Identification of intrinsic termination sites in vitro for RNA polymerase II within eukaryotic gene sequences

Abstract

We have identified and mapped several DNA sequences within a human histone gene (H3.3) at which in-vitro transcription by highly purified RNA polymerase II is efficiently terminated. Since transcription in our system involves only RNA polymerase II acting on a linear DNA template, these sequences contain “intrinsic” termination signals recognized by the polymerase protein itself. The existence of such signals within a gene suggests that efficient antitermination systems probably exist for mammalian transcription units. Alternatively, there could be a high frequency of premature transcription termination, or “polarity” for genes such as H3.3. Intrinsic transcription termination sites in H3.3 are located in sequences of consecutive thymidylate residues (5 to 8 nucleotides) on the non-transcribed DNA strand (T-runs), from which it is likely that such T-runs are elements of the intrinsic termination signal for RNA polymerase II. However, transcription proceeds without significant termination through many similar T-runs, from which it follows that these intrinsic termination signals include other elements. Since transcription is also terminated efficiently at these sites when the transcript remains bound along its full length as a DNA-RNA hybrid, it is unlikely that formation of specific RNA secondary structures in the transcript is a general element of the intrinsic termination signal. Although DNA sequences downstream from the coding portion of the mouse β-globin gene have been implicated as sites of transcription termination in vivo, these regions do not contain strong intrinsic termination signals, and transcription in vitro proceeds through these regions almost undiminished. Transcriptional termination in this region in vivo may depend on the presence of termination factors or other intracellular elements, and there may be multiple classes of DNA signals that control eukaryotic termination.