Never a dull enzyme, RNA polymerase II

ABSTRACTRNA polymerase II (Pol II) is composed of 12 subunits that collaborate to synthesize mRNA within the nucleus. Pol II is widely recognized as a passive holoenzyme, with the molecular functions of its subunits largely ignored. Recent studies employing auxin-inducible degron (AID) and multi-omics techniques have revealed that the functional diversity of Pol II is achieved through the differential contributions of its subunits to various transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes. By regulating these processes in a coordinated manner through its subunits, Pol II can optimize its activity for diverse biological functions. Here, we review recent progress in understanding Pol II subunits and their dysregulation in diseases, Pol II heterogeneity, Pol II clusters and the regulatory roles of RNA polymerases.KEYWORDS: RNA polymerasesPol II subunitsPol II heterogeneityPol II clustersPol II-associated diseases AcknowledgmentsWe thank the Ji laboratory members for their helpful discussions. We apologize for the inadequate citation of all the relevant literature and authors who have made notable contributions to the field.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.Additional informationFundingThis work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and National Key R&D Program of China (grants 32170569, 31871309, and 2017YFA0506600) and the Qidong-SLS Innovation Fund and by grants from the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, the Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation of the Ministry of Education at Peking University School of Life Sciences to X.J.