@article {6518,
	title = {Transcription initiation by human RNA polymerase II visualized at single-molecule resolution.},
	journal = {Genes \& Development},
	volume = {26},
	year = {2012},
	month = {2012 Aug 1},
	pages = {1691-702},
	abstract = {<p>Forty years of classical biochemical analysis have identified the molecular players involved in initiation of transcription by eukaryotic RNA polymerase II (Pol II) and largely assigned their functions. However, a dynamic picture of Pol II transcription initiation and an understanding of the mechanisms of its regulation have remained elusive due in part to inherent limitations of conventional ensemble biochemistry. Here we have begun to dissect promoter-specific transcription initiation directed by a reconstituted human Pol II system at single-molecule resolution using fluorescence video-microscopy. We detected several stochastic rounds of human Pol II transcription from individual DNA templates, observed attenuation of transcription by promoter mutations, observed enhancement of transcription by activator Sp1, and correlated the transcription signals with real-time interactions of holo-TFIID molecules at individual DNA templates. This integrated single-molecule methodology should be applicable to studying other complex biological processes.</p>
},
	keywords = {Fluorescence, Genetic, Humans, Microscopy, Molecular Imaging, Mutation, Promoter Regions, RNA Polymerase II, Sp1 Transcription Factor, Transcription, Transcription Factor TFIID, Video},
	issn = {1549-5477},
	doi = {10.1101/gad.194936.112},
	author = {Revyakin, Andrey and Zhang, Zhengjian and Coleman, Robert A and Li, Yan and Inouye, Carla and Lucas, Julian K and Park, Sang-Ryul and Chu, Steven and Tjian, Robert}
}
