Skip to main content
  • Short Communication
  • Published:

The transcription reinitiation properties of RNA polymerase III in the absence of transcription factors

Abstract

Transcription reinitiation by RNA polymerase (Pol) III proceeds through facilitated recycling, a process by which the terminating Pol III, assisted by the transcription factors TFIIIB and TFIIIC, rapidly reloads onto the same transcription unit. To get further insight into the Pol III transcription mechanism, we analyzed the kinetics of transcription initiation and reinitiation of a simplified in vitro transcription system consisting only of Pol III and template DNA. The data indicates that, in the absence of transcription factors, first-round transcription initiation by Pol III proceeds at a normal rate, while facilitated reinitiation during subsequent cycles is compromised.

Abbreviations

NTP:

ribonucleoside triphosphate

PIC:

pre-initiation complex

Pol:

RNA polymerase

TF:

transcription factor

References

  1. Dieci, G. and Sentenac, A. Detours and shortcuts to transcription reinitiation. Trends. Biochem. Sci. 28 (2003) 202–209.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Dieci, G., and Sentenac, A. Facilitated recycling pathway for RNA polymerase III. Cell 84 (1996) 245–252.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Ferrari, R., Rivetti, C., Acker, J. and Dieci, G. Distinct roles of transcription factors TFIIIB and TFIIIC in RNA polymerase III transcription reinitiation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 101 (2004) 13442–13447.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Landrieux, E., Alic, N., Ducrot, C., Acker, J., Riva, M. and Carles, C. A subcomplex of RNA polymerase III subunits involved in transcription termination and reinitiation. EMBO J. 25 (2006) 118–128.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Dieci, G., Percudani, R., Giuliodori, S., Bottarelli, L. and Ottonello, S. TFIIIC-independent in vitro transcription of yeast tRNA genes. J. Mol. Biol. 299 (2000) 601–613.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Huet, J., Manaud, N., Dieci, G., Peyroche, G., Conesa, C., Lefebvre, O., Ruet, A., Riva, M. and Sentenac, A. RNA polymerase III and class III transcription factors from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Methods Enzymol. 273 (1996) 249–267.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bardeleben, C., Kassavetis, G.A. and Geiduschek, E.P. Encounters of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA polymerase III with its transcription factors during RNA chain elongation. J. Mol. Biol. 235 (1994) 1193–1205.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Campbell, F.E., Jr., and Setzer, D.R. Transcription termination by RNA polymerase III: uncoupling of polymerase release from termination signal recognition. Mol. Cell. Biol. 12 (1992) 2260–2272.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kassavetis, G. A., Riggs, D.L., Negri, R., Nguyen, L.H. and Geiduschek, E.P. Transcription factor IIIB generates extended DNA interactions in RNA polymerase transcription complexes on tRNA genes. Mol. Cell. Biol. 9 (1989) 2551–2566.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Braglia, P., Dugas, S.L., Donze, D. and Dieci, G. Requirement of Nhp6 proteins for transcription of a subset of tRNA genes and heterochromatin barrier function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mol. Cell. Biol. 27 (2007) 1545–1557.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Giorgio Dieci.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ferrari, R., Dieci, G. The transcription reinitiation properties of RNA polymerase III in the absence of transcription factors. Cell Mol Biol Lett 13, 112–118 (2008). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11658-007-0041-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11658-007-0041-y

Key words