Gene loops

Drs. Athar Ansari and Michael Hampsey (UMDNJ) lend new insight into the mechanism of gene transcription by the RNA polymerase II in the yeast. The researchers report a physical juxtaposition of the promoter and terminator regions of the BUD3 and SEN1 genes of S. cerevisiae.

This transcription-dependent gene looping requires components of the CPF 3’-end processing complex, and the authors believe it promotes transcription reinitiation by facilitating translocation of RNAP II from the terminator to the promoter.

Dr. Hampsey emphasizes their findings that “Gene looping means that we can no longer view transcription initiation and termination as distinct events, studied independent of each other.”