【摘要】 流产性转录本(abortive transcript, AT),作为一种特殊的非编码RNA是流产性起始(abortive initiation, AI)的转录产物。流产性起始已被证明是转录起始过程中不可或缺的一步,与RNA聚合酶的结构和RNA转录起始的过程密切相关。流产性起始的意义或者说流产性转录本的作用目前仍然未知,但其发生的高频性及存在的广泛性说明其可能有重要的生物学作用。已有研究表明,4 nt以下的流产性转录本能以引物的形式促进转录,更长的流产性转录本则有转录抑制的作用,还发现一些流产性转录本可能会影响转录终止,但这些研究结果还有待被进一步确认。目前对流产性转录本研究的主要瓶颈是没有方法可以对其进行定性和定量检测。随着检测技术的发展,流产性转录本的生物学功能将被阐释和证明,并有可能成为一种新型生物标志物从而为人类的健康服务。本文就流产性起始和流产性转录本的发现、发生机制、生物学作用以及目前研究中存在的问题等方面进行综述,为进一步了解和研究基因转录调控的分子机制提供依据和参考。更多还原

【Abstract】 Abortive transcript(AT), as a special type of non-coding RNAs, is a transcriptional product of abortive initiation(AI).Abortive initiation has been shown to be an integral step in the transcription initiation process, and tied to the promoter escape reaction undergone by RNA polymerase at the initiation-elongation transition. Although the significance of transcription initiation and function of abortive transcript is still unknown at present, the generality of their occurrence suggests that they may have an important biological role. Previous studies indicated that the abortive transcripts whose length are less than 4 nt promoted transcription as primers, while the longer ones inhibited transcription. Moreover, some abortive transcripts also affected transcription termination. However, these results need to be further confirmed. At present, the main bottleneck of abortive transcript study is the lack of qualitative and quantitative detection methods. With the development of detection technology, the biological function of abortive transcripts will be revealed and demonstrated, and these short RNAs will become a novel biological marker to serve human health. This article reviewed the discovery,mechanism, biological function and problems in current research on abortive initiation and abortive transcript, which provides a basis and reference for further understanding and research on the mechanism of gene transcriptional regulation.更多还原