D. G. Knorre
Novosibirsk Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Siberian Division, Russian Academy of Sciences,
Novosibirsk, 630090 Russia
Received September 28, 1998
Abstract—The review is devoted to the major features of RNA polymerase II, an enzyme responsible for tran-
scription of the genes encoding all eukaryotic proteins. The structure of this enzyme is characterized by the
presence of a domain comprising a tandem of heptapeptides each containing five hydroxyl groups undergoing
phosphorylation–dephosphorylation during enzyme action, specifically upon transition from the transcription
initiation stage to the elongation stage. Also considered are the roles of the main transcription factors in the
interaction of the enzyme with a promoter and its opening, as well as the contribution of ATP to this process.
The connection between transcription and pre-mRNA processing (splicing, capping at the 5'end and polyade-
nylation at the 3'end) as well as that between DNA transcription and repair are documented. As the targets for
eukaryotic RNA polymerases are nucleosomes, not free DNA, the transition of chromatin into the transcription-
competent form is also touched upon.
Key words: RNA polymerase II, CTD repeat, transcription factors, pre-mRNA processing
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