RNA Polymerases and Associated Factors, Part C

841 Pages·2003·11.632 MB·English

by  Sankar Adhya and Susan Garges (Eds.)

METHODS IN ENZYMOLOGY
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
John N. Abelson Melvin I. Simon
DIVISIONOFBIOLOGY
CALIFORNIAINSTITUTEOFTECHNOLOGY
PASADENA,CALIFORNIA
FOUNDINGEDITORS
Sidney P. Colowick and Nathan O. Kaplan
Contributors to Volume 370
Articlenumbersareinparenthesesandfollowingthenamesofcontributors.
Affiliationslistedarecurrent.
Annie-Claude Albert (11), Biology Sukesh R. Bhaumik (38), Department of
Department, Washington University in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, St. Southern Illinois University, Carbondale,
Louis,Missouri63130 Illinois62901
J.-F.Allemand(49),LaboratoiredePhys- Vladimir Bondarenko (29), Department
ique Statistique, CNRS UMR 8550, of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Ecole Normale Superiure, 24 rue Lho- Wayne StateUniversitySchoolofMedi-
mond,75231Paris,France cine,Detroit,Michigan48201
Jennifer R. Anthony (5), Department of Patricia Bordes (53), Department of
Biological Sciences, National College of
Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin –
Science, Technology, and Medicine,
Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison,
SAFB, Imperial College Road, London
Wisconsin53706
SW72AZ,UnitedKingdom
LarryC.Anthony(16),McArdleLabora- Robert Britton (23), Department of
tory of Cancer Research, University of
Microbiology and Molecular Genetics,
Wisconsin, 1400 University Avenue,
MichiganStateUniversity,EastLansing,
Madison,Wisconsin53706
Michigan48824
Jae-BumBae(7),LaboratoryofMolecular Vladimir Brusic (21), Laboratories for
Microbiology, School of Biological Sci- Information Technology, 21, Heng Mui
ences, Seoul National University, Seoul KengTerrace,Singapore119613
151-742,Korea
Martin Buck (3,53), Department of Bio-
Vladimir B. Bajic (21), Laboratories for logical Sciences, Wolfson Laboratories,
Information Technology, 21, Heng Mui Imperial College of London, Rm. 313,
KengTerrace,Singapore119613 LondonSW72AY,UnitedKingdom
Rajiv P. Bandwar (55), Department Richard Burgess (16,17), McArdle
Biochemistry, UMDNJ, Robert Wood Laboratory of Cancer Research, Univer-
JohnsonMedicalSchool,675HoesLane, sity of Wisconsin, 1400 University
Piscataway,NewJersey08854 Avenue,Madison,Wisconsin53706
Peter B. Becker (42), Adolf-Butenandt- Patricia C. Burrows (3), Department of
Institut, Molekularbiologie, Ludwig- Biological Sciences, Wolfson Laborator-
Maximilians-Universitat, Schillerstrasse ies,ImperialCollegeofLondon,Rm.313,
44,D80336Munchen,Germany LondonSW72AY,UnitedKingdom
Veit Bergendahl (17), McArdle Labora- JulioCabrera(1),LaboratoryofMolecu-
tory of Cancer Research, University of lar Biology, National Cancer Institute,
Wisconsin, 1400 University Avenue, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 37,
Madison,Wisconsin53706 Rm.5144,Bethesda,Maryland20892
xi
xii contributors to volume 370
Wendy Cannon (53), Department of Elena K. Davydova (8), Department of
Biological Sciences, National College of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology,
Science, Technology, and Medicine, UniversityofChicago,920E.58thStreet,
SAFB, Imperial College Road, London Chicago,Illinois60637
SW72AZ,UnitedKingdom
PieterdeHaseth(47),DepartmentofBio-
Michael W. Capp (45), Department of chemistry, Case Western Reserve
Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, 433 University,Cleveland,Ohio44106-4935
Babcock Drive, Madison, Wisconsin BorriesDemeler (43), CenterforAnalyt-
53706-1544
icalUltracentrifugationofMacromolecu-
Frederic Coin (58), Institut de Genetique larAssemblies,UniversityofTexasHealth
ScienceCenter,SanAntonio,Texas
et de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire,
Dept.ofTranscription,CNRS/INSERM/ Jonathan A. Dodd (10), Department of
