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Transcription Elongation Factors

Transcription Elongation Factors

Transcription elongation is a dynamic process that alters depending upon the sequence heterogeneity of the DNA being transcribed. Hence, it is not surprising that the elongation complex's composition also varies along the way while transcribing a gene.
The transcription elongation is regulated via pausing of RNA polymerase on several occasions during transcription. In bacteria, these halts are necessary because the transcription of DNA into mRNA is coupled to the translation of that mRNA into a...

Transcription Elongation Factors

Transcription Elongation Factors

Transcription elongation is a dynamic process that alters depending upon the sequence heterogeneity of the DNA being transcribed. Hence, it is not surprising that the elongation complex's composition also varies along the way while transcribing a gene.
The transcription elongation is regulated via pausing of RNA polymerase on several occasions during transcription. In bacteria, these halts are necessary because the transcription of DNA into mRNA is coupled to the translation of that mRNA into a...

RNA Polymerase II Accessory Proteins

RNA Polymerase II Accessory Proteins

Proteins that regulate transcription can do so either via direct contact with RNA Polymerase or through indirect interactions facilitated by adaptors, mediators, histone-modifying proteins, and nucleosome remodelers. Direct interactions to activate transcription is seen in bacteria as well as in some eukaryotic genes. In these cases, upstream activation sequences are adjacent to the promoters, and the activator proteins interact directly with the transcriptional machinery. For example, in...

RNA Polymerase II Accessory Proteins

RNA Polymerase II Accessory Proteins

Proteins that regulate transcription can do so either via direct contact with RNA Polymerase or through indirect interactions facilitated by adaptors, mediators, histone-modifying proteins, and nucleosome remodelers. Direct interactions to activate transcription is seen in bacteria as well as in some eukaryotic genes. In these cases, upstream activation sequences are adjacent to the promoters, and the activator proteins interact directly with the transcriptional machinery. For example, in...

General Transcription Factors

General Transcription Factors

Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...

Co-activators and Co-repressors

Co-activators and Co-repressors

Gene transcription is regulated by the synergistic action of several proteins that form a complex at a gene regulatory site. This is observed in eukaryotes, where the regulation of gene expression is a complex process. Regulatory proteins in eukaryotes can broadly be classified into two types – regulators that bind directly to specific DNA sequences and co-regulators that associate with regulatory proteins but cannot directly bind to the DNA. These co-regulators are further divided into...

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Updated: May 18, 2026

Artificial RNA Polymerase II Elongation Complexes for Dissecting Co-transcriptional RNA Processing Events

Artificial RNA Polymerase II Elongation Complexes for Dissecting Co-transcriptional RNA Processing Events

Published on: May 13, 2019

The Mediator complex and transcription elongation.

Ronald C Conaway¹, Joan Weliky Conaway

¹Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA. RCC@stowers.org

Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta

|September 18, 2012

Summary

The Mediator complex, crucial for RNA polymerase II transcription, is now understood to regulate nearly all stages of mRNA synthesis, including initiation and elongation. This reveals its central role in gene expression control.

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Last Updated: May 18, 2026

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Published on: October 22, 2018

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Gene Regulation
Biochemistry

Background:

Mediator is a conserved, multisubunit complex that regulates RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription.
Initially recognized for its role in transcription initiation, recent research highlights Mediator's involvement in post-initiation events.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the structure and function of Mediator in Pol II transcription initiation.
To summarize recent findings on Mediator's role in regulating Pol II transcription elongation.

Main Methods:

Literature review of Mediator complex function.
Analysis of recent studies on transcription regulation.

Main Results:

Mediator regulates Pol II transcription initiation.
Mediator is implicated in various stages of Pol II transcription elongation.

Conclusions:

Emerging evidence shows Mediator impacts all Pol II transcription stages: initiation, promoter escape, elongation, pre-mRNA processing, and termination.
Mediator plays a central role in gene expression by influencing mRNA synthesis.
This review is part of a special issue on RNA polymerase II Transcript Elongation.