The Paf1 complex promotes displacement of histones upon rapid induction of transcription by RNA polymerase II
2008
The Role of the Paf1 Complex in Transcription and Histone Displacement
publication
Evidence: high
Author Information
Author(s): Marton Heather A, Desiderio Stephen
Primary Institution: The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
The Paf1 complex is required for efficient transcription elongation by RNA polymerase II and histone displacement.
Conclusion
The Paf1 complex enhances transcriptional elongation by promoting nucleosomal destabilization and histone removal.
Supporting Evidence
- Depletion of Ctr9 or Paf1 delays histone loss from the GAL1 gene upon induction.
- Loss of the Paf1 complex is associated with reduced RNA polymerase II association with GAL1.
- The Paf1 complex promotes timely removal of histones during transcriptional activation.
Takeaway
The Paf1 complex helps cells turn on genes quickly by removing proteins called histones that block access to DNA.
Methodology
The study used chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and micrococcal nuclease digestion to assess histone displacement and RNA polymerase II association.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0005
Statistical Significance
p<0.0005
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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