title: Interplay between DNA supercoiling and transcription elongation.
abstract: Transcription-coupled DNA supercoiling has been shown to be an important regulator of transcription that is broadly present in the cell. Here we review experimental work which shows that RNA polymerase is a powerful torsional motor that can alter DNA topology and structure, and DNA supercoiling in turn directly affects transcription elongation.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physics, Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics; Cornell University; Ithaca, NY.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004278:DNA, Superhelical / Q000378:metabolism*; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D061805:Transcription Elongation, Genetic
chemical_list: D004278:DNA, Superhelical; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
keywords: DNA supercoiling; E. coli RNA polymerase; angular optical trap; single molecule; torque; torsional motor; transcription; twin supercoiled domain model