The role of multisite phosphorylation in the regulation of RNA polymerase II activity.
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Amino Acid Sequence↗
Biomedical subjects
M E Dahmus
Publications and source records attributed to M E Dahmus.
Tyrosine phosphorylation of mammalian RNA polymerase II carboxyl-terminal domain.
The carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II is composed of tandem repeats of the consensus sequence Tyr-Ser-Pro-Thr-Ser-Pro-Ser. Phosphorylation of the CTD occurs during formation of the initiation complex and is correlated with the transition from complex assembly to elongation. Previously, serine and threonine residues within the CTD have been shown to be modified by the addition of phosphate and by the addition of O-linked GlcNAc. Our results establish that the CTD is also modified in vivo by phosphorylation on tyrosine. Furthermore, a nuclear tyrosine kinase encoded by the c-abl protooncogene phosphorylates the CTD to a high stoichiometry in vitro. Under conditions of maximum phosphorylation, approximately 30 mol of phosphate are incorporated per mol of CTD. The observation that the CTD is not phosphorylated by c-Src tyrosine kinase under identical conditions indicates that the CTD is not a substrate of all tyrosine kinases. Phosphorylation of tyrosine residues within the CTD may modulate the interaction of RNA polymerase II with the preinitiation complex and, hence, may be important in regulating gene expression.
HeLa Cells↗
RNA polymerases IIA and IIO have distinct roles during transcription from the TATA-less murine dihydrofolate reductase promoter.
The largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) contains a remarkable region of tandem heptapeptide repeats of the consensus sequence Tyr-Ser-Pro-Thr-Ser-Pro-Ser at its carboxyl terminus. This COOH-terminal domain (CTD) is unphosphorylated in RNAP IIA, extensively phosphorylated in RNAP IIO, and absent in RNAP IIB. The reversible phosphorylation of the CTD has been proposed to be integral to each cycle of transcription from the adenovirus-2 major late promoter. The adenovirus-2 major late promoter, however, may not be a good paradigm for the study of CTD function because in vitro transcription from this promoter is not dependent on the CTD. Previous studies suggest that transcription from the murine dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) promoter requires the CTD. In an effort to investigate the role of the CTD and its phosphorylation, a RNAP II-dependent reconstituted transcription system specific for the DHFR promoter was established. In this reconstituted system, RNAP IIA, but not RNAP IIB, can transcribe from the DHFR promoter. Furthermore, RNAP IIB does not compete with RNAP IIA for preinitiation complex assembly. These results suggest that the CTD plays a critical role in the recruitment of RNAP II to the DHFR promoter. The analysis of preinitiation complexes assembled on the DHFR promoter indicates that RNAP IIA readily assembles into functional preinitiation complexes in contrast to the inefficient assembly of RNAP IIO. However, transcript elongation is catalyzed by RNAP IIO as demonstrated by the photoactivated cross-linking of nascent DHFR transcripts to subunit IIo. These results indicate that transcription from the DHFR promoter involves the reversible phosphorylation of the CTD and support the idea that RNAPs IIA and IIO have essential but distinct functions.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
RNA polymerase II is a glycoprotein. Modification of the COOH-terminal domain by O-GlcNAc.
The largest subunit of mammalian RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) contains at its carboxyl terminus an unusual domain consisting of 52 tandem repeats of the consensus sequence Tyr-Ser-Pro-Thr-Ser-Pro-Ser. This domain, designated the COOH-terminal domain (CTD), is essential for viability and is extensively phosphorylated during the transition from preinitiation complex assembly to elongation (1). Indeed, phosphorylation of the CTD may play an important regulatory role in this transition. We show here that the CTD is also modified by a novel form of protein glycosylation, O-GlcNAc. This modification has been found on numerous transcription factors and other nuclear and cytosolic proteins (2). Glycopeptides obtained by proteolytic digestion of the CTD were purified by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography and sequenced. Results from such experiments suggest that glycosylation occurs at multiple sites throughout the CTD, similar to the phosphorylation of this domain. The carbohydrate, however, is not detectable on the phosphorylated form of the enzyme. This observation is consistent with the idea that phosphorylation and glycosylation are mutually exclusive modifications. The CTD of RNAP II, therefore, appears to exist in three distinct conformational states: unmodified, phosphorylated, and glycosylated. The differential modification of the CTD may play an important role in the regulated expression of genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II.
