title: A high density of cis-information terminates RNA Polymerase III on a 2-rail track.
abstract: Transcription termination delineates the 3' ends of transcripts, prevents otherwise runaway RNA polymerase (RNAP) from intruding into downstream genes and regulatory elements, and enables release of the RNAP for recycling. While other eukaryotic RNAPs require complex cis-signals and/or accessory factors to achieve these activities, RNAP III does so autonomously with high efficiency and precision at a simple oligo(dT) stretch of 5-6 bp. A basis for this high density cis-information is that both template and nontemplate strands of the RNAP III terminator carry distinct signals for different stages of termination. High-density cis-information is a feature of the RNAP III system that is also reflected by dual functionalities of the tRNA promoters as both DNA and RNA elements. We review emerging developments in RNAP III termination and single strand nontemplate DNA use by other RNAPs. Use of nontemplate signals by RNAPs and associated transcription factors may be prevalent in gene regulation.
authors.affiliation: a Intramural Research Program, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development , Bethesda , MD , USA.
authors.forename: Aneeshkumar G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Arimbasseri
authors.affiliation: a Intramural Research Program, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development , Bethesda , MD , USA.|b Commissioned Corps, U. S. Public Health Service , Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Maraia
mesh_terms: D056890:Eukaryota / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012320:RNA Polymerase III / Q000235:genetics*; D012343:RNA, Transfer / Q000235:genetics; D013728:Terminator Regions, Genetic; D061806:Transcription Termination, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D012343:RNA, Transfer; D012320:RNA Polymerase III
keywords: Nontemplate strand; RNA Polymerase; RNA Polymerase III; RPC11; RPC37; RPC53; transcription termination