Open AccessUnusual enhancer function in yeast rRNA transcription.
Author(s) -
Stewart P. Johnson,
Jonathan R. Warner
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
molecular and cellular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.14
H-Index - 327
eISSN - 1067-8824
pISSN - 0270-7306
DOI - 10.1128/mcb.9.11.4986
Subject(s) - enhancer , biology , transcription (linguistics) , enhancer rnas , rna polymerase ii , gene , genetics , upstream activating sequence , promoter , saccharomyces cerevisiae , transcription factor ii d , general transcription factor , transcription factor , gene expression , linguistics , philosophy
The rRNA genes in most eucaryotic organisms are present in a tandem array. There is substantial evidence that transcription of one of these genes may not be independent of transcription of others. In particular, in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the enhancer of rRNA transcription that lies 2.2 kilobases 5' of the transcription initiation site is at least partly within the upstream transcription unit. To ask more directly about the relationship of the tandemness of these genes to their transcription, we have constructed a minirepeat containing two identifiable test genes, with or without enhancer(s). On integration into the URA3 locus, these genes were transcribed by RNA polymerase I. A single enhancer effectively stimulated transcription of both genes by 10- to 30-fold, even when it was located upstream of both or downstream of both. Two enhancers had roughly additive effects. These results suggest a model of enhancer function in tandemly repeated genes.