ULP, B.P. 162, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, BiologicalChemistry,UniversityofCali-
C.U.deStrasbourg,France fornia–Irvine,240DMedicalSciencesI,
Irvine,California92697-1700
Ronald C. Conaway (59), Dept. of Bio-
chemistryandMolecularBiology,Kansas Timothy J. Donohue (5), Department of
University Medical Center, Kansas City, Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin –
Missouri 66160 Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison,
Wisconsin53706
Benoit Coulombe (57), Laboratory of
GeneTranscription,ClinicalResearchIn- DavidDunlap(32),DIBIT3A3,sanRaf-
stitute of Montreal, 110 Pine Avenue faele Scientific Institute, via Olgettina,
West, Montreal, Quebec H2W 1R7, 58,Milan20132,Italy
Canada
Arik Dvir (59), Department of Biological
V. Croquette (49), Laboratoire de Phys- Sciences,OaklandUniversity,Rochester,
ique Statistique, CNRS UMR 8550, Michigan48309
Ecole Normale Superiure, 24 rue Lho- Keith Earley (11), Biology Department,
mond,75231Paris,France
Washington University in St. Louis, One
MichaelE.Dahmus(13),SectionofMo- Brookings Drive, St. Louis, Missouri
63130
lecularandCellBiology,DivisionofBio-
logical Science, University of California, R.H.Ebright(49),HowardHughesMed-
Davis, Davis,California95616-5224 ical Institute, Waksman Institute, De-
partment of Chemistry, Rutgers
SethA.Darst(4),TheRockefellerUniver-
University,Piscataway,NewYork08854
sity, 1230 York Avenue, Box 224, New
York,NewYork10021 JeanMarcEgly(58),InstitutdeGenetique
et de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire,
DipakDasgupta(50),BiophysicsDivision, Department ofTranscription, CNRS/IN-
Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 37, SERM/ULP, B.P. 162, 67404 Illkirch
BelgachiaRoad,Calcutta 700037,India Cedex,C.U.deStrasbourg,France
Margaret A. Daugherty (31), Depart- RobertD.Finn(3),TheWellcomeSanger
ment ofBiochemistry, University ofVer- Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome
mont College of Medicine, Burlington, Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10
Vermont 05405 1SA,UnitedKingdom
contributors to volume370 xiii
LauraFinzi(32),DipBiol‘‘LuigiGorini,’’ Michael R. Green (36, 38), Program in
U Degli Studi Milano, Via Celoria 26, GeneFunctionandExpression, 364Plan-
MilanI-20133Italy tation Street, Worcester, Massachusetts
01605-2377
Katherine M. Foley (16), McArdle Lab-
oratoryofCancerResearch,Universityof Jack Greenblatt (34), Banting and Best
Wisconsin, 1400 University Avenue, DepartmentofMedicalResearch,Univer-
Madison,Wisconsin53706 sity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G
1L6,Canada
Diane Forget (57), Laboratory of Gene
Transcription,ClinicalResearchInstitute CarolA.Gross(18),DepartmentsofSto-
of Montreal, 110 Pine Avenue West, matology and Microbiology and Immu-
Montreal,QuebecH2W1R7,Canada nalogy, University of California, San
Francisco,California94143-0512
Michael G. Fried (31), Department of
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tanja M. Gruber (18), Departments of
The Pennsylvania State University Col- Stomatology and Microbiology and Im-
lege of Medicine, 500 University Drive, munalogy, University of California, San
Hershey,Pennsylvania17033 Francisco,California94143-0512
Susan Garges (25), Laboratory of Mo- Mi-Young Hahn (7), Laboratory of
lecular Biology, CCR, National Cancer Molecular Microbiology, School of
Institute, National Institutes of Health, Biological Sciences, Seoul National Uni-
Bldg.37,Rm.5138,Bethesda,Maryland versity,Seoul151-742,Korea
20892
Mitsuhiro Hamada (14), Department of
S.Gilfillan(40),GSF-NationalResearch Integrated Biosciences, University of
Center for Environment and Health, De- Tokyo,Tokyo,Japan
partmentofGeneExpression,Instituteof
Molecular Immunology, Marchionini-str. John D. Helmann (2), Department of
25,MunichD-81377,Germany Microbiology,CornellUniversity,Ithaca,
