The regulation of premature termination at divergent promoters

Transcription is one of the most fundamental processes in cells, governing the conversion of genetic information to RNA. Numerous regulatory mechanisms function to ensure that desired transcripts are being expressed. Promoters transcribe divergently, producing low-abundant upstream antisense RNAs (uaRNAs) in addition to a stable downstream RNAs. Thus, a central question is what mechanisms are sense RNAs more stable compared to most transcription events. It is proposed that an asymmetric distribution of Ul snRNP binding sites and polyadenylation site (PAS) motifs known as the UI-PAS axis regulates early termination of RNA Polymerase II. Here, we generated a conditional knockout of the essential RNA exosome subunit, Exosc3, in mouse embryonic stem cells. Removal of Exosc3 resulted in stabilization of polyadenylated uaRNAs, enhancer RNAs and long noncoding RNAs. In addition, promoter proximal pausing increased modestly upon Exosc3 removal.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biology

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Chiu, Anthony Chun-yin.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Phillip A. Sharp.

• Biology.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/113464

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/113464