
Kunihiro
K
D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D008954:Models, Biological; D008957:Models, Genetic; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000235:genetics*; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000235:genetics*; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
D002843:Chromatin; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D012313:RNA; D012319:RNA Polymerase II