Cotranscriptional RNA processing and modification in plants

The activities of RNA polymerases shape the epigenetic landscape of genomes with profound consequences for genome integrity and gene expression. A fundamental event during the regulation of eukaryotic gene expression is the coordination between transcription and RNA processing. Most primary RNAs mature through various RNA processing and modification events to become fully functional. While pioneering results positioned RNA maturation steps after transcription ends, the coupling between the maturation of diverse RNA species and their transcription is becoming increasingly evident in plants. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the crosstalk between RNA Polymerase II, IV, and V transcription and nascent RNA processing of both coding and noncoding RNAs. Most primary RNAs mature through various RNA processing and modification events; here we review the current advances in understanding the crosstalk between transcription and RNA maturation in plants.

Automated summary

The activities of RNA polymerases have profound consequences for the epigenetic landscape of genomes. Recent studies have shown that there is coordination between transcription and RNA maturation in plants.