Traffic patrol in the transcription of ribosomal RNA.

Synthesis of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is essential for fast cell growth and rRNA transcription is typically characterized by dense traffic of RNA polymerases along the rRNA genes. However, dense traffic is susceptible to traffic jams which may arise inevitably due to stochastic pausing of the polymerases. Based on recent theoretical and experimental results, we suggest that the "traffic viewpoint" provides a unique perspective towards understanding the control of ribosome synthesis in both bacterial and eukaryotic cells.