July 25, 2007

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For some time, scientists have been tracking down the sequence of biochemical steps required to attract and assemble at the head end of a gene, the molecular machinery needed to transcribe that gene to put to work the information it encodes. New findings suggest that the gene-transcription machinery, once in place, can remain poised for action--but held in check--until a triggering signal sends it on its way down the linear DNA molecule.

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The Wistar Institute

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