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Transcriptional regulation of mammalian ribosomal RNA genes
Author(s) -
Muramatsu Masami
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
bioessays
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.175
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1521-1878
pISSN - 0265-9247
DOI - 10.1002/bies.950030609
Subject(s) - rna polymerase i , biology , rna polymerase ii , transcription (linguistics) , gene , ribosomal rna , genetics , rna polymerase , enhancer , internal transcribed spacer , rna polymerase iii , transcription factor ii d , transcriptional regulation , rna , gene expression , promoter , linguistics , philosophy
Eukaryotic genes are divided into three categories according to the machineries by which they are transcribed. Ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) are the only ones that are transcribed by RNA polymerase I and are under different control from other genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II or III. None the less, the regulation of rDNA is of prime interest in view of its close relationship to cell growth and differentiation. In this review I shall discuss the recent progress in the study of transcription mechanisms of rDNA by the RNA polymerase I system. The structure of the rDNA promoter and the presence of possible upstream enhancer regions will be described. In addition, factors involved in the transcription initiation of this gene will be discussed with special reference to the formation of an initiation complex.