The mechanism of mitochondrial transcription is well documented although the method of regulation remains obscure. The mitochondrial transcription-termination complex, mTERF, holds a key position in determining the fate of heavy-strand promotor-initiated transcripts and has been suggested as a candidate in the regulation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) transcription. We report here the first example of a modulation of mTERF-complex binding activity concomitant with a differential mtDNA transcription rate. We suggest that these observations are indicative of a method of intra-organellar transcriptional fine tuning.
Keywords:
mtDNA, mitochondrial DNA,
mtRNA, mitochondrial RNA,
MRP-RNase, mtRNA processing RNase,
mtTFA, mitochondrial transcription factor-A,
TH, thyroid hormone,
mTERF, mitochondrial transcription-termination complex,
TAP, thiamphenicol,
HSP, LSP, heavy- and light-strand promoters,
D-loop,
mitochondrial stress
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© 2000 Biochemical Society
2000
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