Specific initiation by RNA polymerase I in a whole-cell extract from yeast

A protocol is described for making a soluble whole-cell extract from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) that supports active and specific transcription initiation by RNA polymerases I, II, and III. Specific initiation by polymerase I decreases in high-density cultures, paralleling the decrease in abundance of the endogenous 35S rRNA precursor. This extract should be useful for studying the molecular mechanisms that regulate rRNA transcription in yeast.