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. 1985 Mar;82(6):1668–1672. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.6.1668

Ribosomal RNA transcription: proteins and DNA sequences involved in preinitiation complex formation.

C T Iida, P Kownin, M R Paule
PMCID: PMC397333  PMID: 3856847

Abstract

An in vitro transcription system consisting of partially purified transcription initiation factor(s) and purified RNA polymerase I from Acanthamoeba castellanii was used to study the mechanism of faithful initiation of ribosomal RNA transcription. Formation of a preinitiation complex between one or several auxiliary transcription proteins and the DNA template in the absence of RNA polymerase I was demonstrated. A series of 3'- and 5'-deletion mutants of the template was used in prebinding competition experiments and provided evidence for three distinct functional regions of the promoter: core motif A interacts with the transcription initiation factor(s) and is required for faithful transcription; the start motif is required for transcription, but it can be deleted without affecting the binding of transcription initiation factor(s); and motif B stabilizes preinitiation complex formation (in addition to core motif A), but it is dispensable for faithful initiation of transcription.

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Selected References

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