The many roles of the conserved eukaryotic Paf1 complex in regulating transcription, histone modifications, and disease states

• Published in: Biochimica et biophysica acta Vol. 1829; no. 1; pp. 116 - 126
• Main Authors: Tomson, Brett N., Arndt, Karen M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.01.2013
• Subjects: Animals; Conserved Sequence; Disease - genetics; Eukaryota - genetics; Histone modification; Histones - metabolism; Humans; Models, Biological; Nuclear Proteins - chemistry; Nuclear Proteins - genetics; Nuclear Proteins - metabolism; Nuclear Proteins - physiology; Paf1 complex; Parafibromin; Protein Modification, Translational - genetics; Protein Modification, Translational - physiology; Protein Subunits - chemistry; Protein Subunits - genetics; Protein Subunits - metabolism; Protein Subunits - physiology; RNA polymerase II; Transcription elongation; Transcription, Genetic - genetics; Transcription, Genetic - physiology; Paf1 complex; Histone modification; Transcription elongation; RNA polymerase II; Parafibromin
• ISSN: 1874-9399; 0006-3002; 1876-4320
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2012.08.011

The Paf1 complex was originally identified over fifteen years ago in budding yeast through its physical association with RNA polymerase II. The Paf1 complex is now known to be conserved throughout eukaryotes and is well studied for promoting RNA polymerase II transcription elongation and transcription-coupled histone modifications. Through these critical regulatory functions, the Paf1 complex participates in numerous cellular processes such as gene expression and silencing, RNA maturation, DNA repair, cell cycle progression and prevention of disease states in higher eukaryotes. In this review, we describe the historic and current research involving the eukaryotic Paf1 complex to explain the cellular roles that underlie its conservation and functional importance. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: RNA polymerase II Transcript Elongation. ► The Paf1 complex associates with RNA polymerase II on all active genes examined. ► The Paf1 complex couples conserved histone modifications to transcript elongation. ► The Paf1 complex regulates post-transcriptional events in gene expression. ► In higher eukaryotes, the Paf1 complex has diverse functions in cell cycle control, development, and disease.