title: Non-canonical transcription initiation: the expanding universe of transcription initiating substrates.
abstract: RNA polymerase (RNAP) is the central enzyme of transcription of the genetic information from DNA into RNA. RNAP recognizes four main substrates: ATP, CTP, GTP and UTP. Experimental evidence from the past several years suggests that, besides these four NTPs, other molecules can be used to initiate transcription: (i) ribooligonucleotides (nanoRNAs) and (ii) coenzymes such as NAD+, NADH, dephospho-CoA and FAD. The presence of these molecules at the 5΄ ends of RNAs affects the properties of the RNA. Here, we discuss the expanding portfolio of molecules that can initiate transcription, their mechanism of incorporation, effects on RNA and cellular processes, and we present an outlook toward other possible initiation substrates.
authors: Division of Biomolecular Physics, Institute of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 5, 121 16 Prague 2, Czech Republic.
authors: Ivan
authors: I
authors: Barvík
authors: Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences v. v. i., Flemingovo nám. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors: Dominik
authors: D
authors: Rejman
authors: Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences v. v. i., Vídenská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic.
authors: Natalya
authors: N
authors: Panova
authors: Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences v. v. i., Vídenská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic.
authors: Hana
authors: H
authors: Šanderová
authors: Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences v. v. i., Vídenská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic.
authors: Libor
authors: L
authors: Krásný
mesh_terms: D003067:Coenzymes; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D061785:Transcription Initiation, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D003067:Coenzymes; D009841:Oligonucleotides
keywords: RNA polymerase; RNA stability; coenzymes; nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+); non-canonical transcription initiation; transcription initiating substrate