NewYork14853
James A. Goodrich (56), Department of
Chemistry and Biochemistry, University Susanne Hoheisel (34), Department of
of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Color- Molecular and Cell Biology, Division of
ado80309-0215 BiochemistryandMolecularBiology,401
Barker Hall, Berkeley, Californaia
Richard L. Gourse (51), Department of 94720-3202
Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin –
Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Ying Huang (14), Laboratory of Molecu-
Wisconsin53706-1567 larGrowthRegulation,NationalInstitute
ofChildHealthandHumanDevelopment,
BrentGowen(3),627GowerPointRoad, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda,
Gibson’sLanding,BritishColumbiaV0N Maryland20892-2753
1V8,Canada
Diane Imburgio (19), Department of
Heather A. Green (5), Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry,
Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin – Rutgers, The State University of New
Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Jersey, 190 Frelinghuysen Road,
Wisconsin53706 Piscataway,NewJersey08854
xiv contributors to volume 370
DingJunJin(1,15,25,26),Laboratoryof Michael S. Kobor (34), Department of
Molecular Biology, National Cancer In- Molecular and Cell Biology, Division of
stitute, National Institutes of Health, BiochemistryandMolecularBiology,401
Bldg.37,Rm.5144,Bethesda,Maryland BarkerHall,Berkeley,California94720-
20892 3202
Susan Jones (53), Department of Bio- Natalia Komissarova (12), NCI Center
logicalSciences,NationalCollegeofSci- for Cancer Research, National Cancer
ence, Technology, and Medicine, SAFB, Institute,FrederickCancerResearchand
Imperial College Road, London SW7 DevelopmentCenter,Bldg.539,Rm.222,
2AZ,UnitedKingdom Frederick,Maryland21702
Caroline M. Kane (34), Department of E. Kremmer (40), GSF-National Research
Molecular and Cell Biology, Division of Center for Environment and Health, De-
BiochemistryandMolecularBiology,401 partmentofGeneExpression,Instituteof
BarkerHall,Berkeley,California94720- Molecular Immunology, Marchionini-str.
3202 25,MunichD-81377,Germany
ChangwonKang(54),DepartmentofBio- Jennifer F. Kugel (56), Department of
logical Sciences, Korea Advanced Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
Institute of Science and Technology, of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Color-
373-1Guseong-dong,Yuseong-gu,Daejon ado80319-0215
305-701,RepublicofKorea
Konstantin Kuznedelov (9), Limnol-
Mikhail Kashlev (12), NCI Center for ogical Institute of the Russian Academy
Cancer Research, National Cancer Insti- ofSciences,Irkutsk,Russia
tute, Frederick Cancer Research and
Development Center, Bldg. 539, Rm. Lester J. Lambert (43), Laboratory of
222,Frederick,Maryland21702 Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller
University,NewYork,NewYork10021
Krystyna M. Kazmierczak (8), Depart-
mentofMolecularGeneticsandCellBiol- DaleE.A.Lewis(52),LaboratoryofMo-
ogy, University of Chicago, 920 E. 58th
lecular Biology, National Cancer Insti-
Street,Chicago,Illinois60637
tute, 37 Convent Drive, Rm. 5138,
PatriciaJ.Kiley(27),DepartmentofBio- Bethesda,Maryland20892-4255
molecular Chemistry, University of Wis-
PatrickS.Lin(13), SectionofMolecular
consin,574MedicalScienceCenter,1300
and Cell Biology, Division of Biological
University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin
Science, University of California, Davis,
53706
Davis,California95616-5224
Maria L. Kireeva (12), NCI Center for
Cancer Research, National Cancer Insti- YeV.Liu(29),DepartmentofBiochemis-
tute,FrederickCancerResearchandDe- tryandMolecularBiology,WayneState
velopment Center, Bldg. 539, Rm. 222, University School of Medicine, Detroit,
Frederick,Maryland21702 Michigan48201
Bruno P. Klaholz (3), Institut de Genet- LucynaLubkowska (12),NCI Center for
