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MicroRNA genes are transcribed by RNA polymerase II (2004)
| Venue: | EMBO J |
| Citations: | 491 - 8 self |
BibTeX
@ARTICLE{Lee04micrornagenes,
author = {Yoontae Lee and Minju Kim and Jinju Han and Kyu-hyun Yeom and Sanghyuk Lee and Sung Hee Baek and V Narry Kim},
title = {MicroRNA genes are transcribed by RNA polymerase II},
journal = {EMBO J},
year = {2004},
pages = {4051--4060}
}
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Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute a large family of noncod-ing RNAs that function as guide molecules in diverse gene silencing pathways. Current efforts are focused on the regulatory function of miRNAs, while little is known about how these unusual genes themselves are regulated. Here we present the first direct evidence that miRNA genes are transcribed by RNA polymerase II (pol II). The primary miRNA transcripts (pri-miRNAs) contain cap structures as well as poly(A) tails, which are the unique properties of class II gene transcripts. The treatment of human cells with a-amanitin decreased the level of pri-miRNAs at a concentration that selectively inhibits pol II activity. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses show that pol II is physically associated with a miRNA promoter. We also describe, for the first time, the detailed structure of a miRNA gene by determining the promoter and the terminator of mir-23aB27aB24-2. These data indicate that pol II is the main, if not the only, RNA polymerase for miRNA gene transcription. Our study of-fers a basis for understanding the structure and regulation of miRNA genes.
Keyphrases
rna polymerase ii pol ii mirna gene microrna gene guide molecule large family detailed structure regulatory function primary mirna transcript current effort first time unusual gene first direct evidence noncod-ing rna contain cap mirna promoter human cell chromatin immunoprecipitation rna polymerase class ii gene transcript diverse gene mirna gene transcription unique property pol ii activity study of-fers
