Benoit Coulombe is a Canadian scientist whose research focuses on the mechanisms by which regulated protein–protein, protein–DNA and protein–RNA interactions control the activity of RNA polymerase II, the molecular machine that synthesizes all messenger RNA (mRNA) and some small-nuclear RNA (snRNA) in eukaryotes.
Transcription termination of RNA polymerase II transcripts is proposed to occur by a two stage process.
It is transcribed by RNA polymerase II to give an mRNA that codes for two proteins: ORF1 and ORF2, which are necessary for transposition.
The Capping Enzyme Complex (CEC) required for capping is found bound to the RNA polymerase II before transcription starts.
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The enzymes for capping can only bind to RNA polymerase II ensuring specificity to only these transcripts, which are almost entirely mRNA.
Small Cajal body-specific RNA 17 (also known as U12-22 scaRNA) is a type of small nuclear RNA which localises to the cajal bodies and proposed to guide the modification of RNA polymerase II transcribed spliceosomal RNAs U1, U2, U4, U5 and U12.
small Cajal body-specific RNA 18 (also known as U91 or U4-8) is a type of small nuclear RNA which localises to the cajal bodies and proposed to guide the modification of RNA polymerase II transcribed spliceosomal RNAs U1, U2, U4, U5 and U12.
Based on this model, her research group discovered that most microRNA genes are transcribed by RNA polymerase II and that pri-miRNA processing is carried out by Drosha-DGCR8 complexes in the nucleus.
RNA | 16S ribosomal RNA | RNA polymerase | RNA polymerase II | RNA-dependent RNA polymerase | RNA virus | RNA interference | RNA-binding protein | DNA polymerase | non-coding RNA | Transfer RNA | RNA-Seq | RNA polymerase III | RNA polymerase I | messenger RNA | U2 spliceosomal RNA | small nuclear RNA | RNA splicing | 18S ribosomal RNA | Z12 small nucleolar RNA | transfer RNA | Small nucleolar RNA R43 | RNA Tie Club | Polynucleobacter-1 RNA motif | NoRC associated RNA | Non-coding RNA | Messenger RNA | List of RNA structure prediction software | FnrS RNA | DNA polymerase II |
The carboxyl terminal domain (CTD) of RPB1, the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, plays an important role in bringing together the machinery necessary for the synthesis and processing of Pol II transcripts.
This protein has also been shown to be a member of the NELF (negative elongation factor) protein complex that participates in the regulation of RNA polymerase II transcription elongation.