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Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: BACKGROUND, RESULTS. Meshes: Cell Line, Chromatin, Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching, Humans, RNA Polymerase II, Transcriptional Activation, Transgenes.
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Is chromatin decondensation accompanied by a transient increase in transcriptional output? Context: The levels of chromatin condensation usually correlate inversely with the levels of transcription. The mechanistic links between chromatin condensation and RNA polymerase II activity remain to be elucidated. In the present work, we sought to experimentally determine whether manipulation of chromatin condensation levels can have a direct effect on transcriptional activity. We generated a U-2-OS cell line in which the nascent transcription of a reporter gene could be imaged alongside chromatin compaction levels in living cells. The transcripts were tagged at their 5' end with PP7 stem loops, which can be detected upon expression of a PP7 capsid protein fused to green fluorescent protein. Cycles of global chromatin hypercondensation and decondensation were performed by perfusing culture media of different osmolarities during imaging. We used the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching technique to analyse the transcriptional dynamics in both conditions. Surprisingly, we found that, despite a drop in signal intensity, nascent transcription appeared to continue at the same rate in hypercondensed chromatin. Furthermore, quantification of transcriptional profiles revealed that chromatin decondensation was accompanied by a brief and transient spike in transcriptional output.
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We propose a model whereby the initiation of transcription is not impaired in condensed chromatin, but inefficient elongation in these conditions leads to the accumulation of RNA polymerase II at the transcription site. Upon chromatin decondensation, release of the RNA polymerase II halt triggers a wave of transcription, which we detect as a transient spike in activity. Final Decision: yes