Acetylglucosamine↗
Partial purification and characterization of two distinct protein kinases that differentially phosphorylate the carboxyl-terminal domain of RNA polymerase subunit IIa.
RNA polymerase II is a multisubunit enzyme composed of two large subunits of molecular weight in excess of 100,000 and a collection of 8-10 smaller subunits. The largest subunit, designated IIa, contains at its carboxyl terminus a highly repetitive domain consisting of tandem repeats of the consensus sequence Tyr-Ser-Pro-Thr-Ser-Pro-Ser. Extensive phosphorylation within this COOH-terminal domain (CTD) gives rise to subunit IIo which has a markedly reduced mobility in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) relative to subunit IIa. Recent evidence suggests that RNA polymerase IIA, containing an unphosphorylated CTD, is involved in preinitiation complex assembly, whereas RNA polymerase IIO is involved in elongation. Consequently, CTD phosphorylation is thought to occur after RNA polymerase II has bound to the promoter by a protein kinase that stably associates with the preinitiation complex. We present here the partial purification and characterization of two distinct CTD kinases from a HeLa cell transcription extract. These CTD kinases, designated CTDK1 and CTDK2, are fractionated by chromatography on Mono Q. CTDK1 catalyzes the incorporation of approximately 33 pmol of phosphate/pmol of calf thymus RNA polymerase subunit IIa, almost exclusively on serine. CTDK2 catalyzes the incorporation of approximately 50 pmol of phosphate/pmol of calf thymus subunit IIa, predominantly on serine; appreciable phosphate transfer onto threonine is also observed. Phosphorylation by CTDK2, but not CTDK1, results in a complete mobility shift in SDS-PAGE of subunit IIa to the position of IIo. CTDK1 can utilize ATP, dATP, or GTP as phosphate donor, whereas CTDK2 can utilize only ATP or dATP. The apparent Km for ATP is 30 microM for CTDK1 and 60 microM for CTDK2. CTDK1 and CTDK2 also differ in their protein substrate specificity. CTDK1 phosphorylates casein whereas CTDK2 does not. Neither kinase phosphorylates phosvitin or histone H1 to an appreciable extent. CTDK1 and CTDK2 do not appear to be related to cdc2 kinases as determined by their inability to phosphorylate H1 and their failure to react with antibodies directed against the cdc2 kinase. These results establish that a partially fractionated HeLa transcription extract contains two distinct CTD kinases that differ in their nucleotide requirements and in their patterns of CTD phosphorylation.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Identification of a minimal set of proteins that is sufficient for accurate initiation of transcription by RNA polymerase II.
In eukaryotes, initiation of mRNA synthesis is a multistep process that is carried out by RNA polymerase II and auxiliary factors that are commonly referred to as basal or general factors. In this study accurate initiation of transcription was reconstituted with purified, Escherichia coli-synthesized TFIIB, TBP (the TATA box-binding polypeptide of the TFIID complex), and the 30-kD subunit of TFIIF (also known as RAP30), along with purified, native RNA polymerase II from Drosophila embryos, calf thymus, or HeLa cells. This minimal set of factors was able to transcribe a subset of the promoters tested. The addition of both subunits of TFIIE and the 74-kD subunit of TFIIF increased the efficiency of transcription by a factor of 2 to 4. In contrast, the inclusion of a crude TFIID fraction from Drosophila embryos in place of recombinant TBP resulted in a strong dependence on TFIIE. By gel mobility-shift analysis, TFIIB, TBP, RAP30, and polymerase were able to assemble into DB and DBPolF30 complexes with transcriptionally competent (wild type or initiator mutant), but not with transcriptionally inactive (TATA and TATA/initiator mutant), versions of the Drosophila Adh promoter. Thus, it appears that RNA polymerase II is able to initiate transcription subsequent to assembly of the DBPolF30 complex, which is a minitranscription complex that represents the central core of the RNA polymerase II transcriptional machinery.
Animals↗
The interaction of RNA polymerase II with the adenovirus-2 major late promoter is precluded by phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain of subunit IIa.
