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Background The vast majority of the 1.1 million Alu elements are retrotranspositionally inactive, where only a few loci referred to as ‘source elements’ can generate new Alu insertions. The first step in identifying the active Alu sources is to determine the loci transcribed by RNA polymerase III (pol III). Previous genome-wide analyses from normal and transformed cell lines identified multiple Alu loci occupied by pol III factors, making them candidate source elements. Findings Analysis of the data from these genome-wide studies determined that the majority of pol III-bound Alus belonged to the older subfamilies Alu S and Alu J, which varied between cell lines from 62.5% to 98.7% of the identified loci. The pol III-bound Alus were further scored for estimated retrotransposition potential (ERP) based on the absence or presence of selected sequence features associated with Alu retrotransposition capability. Our analyses indicate that most of the pol III-bound Alu loci candidates identified lack the sequence characteristics important for retrotransposition. Conclusions These data suggest that Alu expression likely varies by cell type, growth conditions and transformation state. This variation could extend to where the same cell lines in different laboratories present different Alu expression patterns. The vast majority of Alu loci potentially transcribed by RNA pol III lack important sequence features for retrotransposition and the majority of potentially active Alu loci in the genome (scored high ERP) belong to young Alu subfamilies. Our observations suggest that in an in vivo scenario, the contribution of Alu activity on somatic genetic damage may significantly vary between individuals and tissues.

Genome-wide rhythms in RNA polymerase II loading and dynamic chromatin remodeling underlie periodic gene expression during diurnal cycles in the mouse liver., Interactions of cell-autonomous circadian oscillators with diurnal cycles govern the temporal compartmentalization of cell physiology in mammals. To understand the transcriptional and epigenetic basis of diurnal rhythms in mouse liver genome-wide, we generated temporal DNA occupancy profiles by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) as well as profiles of the histone modifications H3K4me3 and H3K36me3. We used these data to quantify the relationships of phases and amplitudes between different marks. We found that rhythmic Pol II recruitment at promoters rather than rhythmic transition from paused to productive elongation underlies diurnal gene transcription, a conclusion further supported by modeling. Moreover, Pol II occupancy preceded mRNA accumulation by 3 hours, consistent with mRNA half-lives. Both methylation marks showed that the epigenetic landscape is highly dynamic and globally remodeled during the 24-hour cycle. While promoters of transcribed genes had tri-methylated H3K4 even at their trough activity times, tri-methylation levels reached their peak, on average, 1 hour after Pol II. Meanwhile, rhythms in tri-methylation of H3K36 lagged transcription by 3 hours. Finally, modeling profiles of Pol II occupancy and mRNA accumulation identified three classes of genes: one showing rhythmicity both in transcriptional and mRNA accumulation, a second class with rhythmic transcription but flat mRNA levels, and a third with constant transcription but rhythmic mRNAs. The latter class emphasizes widespread temporally gated posttranscriptional regulation in the mouse liver., Author Summary In mammalian organs such as the liver, many metabolic and physiological processes occur preferentially at specific times during the 24-hour daily cycle. The timing of these rhythmic functions depends on a complex interplay between the endogenous circadian clock and environmental timing cues relayed through the master circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or via feeding rhythms. These rhythms can be implemented on several regulatory levels, and here we aimed at a better understanding of the transcriptional and epigenetic changes that regulate diurnal rhythms. We performed genome-wide analysis of the locations of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) and the epigenetic histone modifications H3K4me3 and H3K36me3 at specific times of day, relating these data to mRNA expression levels. Our analyses show that Pol II transcriptional rhythms are biphasic in mouse liver, having predominant peak activities in the morning and evening. Moreover, dynamic changes in histone marks lag transcription rhythms genome-wide, indicating that the epigenetic landscape can be remodeled during the 24-hour cycle. Finally, a quantitative analysis of temporal Pol II and mRNA accumulation profiles indicates that posttranscriptional regulation significantly contributes to the amplitude and phase of mRNA accumulation profiles. While many studies have analyzed how transcription and chromatin states are modified during irreversible cell differentiation processes, our work highlights how these states can evolve reversibly in a system exhibiting periodicity in time.

Our view of the RNA polymerase III (Pol III) transcription machinery in mammalian cells arises mostly from studies of the RN5S (5S) gene, the Ad2 VAI gene, and the RNU6 (U6) gene, as paradigms for genes with type 1, 2, and 3 promoters. Recruitment of Pol III onto these genes requires prior binding of well-characterized transcription factors. Technical limitations in dealing with repeated genomic units, typically found at mammalian Pol III genes, have so far hampered genome-wide studies of the Pol III transcription machinery and transcriptome. We have localized, genome-wide, Pol III and some of its transcription factors. Our results reveal broad usage of the known Pol III transcription machinery and define a minimal Pol III transcriptome in dividing IMR90hTert fibroblasts. This transcriptome consists of some 500 actively transcribed genes including a few dozen candidate novel genes, of which we confirmed nine as Pol III transcription units by additional methods. It does not contain any of the microRNA genes previously described as transcribed by Pol III, but reveals two other microRNA genes, MIR886 (hsa-mir-886) and MIR1975 (RNY5, hY5, hsa-mir-1975), which are genuine Pol III transcription units.

Exposure of RPMI 8226, Karpas 707 and U266 human myeloma-like lines to low doses of As(2)O(3) was followed by a marked increase in lymphokine activated killers (LAK)-mediated killing and up- modulation of CD38 and CD54, two molecules involved in cell-cell interactions. Moreover, simultaneous exposure of effectors and targets to As(2)O(3) yielded the most effective condition for lysis. The expression of CD31 (CD38 ligand) and CD11a (CD54 ligand) was also up-regulated by LAK, suggesting that increased adhesion was responsible for the improved killing. Similar results were obtained using freshly isolated myeloma cells. These findings indicate that As(2)O(3) may be useful to boost the immune system against myelomas.