title: The Mediator complex: a central integrator of transcription.
abstract: The RNA polymerase II (Pol II) enzyme transcribes all protein-coding and most non-coding RNA genes and is globally regulated by Mediator - a large, conformationally flexible protein complex with a variable subunit composition (for example, a four-subunit cyclin-dependent kinase 8 module can reversibly associate with it). These biochemical characteristics are fundamentally important for Mediator's ability to control various processes that are important for transcription, including the organization of chromatin architecture and the regulation of Pol II pre-initiation, initiation, re-initiation, pausing and elongation. Although Mediator exists in all eukaryotes, a variety of Mediator functions seem to be specific to metazoans, which is indicative of more diverse regulatory requirements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA.
authors.forename: Benjamin L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA.
authors.forename: Dylan J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Taatjes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006657:Histones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D056892:Mediator Complex / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D006657:Histones; D056892:Mediator Complex; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D014157:Transcription Factors; D012319:RNA Polymerase II