Mammalian RNA polymerase II contains at the C terminus of its largest subunit an unusual domain consisting of 52 tandem repeats of the consensus sequence Tyr-Ser-Pro-Thr-Ser-Pro-Ser. The phosphorylation of this domain is thought to play an important role in the transition of RNA polymerase II from a preinitiation complex to an elongating complex. The unphosphorylated form of RNA polymerase II is designated IIA, whereas the phosphorylated form is designated IIO. In an effort to determine the consequence of C-terminal domain phosphorylation on complex formation, 32P-labeled RNA polymerases IIA and IIO were prepared and examined for their ability to form a stable preinitiation complex on the adenovirus-2 major late promoter in the presence of a reconstituted HeLa cell transcription extract. Preinitiation complexes were formed in the absence of ATP and purified from free RNA polymerase II by chromatography on Sepharose CL-4B. The state of phosphorylation of the largest subunit was monitored by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the transcriptional activity was determined by assaying specific transcript formation upon the addition of nucleotides and a competing DNA template. RNA polymerase IIA was recovered in transcriptionally active complexes in reactions in which the input enzyme was RNA polymerase IIA. In reactions with RNA polymerase IIO as the input enzyme, no IIO was recovered in excluded fractions that normally contain preinitiation complex. In reactions with equimolar amounts of RNA polymerases IIO and IIA, purified preinitiation complexes contained almost exclusively RNA polymerase HA. These results support the idea that RNA polymerase II containing an unphosphorylated C-terminal domain preferentially associates with the adenovirus-2 major late promoter. The state of phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain can, therefore, directly influence preinitiation complex formation. We also report here the presence of an activity in HeLa cell extracts that catalyzes dephosphorylation of the C-terminal domain, thereby converting RNA polymerase IIO to IIA. This C-terminal domain phosphatase is specific in that it does not catalyze the dephosphorylation of a serine residue phosphorylated by casein kinase II. The presence of a C-terminal domain phosphatase in in vitro transcription reactions containing RNA polymerase IIO results in the formation of RNA polymerase IIA. This RNA polymerase IIA associates preferentially with preinitiation complexes.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Phosphorylation of RNA polymerase IIA occurs subsequent to interaction with the promoter and before the initiation of transcription.
The largest subunit of mammalian RNA polymerase II contains at its C terminus an unusual domain consisting of multiple tandem repeats of the seven-amino acid consensus sequence Tyr-Ser-Pro-Thr-Ser-Pro-Ser. This domain is unphosphorylated in RNA polymerase IIA and extensively phosphorylated in RNA polymerase IIO. To investigate the role of the C-terminal domain and the functional significance of its phosphorylation, changes in the level of phosphorylation were followed as a function of the position of RNA polymerase II in the transcription cycle. Complexes were formed with 32P-labeled RNA polymerase IIA and separated from the free polymerase by gel filtration. The phosphorylation state of the RNA polymerase II largest subunit was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Results indicate that RNA polymerase IIA interacts with the template-committed complex to form a stable preinitiation complex. RNA polymerase IIA associated with such complexes is converted to RNA polymerase IIO in the presence of ATP prior to the formation of the first phosphodiester bond. Furthermore, the observation that purified preinitiation complexes can catalyze the conversion of RNA polymerase IIA to IIO indicates that the protein kinase(s) responsible for phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain is a component of such complexes. The concentration of ATP required for the phosphorylation of RNA polymerase II associated with the preinitiation complex is two to three orders of magnitude lower than that required for the conversion of RNA polymerase IIA to IIO free in solution. These results support the idea that phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase subunit IIa occurs subsequent to the association of enzyme with the promoter and prior to the initiation of transcription.
Adenosine Triphosphate↗
Photoaffinity labeling of RNA polymerase III transcription complexes by nascent RNA.
