Poster abstracts
Poster number 67 submitted by Hannah Hertz
Exploring the properties of RNA polymerase II condensates at the splicing leader cluster
Hannah Hertz (Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University), Yi-hui Wang (Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Center for RNA Biology, Ohio State Biochemistry Program, The Ohio State University), Wen Tang (Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Center for RNA Biology, Ohio State Biochemistry Program, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Program, The Ohio State University)
Abstract:
It is fundamental for cells to regulate gene expression during development and in response to environmental cues. One key aspect of this regulation is recruitment of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) to macromolecular clusters, yet whether these foci are dynamic liquid-like condensates or more static hubs remains controversial. Using C. elegans embryos, we characterize RNAPII foci. RNAPII, as well as RNA polymerase III (RNAPIII), form foci at the 5S rDNA-SL1 (splicing leader 1) cluster along with a known SL1 transcription factor ATTF-6. Importantly, we provide evidence that RNAPII and RNAPIII behave as liquid-like condensates, in contrast to ATTF-6, which behaves as a solid. Polymerase condensates, but not ATTF-6, dissolves upon heat stress. Our ongoing work seeks to investigate the role of RNAPII condensates at the 5S rDNA-SL1 cluster and hypothesize that loss of RNAPII condensates upon heat stress reduces SL1 expression.
References:
Wang YH, Hertz HL, Pastore B, Tang W. An AT-hook transcription factor promotes transcription of histone, spliced-leader, and piRNA clusters. Nucleic Acids Res. 2025;53(4):gkaf079. doi:10.1093/nar/gkaf079
Keywords: Transcriptional Condensates, RNA polymerase II