Evidence for a mediator cycle at the initiation of transcription.

Svejstrup, J Q; Li, Y; Fellows, J; Gnatt, A; Bjorklund, S; Kornberg, R D · Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 1997

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Free and elongating (DNA-bound) forms of RNA polymerase II were separated from yeast. Most cellular polymerase II was found in the elongating fraction, which contained all enzyme phosphorylated on the C-terminal domain and none of the 15-subunit mediator of transcriptional regulation. These and other findings suggest that mediator enters and leaves initiation complexes during every round of transcription, in a process that may be coupled to C-terminal domain phosphorylation.

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