Research
RNA polymerase and the effect of accessory factors in gene regulation
Transcription by RNA polymerase (RNAP) is one of the most exquisitely controlled processes in the cell. Several regulatory mechanisms control the rate of elongation in response to the changing environmental signals. As transcription proceeds, the nascent transcript may fold into specific secondary structures that signal the transcribing polymerase to pause or to terminate transcription prematurely. Currently, studies are in progress to reveal the effect of accessory factors on the rate of elongation and how the nascent RNA folding alters progression of the transcriptional machinery.