Cell cycle-regulated transcriptional pausing of Drosophila replication-dependent histone genes
2024
How Drosophila Histone Genes Are Controlled by the Cell Cycle
publication
Author Information
Author(s): Kemp James P., Geisler Mark S., Hoover Mia, Cho Chun-Yi, O’Farrell Patrick H., Marzluff William F., Duronio Robert J.
Primary Institution: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Hypothesis
The study investigates the molecular steps in transcription that are regulated by the cell cycle for replication-dependent histone genes in Drosophila.
Conclusion
The activation of transcription elongation by Cyclin E/Cdk2 is crucial for linking histone gene expression to cell cycle progression in Drosophila.
Supporting Evidence
- Drosophila RNA Pol II promotes Histone Locus Body formation and is enriched outside of S phase.
- Transcription elongation factor Spt6 is only enriched during S phase.
- Proliferating cells express full-length histone mRNAs during S phase.
- Cells in G1 or G2 express only short nascent transcripts, indicating transcription pausing.
Takeaway
This study shows that Drosophila cells only make full histone proteins when they are in a specific phase of the cell cycle, and this is controlled by a special protein.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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