ique et de Biologie Moleulaire et Celle- Cancer Research, National Cancer Insti-
laire, Dept. de Biologie et Genomique tute,FrederickCancerResearchandDe-
Structurales, 1,rueLaurentFries,67404 velopment Center, Bldg. 539, Rm. 222,
Illkirch,France Frederick,Maryland21702
contributors to volume370 xv
Betina Macho (35), Institut de Genetique Yoshihiro Nakatani (37), Dana-Farber
et de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire, Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical
1, rue Laurent Fries, 67404 Illkirch, School,Boston,Maryland02115
Strasbourg,France
Giri Narasimhan (22), School of Com-
RichardMaraia(14),LaboratoryofMo- puter Science, ECS 389, Florida Inter-
lecular Growth Regulation, National national University, Miami, Florida
Institute of Child Health and Human 33199
Development, National Institutes of
SergeiNechaev(19,53),CMG,University
Health,Bethesda,Maryland20892-2753
of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman
Robert G. Martin (24), Laboratory of Drive,LaJolla,California92093
Molecular Biology, NIDDK, National
Yur A. Nedialkov (44), Department of
InstitutesofHealth,Bethesda,Maryland
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
20892-0560
MichiganStateUniversity,EastLansing,
Shoko Masuda (4), The Rockefeller Uni- Michigan48824-1319
versity,1230YorkAvenue,Box224,New
Alexander J. Ninfa (29), Department of
York,NewYork10021
Biochemistry, University of Michigan
Kalai Mathee (22), Department of Bio- Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
logical Sciences, Florida International 48109-0606
University,Miami,Florida33199
Masayasu Nomura (10), Department of
Walter Messer (30), Max-Planck-Insti- BiologicalChemistry,UniversityofCali-
tute for Molecular Genitics, D-14195 fornia–Irvine,240DMedicalSciencesI,
Berlin,Germany Irvine,California92697-1700
M. Miesterernst (40), GSF-National Re- Michael C. O’Neill (20), Department of
search Center for Environment and Biological Sciences, University of Mary-
Health, Department of Gene Expression, land, Baltimore County (UMBC), 1000
Institute of Molecular Immunology, Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, Maryland
Marchionini-str. 25, Munich D-81377, 21250
Germany
Vasily Ogryzko (37), Laboratoire Onco-
Leonid Minakhin (9), Waksman Institute genese, Differenciation et Transduction
ofMicrobiology,Rutgers,TheStateUni- du Signal, CNRS UPR 9079, Institut
versityofNewJersey,190Frelinghuysen AndreLwoff,Villejuif,France
Road,Piscataway,NewJersey08854
ElenaV.Orlova(3),DepartmentofCrys-
Aaron P. Mitchell (41), Department of tallography, Birbeck College, Malet
MicrobiologyandInstituteofCancerRe- Street, London WC1E 7HX, United
search, Columbia University, 701 West Kingdom
168thStreet,NewYork,NewYork10032
Joo-Hong Park (7), Laboratory of
Katsuhiko S. Murakami (4), The Rocke- Molecular Microbiology, School of
fellerUniversity,1230YorkAvenue,Box Biological Sciences, Seoul National Uni-
224,NewYork,NewYork10021 versity,Seoul151-742,Korea
Heath D. Murray (51), Department of SmitaS.Patel(55),DepartmentBiochem-
Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin – istry, UMDNJ, Robert Wood Johnson
Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Medical School, 675 Hoes Lane, Piscat-
Wisconsin53706-1567 away,NewJersey08854
xvi contributors to volume 370
Erik Pierstorff (34), Department of Lucia B. Rothman-Denes (8), Depart-
Molecular and Cell Biology, Division of mentofMolecularGeneticsandCellBiol-
BiochemistryandMolecularBiology,401 ogy, University of Chicago, 920 E. 58th
BarkerHall,Berkeley,California94720- Street,Chicago,Illinois60637
3202 Siddhartha Roy (46, 48), Department of
Craig S. Pikaard (11), Biology Depart- Biophysics,BoseInstitute,P-1/12,C.I.T.,
ment,WashingtonUniversityinSt.Louis, SchemeVIIM,Calcutta700054,India
OneBrookingsDrive,St.Louis,Missouri Ruth M. Saecker (45), Department of
