RNA polymerase II complexes
The identification and characterization of mammalian core promoters and transcription start sites is a prerequisite to understanding how RNA polymerase II transcription is controlled.
New experimental technologies have enabled genome-wide discovery and characterization of core promoters, revealing that most mammalian genes do not conform to the simple model in which a TATA box directs transcription from a single defined nucleotide position.
In fact, most genes have multiple promoters, within which there are multiple start sites, and alternative promoter usage generates diversity and complexity in the mammalian transcriptome and proteome.
Promoters can be described by their start site usage distribution, which is coupled to the occurrence of cis-regulatory elements, gene function and evolutionary constraints.
See also
transcriptional control networks
eukaryotic mRNA transcription cycle
References
Chapman RD, Heidemann M, Hintermair C, Eick D. Molecular evolution of the RNA polymerase II CTD. Trends Genet. 2008 May 8. PMID: #18472177#
Egloff S, Murphy S. Cracking the RNA polymerase II CTD code. Trends Genet. 2008 May 3. PMID: #18457900#
Sandelin A, Carninci P, Lenhard B, Ponjavic J, Hayashizaki Y, Hume DA. Mammalian RNA polymerase II core promoters: insights from genome-wide studies. Nat Rev Genet. 2007 Jun;8(6):424-36. PMID: #17486122#
Cramer P. RNA polymerase II structure: from core to functional complexes. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2004 Apr;14(2):218-26. PMID: #15196470#