The transcription elongation factors NELF, DSIF and P-TEFb control constitutive transcription in a gene-specific manner.

We examined whether transcription elongation factors control constitutive transcription of the histone H1(0) and GAPDH genes. Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) and 5,6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB) sensitivity-inducing factor (DSIF) present together with RNA polymerase II (pol II) throughout the histone H1(0) gene, whereas negative elongation factor (NELF) was confined to the 5' region. Contrarily, DSIF, NELF and pol II were confined to the 5' region on the GAPDH. Inhibition of those factors affected the constitutive transcription of the histone H1(0) gene but not the GAPDH gene. Thus, NELF, DSIF and P-TEFb control constitutive transcription in a gene-specific manner.