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Transcription termination at mRNA genes is linked to polyadenylation. Cleavage at the poly(A) site generates an entry point for the Rat1/Xrn2 exonuclease, which degrades the downstream transcript to promote termination. Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are also transcribed by RNA polymerase II but are not polyadenylated. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments show that polyadenylation factors and Rat1 localize to snoRNA genes, but mutations that disrupt poly(A) site cleavage or Rat1 activity do not lead to termination defects at these genes. Conversely, mutations of Nrd1, Sen1, and Ssu72 affect termination at snoRNAs but not at several mRNA genes. The exosome complex was required for 3' trimming, but not termination, of snoRNAs. Both the mRNA and snoRNA pathways require Pcf11 but show differential effects of individual mutant alleles. These results suggest that in yeast the transcribing RNA polymerase II can choose between two distinct termination mechanisms but keeps both options available during elongation.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.molcel.2006.11.011

Type

Journal article

Journal

Mol Cell

Publication Date

08/12/2006

Volume

24

Pages

723 - 734

Keywords

Blotting, Northern, Chromatin Immunoprecipitation, DNA Helicases, DNA Polymerase II, Exoribonucleases, Fungal Proteins, Nuclear Proteins, Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis, RNA Helicases, RNA, Messenger, RNA, Small Nucleolar, RNA-Binding Proteins, Ribonucleoproteins, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins, Transcription, Genetic