image: Initial transcription by RNA polymerase proceeds through a "DNA scrunching" mechanism, in which the enzyme remains stationary on promoter DNA and pulls into itself downstream DNA. Proposed movements of the template and nontemplate DNA strands are indicated by blue outlined and red-outlined arrows. Proposed positions at which the scrunched template and nontemplate DNA strands emerge from the enzyme are indicated by orange and pink dashed lines. This image relates to an article that appeared in the 17 November 2006 issue of the journal Science, published by AAAS. The study, by Dr. Andrey Revyakin of Howard Hughes Medical Institute and colleagues, was titled “Abortive and Productive Initiation by RNA Polymerase Involves DNA Scrunching.” view more
Credit: Copyright <i>Science</i>-AAAS.