The proteins contacting nascent RNA transcripts in RNA polymerase III transcription complexes have been examined using photoaffinity labeling techniques. The photoaffinity analog 4-S-UTP was incorporated along with [alpha-32P]CTP into VAI transcripts, using a phosphocellulose fractionated HeLa S-100 extract and DNA containing the adenovirus VAI gene. The photoreactive nascent RNA was cross-linked to proximal proteins in the transcription complex. The photoaffinity labeled proteins were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and detected by autoradiography. The specific photoaffinity labeling of RNA polymerase III was dependent on 4-S-UTP and on DNA containing a class III promoter. Photoaffinity labeling was inhibited by 200 micrograms/ml alpha-amanitin. Proteins of 140, 160, 270, and 310 kDa were labeled. These photoaffinity labeled proteins were shown to be stably associated with the DNA template by gel exclusion chromatography. The 160-kDa protein was cross-linked to RNAs approximately 14-18 nucleotides in length, whereas the greater than 250-kDa proteins were cross-linked to RNAs 18-30 nucleotides in length. The 140- and 160-kDa proteins correspond in molecular mass to the two large subunits of RNA polymerase III. The molecular masses of the 270- and 310-kDa proteins, and the length of the RNA cross-linked to them, suggest that these proteins are components of transcription factor (TF) IIIC. These results indicate that the nascent transcript contacts the two largest subunits of RNA polymerase III until the transcription complex reaches the TFIIIC binding site, at which point the nascent transcript contacts TFIIIC.
Adenoviridae↗
The transition of RNA polymerase II from initiation to elongation is associated with phosphorylation of the carboxyl-terminal domain of subunit IIa.
Mammalian cells contain two forms of RNA polymerase II, designated IIO and IIA, that differ in the extent of phosphorylation within the C-terminal domain of their largest subunit. Phosphorylation of this domain, which results in the conversion of RNA polymerase IIA to IIO, may play an important role in the transition from the initiation to the elongation phase of transcription. A third form of the enzyme, RNA polymerase IIB, is found in vitro and lacks the repetitive C-terminal domain. Purified calf thymus RNA polymerase IIA was labeled selectively with casein kinase II in the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP and used as substrate for the identification and partial purification of factors that catalyze the conversion of RNA polymerase IIA to IIO. HeLa cell S-100 transcription extracts contain such an activity that cofractionates with factors essential for promoter-dependent transcription through heparin-Sepharose, DEAE-5PW, and DE52 chromatography. The activity is dependent on either ATP, GTP, or dATP, requires a hydrolyzable beta,gamma-phosphoanhydride bond, and cannot utilize pyrimidine nucleoside triphosphates. This observation supports the idea that the conversion activity is a protein kinase. Transcription of the major late promoter of adenovirus-2 was carried out in the presence of a reconstituted transcription extract containing purified RNA polymerases IIO, IIA, or IIB, and the nature of the elongating enzyme was determined by photoaffinity labeling. When the reaction was initiated with RNA polymerase IIO or IIB, nascent transcripts were found cross-linked to subunit IIo or IIb, respectively. However, when the reaction was initiated with RNA polymerase IIA, nascent transcripts were cross-linked to subunit IIo. Consequently, phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain of subunit IIa must have occurred prior to elongation. The copurification of RNA polymerase IIA to IIO conversion activity with factors essential for promoter-dependent transcription and the observation that RNA polymerase II containing an unphosphorylated C-terminal domain is phosphorylated prior to elongation suggest that protein kinases that phosphorylate the C-terminal domain of subunit IIa may play an essential role in transcription.
Animals↗
Transcription-dependent structural changes in the C-terminal domain of mammalian RNA polymerase subunit IIa/o.
The C-terminal domain of mammalian RNA polymerase subunit IIa consists of 52-tandem repeats of the consensus sequence Tyr-Ser-Pro-Thr-Ser-Pro-Ser. This C-terminal domain is essentially unmodified in RNA polymerase IIA and extensively phosphorylated in RNA polymerase IIO. A monoclonal antibody directed against the C-terminal domain was shown by kinetic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to have a 10-fold higher reactivity with RNA polymerase IIA than with RNA polymerase IIO. The ability of increasing concentrations of this monoclonal antibody to inhibit the initiation and elongation phase of transcription was determined. Although both phases of the transcription reaction were inhibited, a 10-fold higher concentration of antibody was required to inhibit elongation than was required to inhibit initiation. These results support the hypothesis that RNA polymerase IIA, containing an unphosphorylated C-terminal domain, is involved in the formation of an initiated complex, whereas elongation is catalyzed by RNA polymerase IIO, containing a phosphorylated C-terminal domain. Further indication that the C-terminal domain undergoes a structural change during the transcription cycle results from the observation that this domain is 3-fold more sensitive to clostripain cleavage in the elongation enzyme than in the free enzyme.
