2026-08-24 東京大学,国立遺伝学研究所
図1：「連続スタート」で理解するコヒーシンの二つの働き。
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.iqb.u-tokyo.ac.jp/pressrelease/260824/
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-76738-3
コヒーシンは転写のゲートキーパーとして働き、一時停止と解除を抑制することで、連続的な伸長を促進する COHE sin acts as a transcriptional gatekeeper by restraining pause–release to promote processive elongation
Shoin Tei,Masashige Bando,Toyonori Sakata,Atsunori Yoshimura,Toyoaki Natsume,Masato T. Kanemaki,Takashi Sutani & Katsuhiko Shirahige
Nature Communications Published:24 August 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-76738-3
Abstract
Cohesin organizes 3D chromatin architecture, including promoter–enhancer loops, yet its loss has surprisingly modest effects on steady-state gene expression. We address this paradox by demonstrating that cohesin acts at different stages of transcription in human cells. First, it promotes Pol II promoter recruitment by facilitating promoter–enhancer communication that maintains active promoter chromatin states. Second, it delays pause release by transiently associating with the transcriptional machinery during the pause–release transition. Kinetic modelling suggests that reduced Pol II recruitment and enhanced pause release have compensatory effects, contributing to minimal changes in steady-state gene expression across genes upon cohesin loss. In contrast, cohesin depletion impairs robust transcriptional induction in response to external stimuli. Moreover, cohesin ensures sufficient pausing duration as a quality-control-like step to promote elongation complex assembly and transcription processivity. Here, we show that cohesin regulates multiple transcriptional steps, offering mechanistic insight into cohesin-related diseases, including cancers and cohesinopathies.
