FIG. 3.

Convergent transcription and cell death. (A) Convergent transcription in proliferating DIT7 cells. Cells were plated at the same initial density and photographed on different days, as shown. (B) Cell killing with and without convergent transcription in DIT7 cells; (C) cell killing with and without convergent transcription in DIT3 cells; (D) transcription-induced cell death in DIT7 cells. Viable cells were counted after 4 days with no inducer (None), Dox (200 ng/ml), RSL1 (500 nM), or Dox plus RSL1. (E) Cell death as a function of increasing sense transcription with fully induced antisense transcription. (F) Cell death as a function of increasing antisense transcription with highly induced sense transcription. (G) Comparison of cell killing under full or modest induction of convergent transcription in proliferating and serum-starved DIT7 cells. For full induction, 200 ng/ml doxycycline and 500 nM RSL1 were added; for modest induction, 20 ng/ml doxycycline and 50 nM RSL1 were added. For all experiments, percentages of viable cells were calculated as the number of adherent cells divided by the sum of adherent and nonadherent cells and are averaged from at least six independent measurements. Error bars show standard deviations. Statistical significance is indicated: n.s., not significant; *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.001; and ***, P < 0.0001.