Regulation of Ribosomal RNA Production by RNA Polymerase I: Does Elongation Come First?
Figure 2
Schematic representation of the Pol I transcription cycle. Simplified composition of the Pol I preinitiation complex (PIC) in (a) budding yeast and (b) human cells. The Pol I transcription cycle in budding yeast. (1) Recruitment of Rrn3/Pol I onto an rDNA promoter associated with the SL1 and UAF complex allows PIC formation. (2) Promoter escape and rRNA synthesis are coupled with cotranscriptional recruitment of the SSU processome. (3) Rrn3 dissociation is achieved by the formation of an adjacent PIC. Pol I subunits Rpa49 and Rpa43 from the adjacent polymerases promote Rrn3 release from the transcribing Pol I. (4) Pol I transcription of rRNA is coupled with nascent rRNA processing and termination. (5) Pol I holoenzyme is recycled by reassociation with Rrn3, an as yet uncharacterized regulatory process. Hmo1 function during elongation remains to be clarified, but is revealed by a tight genetic interaction with Pol I elongation mutant rpa49Δ (4 and 5).
