The three eukaryotic RNA polymerases are complex multisubunit enzymes that play a central role in the transcription of nuclear genes. This gene encodes an essential and highly conserved subunit of RNA polymerase II that is shared by the other two eukaryotic DNA-directed RNA polymerases, I and III. Each class of RNA polymerase is assembled from 9 to 15 different polypeptides. The RPB6 and RPB8 subunits are shared by all 3 RNA polymerases.RNA polymerase II transcribes protein-encoding genes into mRNA (messenger RNA) and snRNA (small nuclear RNA) genes into snRNAs that influence the processing of other classes of RNA.
