title: Transcription factories and nuclear organization of the genome.
abstract: The dynamic compartmental organization of the transcriptional machinery in mammalian nuclei places particular constraints on the spatial organization of the genome. The clustering of active RNA polymerase I transcription units from several chromosomes at nucleoli is probably the best-characterized and universally accepted example. RNA polymerase II localization in mammalian nuclei occurs in distinct concentrated foci that are several-fold fewer in number compared to the number of active genes and transcription units. Individual transcribed genes cluster at these shared transcription factories in a nonrandom manner, preferentially associating with heterologous, coregulated genes. We suggest that the three-dimensional (3D) conformation and relative arrangement of chromosomes in the nucleus has a major role in delivering tissue-specific gene-expression programs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Expression, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Eskiw
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Cope
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Clay
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schoenfelder
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagano
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fraser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics*; D041905:Erythroid Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005796:Genes; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics*; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; C080774:erythroid Kruppel-like factor