Animals↗
The major late promoter of adenovirus-2 is accurately transcribed by RNA polymerases IIO, IIA, and IIB.
Subunit IIa of mammalian RNA polymerase II contains at its C terminus 52 tandem repeats of the consensus sequence Tyr-Ser-Pro-Thr-Ser-Pro-Ser. This domain is unmodified in RNA polymerase IIA, extensively phosphorylated in RNA polymerase IIO, and absent from RNA polymerase IIB. In an effort to define the role of the C-terminal domain, we have measured the transcriptional activity of purified RNA polymerases IIO, IIA, and IIB. The ability of each polymerase subspecies to transcribe the major late promoter of adenovirus-2 was examined in a polymerase-dependent transcription system reconstituted from partially purified transcription factors. RNA polymerases IIO, IIA, and IIB are all capable of initiating specific transcripts from this promoter. The transcriptional activity was determined as a function of the concentration of RNA polymerase II, template DNA, and each of the essential general transcription factors. The transcriptional activities of RNA polymerases IIA and IIB were comparable and consistently greater than that of RNA polymerase IIO when assayed under the conditions described here. The kinetics of transcript formation is similar except that RNA polymerase IIO has a more pronounced lag. These results show that the C-terminal domain of subunit IIa is not essential for the accurate initiation of transcripts from the major late promoter of adenovirus-2 and that the effect of the C-terminal domain is not likely mediated by the general transcription factors required for the expression of class II genes.
Adenoviridae↗
Poliovirus-induced modification of host cell RNA polymerase IIO is prevented by cycloheximide and zinc.
Infection of HeLa cells with poliovirus results in a decrease in the level of RNA polymerase IIO, the transcriptionally active form of the enzyme, and a shutdown of host transcription (Rangel, L. M., Fernández-Tomas, C., Dahmus, M. E., and Gariglio, P. (1987) J. Virol. 61, 1002-1006). The effect of cycloheximide on poliovirus-induced modification of host RNA polymerase IIO was investigated. The inhibition of protein synthesis, at sequential stages during viral replication, prevents the modification of both total and chromatin-bound RNA polymerase IIO. Furthermore, the inclusion of zinc at a concentration that inhibits the proteolytic post-translational processing of viral polyprotein also prevents the modification of RNA polymerase IIO. These results suggest that host cell enzyme modification depends on the synthesis and processing of protein(s) encoded by the viral genome.
Cell Transformation, Viral↗
Purification of RNA polymerase IIO from calf thymus.
Three subspecies of RNA polymerase II, designated IIO, IIA, and IIB, have been described in calf thymus and shown to differ in the apparent molecular weight of their largest subunits, designated IIo, IIa, and IIb, respectively. The objective of this study was to develop a procedure for the purification of RNA polymerase IIO. This form of the enzyme predominates in vivo and is responsible for the transcription of most cellular genes. RNA polymerase II is solubilized from isolated calf thymus nuclei in the presence of high concentrations of chelators, precipitated with polyethyleneimine, extracted with salt, and precipitated with (NH4)2SO4. The solubilized enzyme is resolved from factors that destabilize RNA polymerase IIO by chromatography on heparin-Sepharose CL-4B and DE52. RNA polymerase IIO is then partially resolved from RNA polymerases IIA and IIB by chromatography on DEAE-5PW and further purified by chromatography on Phenyl-Superose and Mono Q. RNA polymerase IIO was purified 1000-fold from the polyethyleneimine eluate resulting in about 130 micrograms of RNA polymerase IIO from 300 g of calf thymus. The specific activity of RNA polymerase IIO, in nonselective assays using calf thymus DNA as template, is 440 units/mg and not significantly different from that of RNA polymerases IIA and IIB. The similar transcriptional activities in nonselective assays suggest that the C-terminal domain of the largest RNA polymerase II subunit does not play a major role in the elongation phase of the reaction when deproteinized DNA serves as template. The small subunits of RNA polymerase IIO are indistinguishable from those of RNA polymerases IIA and IIB.