63130 Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, 433
Aparna Raval (33), Experimental Babcock Drive, Madison, Wisconsin
Immunology Branch, National Cancer 53706-1544
Institute, National Institutes of Health, JulioSaez-Vasquez(11),BiologyDepart-
Bldg.10,Rm.4B36,Bethesda,Maryland ment,WashingtonUniversityinSt.Louis,
20892-1360 OneBrookingsDrive,St.Louis,Missouri
Pampa Ray (3), Department of Biological 63130
Sciences,WolfsonLaboratories,Imperial Raphael Sandaltzopoulos (42), Depart-
College of London, Rm. 313, London ment of Molecular Biology, Democritus
SW72AY,UnitedKingdom UniversityofThrace,UniversityHospital
M. Thomas Record Jr. (45), Department at Dragana, G-68100 Alexandroupolis,
of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Greece
433 Babcock Drive, Madison, Wisconsin PaolaSassone-Corsi(35),InstitutdeGe-
53706-1544 netiqueetdeBiologieMoleculaireetCel-
JosephC.Reese(36),DeptartmentofBio- lulaire, 1, Rue Laurent Fries, 67404
chemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn- Illkirch,Strasbourg,France
sylvania State University, 203 Althouse Virgil Schirf (43), Center for Analytical
Laboratory, University Park, Pennsylva- Ultracentrifugation of Macromolecular
nia16802 Assemblies, University of Texas Health
John N. Reeve (6), Department of ScienceCenter,SanAntonio,Texas
Microbiology, Ohio State University, David A. Schneider (51), Department of
Columbus,Ohio43210 Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin –
A. Revyakin (49), Howard Hughes Med- Madison, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison,
icalInstitute,WaksmanInstitute,Depart- Wisconsin53706-1567
ment of Chemistry, Rutgers University, RanjanSen(50),LaboratoryofTranscrip-
Piscataway,NewYork08854 tion Biology, Center for DNA Finger-
Vikas Rishi (39), Laboratory of Metabol- printing and Diagnosis, ECIL Road,
ism, National Cancer Institute, National Nacharam,Hyderabad500076,India
InstitutesofHealth,Bldg.37,Rm.2D24, Steve D. Seredick (28), Department of
Bethesda,Maryland20892
Microbiology and Immunology, Univer-
Jung-HyeRoe(7),LaboratoryofMolecu- sityofBritishColumbia,6174University
lar Microbiology, School of Biological Boulevard, Vancouver, British Columbia
Sciences, Seoul National University, V6T123,Canada
Seoul151-742,Korea
KonstantinSeverinov(9,19,53),Depart-
JudahL.Rosner(24),LaboratoryofMo- mentofMolecularBiologyandBiochem-
lecular Biology, NIDDK, National Insti- istry, Rutgers, The State University of
tutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland New Jersey, 190 Frelinghuysen Road,
20892-0560 Piscataway,NewJersey08854
contributors to volume370 xvii
Mitsuhiro Shimizu (41), Deptartment of Nancy E. Thompson (16), McArdle Lab-
Chemistry, Meisei University, Tokyo oratory of Cancer Research, University
191-8506,Japan of Wisconsin, 1400 University Avenue,
Madison,Wisconsin53706
Inkyung Shin (54), Department of Bio-
logical Sciences, Korea Advanced Insti- Prasad Tongaonkar (10), Department of
tute of Science and Technology, 373-1 BiologicalChemistry,UniversityofCali-
Guseong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejon 305- fornia–Irvine,240DMedicalSciencesI,
701,RepublicofKorea Irvine,California92697-1700
DeanD.Shooltz(44),DepartmentofBio- Steven J. Triezenberg (44), Department
chemistry and Molecular Biology, Mich-
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
igan State University, East Lansing,
MichiganStateUniversity,EastLansing,
Michigan48824-1319
Michigan48824-1319
Dinah S. Singer (33), Experimental
Oleg V. Tsodikov (45), Harvard Medical
Immunology Branch, National Cancer
School,Boston,Massachusetts02115
Institute, National Institutes of Health,
Bldg.10,Rm.4B36,Bethesda,Maryland Laura Tsujikawa (47), Department of
20892-1360
Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve
George B. Spiegelman (28), Department University,Cleveland,Ohio44106-4935
