Cytoplasmic mRNA decay represses RNAPII transcription during early apoptosis

We report that a majority of RNAPII transcripts are transcriptionally downregulated during early apoptosis, prior to the fragmentation of the genome that occurs during the late stages of programmed cell death. Overall design: Examination of transcript fold changes upon 2 hr TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL), both in the presence and absence of the pan-caspase inhibitor zVAD.