It is recognized more and more that the expression of many prokaryotic and eukaryotic genes is regulated at the level of elongation by premature termination. Various oncogenes and retroviral genes show regulation at this level. Furthermore, termination at the 3' end of a gene can influence the expression of other genes located downstream (promoter occlusion). The well-characterized ribosomal genes of Xenopus laevis are an attractive model system in which to study those processes because they show phenomena of both premature termination and of promoter occlusion. Furthermore, a 9 base-pair DNA signal that directs RNA 3' end formation and transcription termination has been identified. The same signal is also involved in processive transcription elongation. This application proposes to identify and purify proteins involved in the processes of transcription elongation, RNA 3' end formation and termination by RNA polymerase I. An S-100 cell extract will be used that is active in transcription initiation and termination and, therefore, contains all those activities. This extract will be fractionated and the sought activities will be identified either by functional assays or by binding assays to postulated target sequences.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM046938-04
Application #
2184419
Study Section
Biochemistry Study Section (BIO)
Project Start
1991-04-01
Project End
1996-03-31
Budget Start
1994-04-01
Budget End
1995-03-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1994
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Scripps Research Institute
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
La Jolla
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92037