Active RNA Polymerases: Mobile or Immobile Molecular Machines?

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1000419
• Publication Date: 2010-07-13T20:41:00Z
• Authors: Argyris Papantonis; Joshua D. Larkin; Youichiro Wada; Yoshihiro Ohta; Sigeo Ihara; Tatsuhiko Kodama; Peter R. Cook
• Keywords: Transcription; RNA polymerase II

It is widely assumed that active RNA polymerases track along their templates to produce a transcript. We test this using chromosome conformation capture and human genes switched on rapidly synchronously by tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha); one 221 kbp SAMD4A, which polymerase takes more than 1 h transcribe. Ten minutes after stimulation, the SAMD4A promoter comes together with other TNFalpha-responsive promoters. Subsequently, these contacts are lost as new downstream ones appear; invariably between sequences being transcribed. Super-resolution microscopy confirms nascent transcripts (detected fluorescence in situ hybridization) co-localize at relevant times. Results consistent an alternative view of transcription: fixed factories reel respective templates, so different parts transiently lie together.