Post-transcriptional regulation of RNA polymerase II levels in Caenorhabditis elegans.

To investigate the regulation of RNA polymerase II levels in Caenorhabditis elegans, we have constructed nematode strains having one, two, or three copies of ama-1, the gene for the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II. Steady-state levels of RNA polymerase II polypeptides and solubilized enzyme activity are invariant with gene dosage, indicating regulatory compensation. However, steady-state levels of ama-1 mRNA are directly proportional to gene dosage. These results imply that RNA polymerase II levels in C. elegans are regulated post-transcriptionally.