Direct regulation of RNA polymerase III transcription by RB, p53 and c-Myc.

The synthesis of tRNA and 5S rRNA by RNA polymerase (pol) III is cell cycle regulated in higher organisms. Overexpression of pol III products is a general feature of transformed cells. These observations may be explained by the fact that a pol III-specific transcription factor, TFIIIB, is strongly regulated by the tumor suppressors RB and p53, as well as the proto-oncogene product c-Myc.