title: A structural perspective on RNA polymerase I and RNA polymerase III transcription machineries.
abstract: RNA polymerase I and III are responsible for the bulk of nuclear transcription in actively growing cells and their activity impacts the cellular biosynthetic capacity. As a consequence, RNA polymerase I and III deregulation has been directly linked to cancer development. The complexity of RNA polymerase I and III transcription apparatuses has hampered their structural characterization. However, in the last decade tremendous progresses have been made, providing insights into the molecular and functional architecture of these multi-subunit transcriptional machineries. Here we summarize the available structural data on RNA polymerase I and III, including specific transcription factors and global regulators. Despite the overall scarcity of detailed structural data, the recent advances in the structural biology of RNA polymerase I and III represent the first step towards a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying RNA polymerase I and III transcription. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Transcription by Odd Pols.
authors.affiliation: Division of Structural Biology, Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, 237 Fulham Road, London SW3 6JB, UK. alessandro.vannini@icr.ac.uk
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vannini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D012318:RNA Polymerase I / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012320:RNA Polymerase III / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D012318:RNA Polymerase I; D012320:RNA Polymerase III