@article{601,
  abstract     = {The conserved polymerase-Associated factor 1 complex (Paf1C) plays multiple roles in chromatin transcription and genomic regulation. Paf1C comprises the five subunits Paf1, Leo1, Ctr9, Cdc73 and Rtf1, and binds to the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription elongation complex (EC). Here we report the reconstitution of Paf1C from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and a structural analysis of Paf1C bound to a Pol II EC containing the elongation factor TFIIS. Cryo-electron microscopy and crosslinking data reveal that Paf1C is highly mobile and extends over the outer Pol II surface from the Rpb2 to the Rpb3 subunit. The Paf1-Leo1 heterodimer and Cdc73 form opposite ends of Paf1C, whereas Ctr9 bridges between them. Consistent with the structural observations, the initiation factor TFIIF impairs Paf1C binding to Pol II, whereas the elongation factor TFIIS enhances it. We further show that Paf1C is globally required for normal mRNA transcription in yeast. These results provide a three-dimensional framework for further analysis of Paf1C function in transcription through chromatin. },
  author       = {Xu, Youwei and Bernecky, Carrie A and Lee, Chung and Maier, Kerstin and Schwalb, Björn and Tegunov, Dimitri and Plitzko, Jürgen and Urlaub, Henning and Cramer, Patrick},
  issn         = {20411723},
  journal      = {Nature Communications},
  publisher    = {Nature Publishing Group},
  title        = {{Architecture of the RNA polymerase II-Paf1C-TFIIS transcription elongation complex}},
  doi          = {10.1038/ncomms15741},
  volume       = {8},
  year         = {2017},
}

@article{835,
  abstract     = {An outstanding question in animal development, tissue homeostasis and disease is how cell populations adapt to sensory inputs. During Drosophila larval development, hematopoietic sites are in direct contact with sensory neuron clusters of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), and blood cells (hemocytes) require the PNS for their survival and recruitment to these microenvironments, known as Hematopoietic Pockets. Here we report that Activin-β, a TGF-β family ligand, is expressed by sensory neurons of the PNS and regulates the proliferation and adhesion of hemocytes. These hemocyte responses depend on PNS activity, as shown by agonist treatment and transient silencing of sensory neurons. Activin-β has a key role in this regulation, which is apparent from reporter expression and mutant analyses. This mechanism of local sensory neurons controlling blood cell adaptation invites evolutionary parallels with vertebrate hematopoietic progenitors and the independent myeloid system of tissue macrophages, whose regulation by local microenvironments remain undefined.},
  author       = {Makhijani, Kalpana and Alexander, Brandy and Rao, Deepti and Petraki, Sophia and Herboso, Leire and Kukar, Katelyn and Batool, Itrat and Wachner, Stephanie and Gold, Katrina and Wong, Corinna and O'Connor, Michael and Brückner, Katja},
  issn         = {20411723},
  journal      = {Nature Communications},
  publisher    = {Nature Publishing Group},
  title        = {{Regulation of Drosophila hematopoietic sites by Activin-β from active sensory neurons}},
  doi          = {10.1038/ncomms15990},
  volume       = {8},
  year         = {2017},
}