title: Chromatin potentiates transcription.
abstract: Chromatin isolated from the chromosomal locus of thePHO5gene of yeast in a transcriptionally repressed state was transcribed with 12 pure proteins (80 polypeptides): RNA polymerase II, six general transcription factors, TFIIS, the Pho4 gene activator protein, and the SAGA, SWI/SNF, and Mediator complexes. Contrary to expectation, a nucleosome occluding the TATA box and transcription start sites did not impede transcription but rather, enhanced it: the level of chromatin transcription was at least sevenfold greater than that of naked DNA, and chromatin gave patterns of transcription start sites closely similar to those occurring in vivo, whereas naked DNA gave many aberrant transcripts. Both histone acetylation and trimethylation of H3K4 (H3K4me3) were important for chromatin transcription. The nucleosome, long known to serve as a general gene repressor, thus also performs an important positive role in transcription.
authors.affiliation: Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305.
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.affiliation: Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305.
authors.forename: Ralph E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305.
authors.forename: Pierre Jean
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Mattei
authors.affiliation: Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305.
authors.forename: Kyle Patrick
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Eagen
authors.affiliation: Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305 kornberg@stanford.edu.
authors.forename: Roger D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Kornberg
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D004270:DNA, Circular / Q000235:genetics; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D008745:Methylation; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004270:DNA, Circular; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D006657:Histones; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D009707:Nucleosomes; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C000626468:histone H3 trimethyl Lys4; D000135:Acid Phosphatase; C488916:PHO5 protein, S cerevisiae
keywords: PHO5; RNA polymerase II; Saccharomyces cerevisiae