法国科研人员的一项最新研究发现，一种名为“基因转录激活介质”的物质是生物细胞中决定基因表达的关键因素。
这项研究是法国原子能委员会和萨克莱生物技术研究所合作完成的。相关研究报告已发表在3月18日出版的《科学》杂志上。
研究发现，这种“基因转录激活介质”通过核糖核酸聚合酶分子间的相互直接作用，将其定位在基因中的不同位置，而这种介质的功能紊乱可以导致细胞的不平衡，甚至在某些情况下成为致癌因素之一。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原文出处：
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1200188
Direct Interaction of RNA Polymerase II and Mediator Required for Transcription in Vivo
Julie Soutourina1,*, Sandra Wydau1,?, Yves Ambroise2, Claire Boschiero1, and Michel Werner1,*
Gene transcription is highly regulated. Altered transcription can lead to cancer or developmental diseases. Mediator, a multisubunit complex conserved among eukaryotes, is generally required for RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription. An interaction between the two complexes is known, but its molecular nature and physiological role are unclear. We identify a direct physical interaction between the Rpb3 Pol II subunit of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the essential Mediator subunit, Med17. Furthermore, we demonstrate a functional element in the Mediator–Pol II interface that is important for genome-wide Pol II recruitment in vivo. Our findings suggest that a direct interaction between Mediator and Pol II is generally required for transcription of class II genes in eukaryotes.