of Microbiology and Immunology, Uni-
versityofBritishColumbia,6174Univer- Barb M. Turner (28), Department of
Microbiology and Immunology, Univer-
sity Boulevard, Vancouver, British
sityofBritishColumbia,6174University
ColumbiaV6T123,Canada
Boulevard, Vancouver, British Columbia
G. Stelzer (40), GSF-National Research V6T123,Canada
Center for Environment and Health, De-
partmentofGeneExpression,Instituteof Marin van Heel (3), Department of
Molecular Immunology, Marchionini-str. Biological Sciences, Wolfson Laborator-
25,MunichD-81377,Germany ies,ImperialCollegeofLondon,Rm.313,
LondonSW72AY,UnitedKingdom
T.R.Strick(49),ColdSpringHarborLab-
oratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York Charles Vinson (39), Laboratory of
11724
Metabolism, National Cancer Institute,
Vasily M. Studitsky (29), Department of National Institutes of Health, Building
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 37, Rm. 2D24, Bethesda, Maryland
WayneStateUniversity SchoolofMedi- 20892
cine,Detroit,Michigan48201
Christoph Weigel (30), Max-Planck-
MaximV.Sukhodolets(25),Developmen- InstituteforMolecularGenitics,D-14195
tal Genetics Section, Laboratory of Mo- Berlin,Germany
lecular Biology, CCR, National Cancer
Institute, National Institutes of Health, Jocelyn D. Weissman (33), Experimental
Bldg. 37, Rm. 5138 Bethesda, Maryland Immunology Branch, National Cancer
20892 Institute, National Institutes of Health,
Bldg.10,Rm.4B36,Bethesda,Maryland
VictoriaSutton(27),DepartmentofBio- 20892-1360
molecular Chemistry, University of Wis-
consin,574MedicalScienceCenter,1300 Joan Weliky Conaway (59), Stowers In-
University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin stituteofMedicalResearch,1000E.50th
53706 Street,KansasCity,Missouri64110
xviii contributors to volume 370
Milton H. Werner (43), Laboratory of Wenxue Yang (26), Laboratory of
Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller Molecular Biology, National Cancer
University,NewYork,NewYork10021 Institute, National Institutes of Health,
Bldg.37,Rm.5144,Bethesda,Maryland
Siva R. Wigneshweraraj (53), Depart-
20892
ment of Biological Sciences, National
College of Science, Technology, and Huijun Zhi (15, 26), Laboratory of Mo-
Medicine,SAFB,ImperialCollegeRoad, lecular Biology, National Cancer Insti-
LondonSW72AZ,UnitedKingdom tute, National Institutes of Health, Bldg.
37,Rm.5144,Bethesda,Maryland20892
YunweiXie(6),DepartmentofMicrobiol-
ogy, Ohio State University, Columbus,
Ohio43210
Preface
It has been just seven years since Volumes 273 and 274 of Methods in Enzy-
mology, which covered RNA polymerase and associated activities, were pub-
lished. Since then, there has been an explosion in the amount of information
that has come out on RNA polymerase and transcription, driven by the
intensificationintechnology.InVolumes370and371,wetrytotakeupwhere
Volumes273and274leftoff,butweincludeandemphasizewhatwefeelisan
importantaspectofRNApolymerasethatwasonlytouchedonintheprevious
volumes. It is quite clear now that RNA polymerase does not act alone. Its
associated factors are key in determining initiation, elongation, and termin-
ationoccurrences.Therelianceontheassociatedfactorsisoftensogreatthatit
is difficult to determine whether a given protein is an RNA polymerase-
associatedfactororis,infact,asubunitoftheenzyme.
ThechaptersinthesevolumesdescribetheRNApolymeraseenzymesand
the associated factors, and their effects on transcription initiation, elongation,
andtermination.Thechaptersexposebothprokaryoticandeukaryoticsystems,
but they are purposely kept undivided irrespective of the origins of the RNA
polymerases. We predict that as more is learned about the prokaryotic and
eukaryotic systems of transcription and gene regulation, we will realize how
similarlytheybehaveratherthanhowdifferently.
Sankar Adhya
Susan Garges
xix