RNA polymerase IV (RNAP IV) is an enzyme that synthesizes small interfering RNA (siRNA) in plants, which silence gene expression.[1][2][3] RNAP IV belongs to a family of enzymes that catalyze the process of transcription known as RNA Polymerases, which synthesize RNA from DNA templates.[4] Discovered via phylogenetic studies of land plants, genes of RNAP IV are thought to have resulted from multistep evolution processes that occurred in RNA Polymerase II phylogenies.[5] Such an evolutionary pathway is supported by the fact that RNAP IV is composed of 12 protein subunits that are either similar or identical to RNA polymerase II, and is specific to plant genomes.[6] Via its synthesis of siRNA, RNAP IV is involved in regulation of heterochromatin formation in a process known as RNA directed DNA Methylation (RdDM).[1][2]
- ^ a b Herr, A. J.; Jensen, M. B.; Dalmay, T.; Baulcombe, D. C. (2005-04-01). "RNA polymerase IV directs silencing of endogenous DNA". Science. 308 (5718): 118–120. Bibcode:2005Sci...308..118H. doi:10.1126/science.1106910. ISSN 1095-9203. PMID 15692015. S2CID 206507767.
- ^ a b Onodera, Yasuyuki; Haag, Jeremy R.; Ream, Thomas; Costa Nunes, Pedro; Pontes, Olga; Pikaard, Craig S. (2005-03-11). "Plant nuclear RNA polymerase IV mediates siRNA and DNA methylation-dependent heterochromatin formation". Cell. 120 (5): 613–622. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2005.02.007. ISSN 0092-8674. PMID 15766525. S2CID 1695604.
- ^ Phillips, Theresa. "siRNA and How It Is Used in Molecular Genetics Research". ThoughtCo. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
- ^ Editors, B. D. (2016-11-10). "RNA Polymerase". Biology Dictionary. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Luo, Jie; Hall, Benjamin D. (2007). "A multistep process gave rise to RNA polymerase IV of land plants". Journal of Molecular Evolution. 64 (1): 101–112. Bibcode:2007JMolE..64..101L. doi:10.1007/s00239-006-0093-z. ISSN 0022-2844. PMID 17160640. S2CID 37590716.
- ^ Ream, Thomas S.; Haag, Jeremy R.; Wierzbicki, Andrzej T.; Nicora, Carrie D.; Norbeck, Angela D.; Zhu, Jian-Kang; Hagen, Gretchen; Guilfoyle, Thomas J.; Pasa-Tolić, Ljiljana; Pikaard, Craig S. (2009-01-30). "Subunit compositions of the RNA-silencing enzymes Pol IV and Pol V reveal their origins as specialized forms of RNA polymerase II". Molecular Cell. 33 (2): 192–203. doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2008.12.015. ISSN 1097-4164. PMC 2946823. PMID 19110459.