In eukaryotic cells, the large genomic DNA is packaged with histones and other proteins into chromatin. The compaction of the DNA provided by chromatin generally represses DNA-dependent processes such as the transcription of genes. During transcriptional elongation so-called transcript elongation factors facilitate transcript synthesis catalysed by RNA polymerase II. Using the Arabidopsis model system, we examine how these factors are involved in gene expression, development and plant responses to changing environmental conditions. In addition we are interested in the interplay with co-transcriptional mRNA processing and the mechanism of the nucleo-cytosolic transport of mRNAs. Towards these goals we employ approaches from the fields of molecular and cellular biology as well as biochemistry and genetics.
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