Alternative titles; symbols
HGNC Approved Gene Symbol: POLR2L
Cytogenetic location: 11p15.5 Genomic coordinates (GRCh38): 11:839,721-842,529 (from NCBI)
The DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II (EC 2.7.7.6) is responsible for the transcription of protein-encoding genes. It is composed of 10 to 14 subunits ranging in mass from approximately 220 kD (POLR2A; 180660) to approximately 7 kD (POLR2K; 606033). For general information on the structure and function of RNA polymerase II, see 180660.
Acker et al. (1996) reported the characterization of the gene encoding the 7.6-kD subunit of RNA polymerase II. The authors showed the gene to be transcribed as a single RNA. The predicted 67-amino acid peptide is highly similar to the corresponding subunit from other species, including the yeast RPB10 gene product, and contains conserved cysteine residues that are characteristic of an atypical zinc-binding domain.
The POLR2L gene consists of 2 exons separated by a 2.1-kb intron. (Acker et al., 1996).
Shpakovski et al. (1995) showed that a human cDNA for POLR2L was able to complement the yeast homolog. The yeast protein is shared in complexes of RNA polymerases I, II, and III and Acker et al. (1996) suggested that this may also be true in mammalian cells.
McKune et al. (1995) isolated cDNAs corresponding to the genes for POLR2L and POLR2H (606023), the latter being the human homolog of S. cerevisiae RPB8. Immunoprecipitation experiments showed that both POLR2L and POLR2H are stable and assemble efficiently with yeast RNA pol II. The yeast RPB8 and RPB10 genes are essential for cell growth and viability.
Acker et al. (1996) mapped the POLR2L gene to 11p15 by in situ hybridization.
Acker, J., Murroni, O., Mattei, M.-G., Kedinger, C., Vigneron, M. The gene (POLR2L) encoding the hRPB7.6 subunit of human RNA polymerase. Genomics 32: 86-90, 1996. [PubMed: 8786124] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1006/geno.1996.0079]
McKune, K., Moore, P. A., Hull, M. W., Woychik, N. A. Six human RNA polymerase subunits functionally substitute for their yeast counterparts. Molec. Cell. Biol. 15: 6895-6900, 1995. [PubMed: 8524256] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1128/MCB.15.12.6895]
Shpakovski, G. V., Acker, J., Wintzerith, M., Lacroix, J. F., Thuriaux, P., Vigneron, M. Four subunits that are shared by the three classes of RNA polymerase are functionally interchangeable between Homo sapiens and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Molec. Cell. Biol. 15: 4702-4710, 1995. [PubMed: 7651387] [Full Text: https://doi.org/10.1128/MCB.15.9.4702]