The transition from transcription initiation to elongation is a key regulatory step in gene
expression, which requires RNA polymerase II (pol II) to escape promoter proximal pausing
on chromatin. Although elongation factors promote pause release leading to transcription
elongation, the role of epigenetic modifications during this critical transition step is poorly
understood. Two histone marks on histone H3, lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) and lysine
9 acetylation (H3K9ac), co-localize on active gene promoters and are associated with active …