Animals↗
Histones H1(0) and H5 share common epitopes with RNA polymerase II.
We report here the cross-reaction of RNA polymerase II antiserum with histones H1(0) and H5 and the complementary cross-reactions of antisera to the globular domain of histone H1(0) (GH1(0)) and histone H5 (GH5) with RNA polymerase II. Immunoblotting of RNA polymerase II antiserum with fragments of histone H1(0) localized the cross-reaction at the junction of the globular and C-terminal domains of histone H1(0). The structural homology implied by these cross-reactions is interesting in light of reports that suggest H1(0) may play a role in differentiation and development.
Animals↗
Chromosomal loop/nuclear matrix organization of transcriptionally active and inactive RNA polymerases in HeLa nuclei.
The relative distribution of transcriptionally active and inactive RNA polymerases I and II between the nuclear matrix/scaffold and chromosomal loops of HeLa cells was determined. Total RNA polymerase was assessed by immunoblotting and transcribing RNA polymerase by a photoaffinity labeling technique in isolated nuclei. Nuclear matrix/scaffold was isolated by three methods using high-salt, intermediate-salt or low-salt extraction. The distribution of RNA polymerases I and II were very similar within each of the methods, but considerable differences in distributions were found between the different preparation methods. Either intermediate-salt or high-salt treatment of DNase I-digested nuclei showed significant association of RNA polymerases with the nuclear matrix. However, intermediate-salt followed by high-salt treatment released all transcribing and non-transcribing RNA polymerases. Nuclear scaffolds isolated with lithium diiodosalicylate (low-salt) contained very little of the RNA polymerases. This treatment, however, caused the dissociation of RNA polymerase II transcription complexes. These results show unambiguously that RNA polymerases, both in their active and inactive forms, are not nuclear matrix proteins. The data support models in which the transcriptional machinery moves around DNA loops during transcription.
Affinity Labels↗
Production of monoclonal antibody against electrophoretically purified RNA polymerase II subunits using in vitro immunization.
A procedure has been developed for the production of MAb against weakly immunogenic subunits of a multisubunit enzyme. This procedure takes into account the problems of insufficient antigen, single epitope immunodominance and the difficulty of mapping non-sequential determinants. Small quantities of mammalian RNA polymerase II subunits were purified by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and were used to immunize splenocytes in vitro. After fusion with plasmacytoma cells, the hybrid cells were cloned and screened by ELISA utilizing native RNA polymerase II. This procedure is biased towards the production of MAb directed against sequential epitopes accessible on the native enzyme. Monoclonal antibodies, produced by in vitro immunization, were shown to be useful in protein transblot analyses, to inhibit enzyme activity in vitro and to have binding affinities comparable with MAbs produced by in vivo immunization.
Animals↗
Messenger RNA synthesis in mammalian cells is catalyzed by the phosphorylated form of RNA polymerase II.
Mammalian cells contain two subspecies of RNA polymerase II, designated IIO and IIA. The objectives of these studies were to determine the structural relationship between these subspecies and to determine the functional significance of these differences. Subunits IIo and IIa were purified from calf thymus, and the effect of alkaline phosphatase treatment on electrophoretic mobility and immunochemical reactivity was examined. The removal of phosphate converts subunit IIo to a form indistinguishable from that of subunit IIa. These results indicate that subunit IIo is produced by multisite phosphorylation of subunit IIa. The distribution of phosphate within subunit IIo was determined by CNBr cleavage of in vivo labeled HeLa cell RNA polymerase II. 32P-Labeled subunit IIo was purified by immunoprecipitation and cleaved with CNBr, and the resultant peptides were analyzed. The quantitative recovery of 32P in the C-terminal peptide establishes that this domain is the primary site of phosphorylation. In an effort to assess the level of phosphorylation of the transcriptionally active form of RNA polymerase II in HeLa nuclei, transcription was carried out in the presence of 4-thiouracil triphosphate and the nascent labeled transcript cross-linked to RNA polymerase. Specific photoaffinity labeling of subunit IIo was observed. Alkaline phosphatase treatment results in an increase in the mobility of photoaffinity labeled subunit IIo to approach that of subunit IIa. These results indicate that subunit IIo is a component of transcriptionally active RNA polymerase II.
Alkaline Phosphatase↗