A cell cycle-coordinated Polymerase II transcription compartment encompasses gene expression before global genome activation
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Authors
Colleges, School and Institutes
External organisations
- Université de Strasbourg
- University of Technology Syndey
Abstract
Most metazoan embryos commence development with rapid, transcriptionally silent cell divisions, with genome activation delayed until the mid-blastula transition (MBT). However, a set of genes escapes global repression and gets activated before MBT. Here we describe the formation and the spatio-temporal dynamics of a pair of distinct transcription compartments, which encompasses the earliest gene expression in zebrafish. 4D imaging of pri-miR430 and zinc-finger-gene activities by a novel, native transcription imaging approach reveals transcriptional sharing of nuclear compartments, which are regulated by homologous chromosome organisation. These compartments carry the majority of nascent-RNAs and active Polymerase II, are chromatin-depleted and represent the main sites of detectable transcription before MBT. Transcription occurs during the S-phase of increasingly permissive cleavage cycles. It is proposed, that the transcription compartment is part of the regulatory architecture of embryonic nuclei and offers a transcriptionally competent environment to facilitate early escape from repression before global genome activation.
Details
Original language | English |
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Article number | 691 |
Pages (from-to) | 691 |
Journal | Nature Communications |
Volume | 10 |
Issue number | 1 |
Publication status | Published - 11 Feb 2019 |