Summary of the science
When our bodies make important instructions for doing different tasks, like building things or fighting germs, they use a special code called DNA. R-loops, gene loops, and co-transcriptional cleavage are like special helpers that control how these instructions are read and used. R-loops are like traffic signals that can either help the instructions get used or stop them. Gene loops are like hands that bring important parts of the instructions closer together. Co-transcriptional cleavage is like scissors that cut the instructions at certain places. By understanding these processes, researchers hope to learn more about how our cells work and how they can be influenced by certain diseases.
About the research
The laboratory of Nick Proudfoot studies gene punctuation in eukaryotes, with a focus on the roles of R-loops, gene loops, and co-transcriptional cleavage in controlling transcription.
R-loops, formed when one DNA strand displaces the other and forms a loop, can either promote or suppress gene expression by affecting the accessibility of DNA. Gene loops, which involve physical interactions between different parts of a gene, facilitate the regulation of gene expression by bringing enhancer elements closer to the gene promoter region, enabling efficient regulatory protein interactions. Co-transcriptional cleavage, the process of cutting RNA during transcription, plays a role in controlling gene expression by influencing RNA processing and determining the fate of the synthesized RNA molecule. By investigating these molecular processes at the DNA and RNA levels, the lab aims to uncover the intricate mechanisms that regulate gene expression and understand how they impact various cellular functions.
About the illustration
To indicate that these loops and factors impact transcription, we chose to present this process visually, showing DNA, mRNA and RNA polymerase.