Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026

Artificial RNA Polymerase II Elongation Complexes for Dissecting Co-transcriptional RNA Processing Events
Published on: May 13, 2019
H19 inhibits RNA polymerase II-mediated transcription by disrupting the hnRNP U-actin complex
Hai-shan Bi1, Xiang-yue Yang, Ji-hang Yuan
1Department of Medical Genetics, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Background:
H19 was one of the earliest identified, and is the most studied, long noncoding RNAs. It is presumed that H19 is essential for regulating development and disease conditions, and it is associated with carcinogenesis for many types. However the biological function and regulatory mechanism of this conserved RNA, particularly with respect to its effect on transcription, remain largely unknown.
Methods:
We performed RNA pulldown, RNA immunoprecipitation and deletion mapping to identify the proteins that are associated with H19. In addition, we employed EU (5-ethynyl uridine) incorporation, immunoprecipitation and Western blotting to investigate the functional aspects of H19.
Results:
Our research further verifies that H19 is bound to hnRNP U, and this interaction is located within the 5' 882 nt region of H19. Moreover, H19 disrupts the interaction between hnRNP U and actin, which inhibits phosphorylation at Ser5 of the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) C-terminal domain (CTD), consequently preventing RNA Pol II-mediated transcription. We also showed that hnRNP U is essential for H19-mediated transcription repression.
Conclusions:
In this study, we demonstrate that H19 inhibits RNA Pol II-mediated transcription by disrupting the hnRNP U-actin complex.
General Significance:
These data suggest that H19 regulates general transcription and exerts wide-ranging effects in organisms.
Related Concept Videos
Types of RNA
RNA Performs Diverse...
Types of RNA
Three main types of RNA are involved in protein synthesis: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). These RNAs perform diverse functions and can be broadly classified as protein-coding or non-coding RNA. Non-coding RNAs play important roles in the regulation of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental changes. Non-coding RNAs in prokaryotes can be manipulated to develop more effective antibacterial drugs for human or animal use.
RNA...
Eukaryotic Transcription Inhibitors
Eukaryotic transcription inhibitors usually contain two distinct domains, a DNA...
Transcription Initiation
The promoters and enhancers and their accessory proteins allow tight regulation of...
RNA Polymerase II Accessory Proteins
RNA Polymerase II Accessory Proteins

