Replication and transcription of nucleolar DNA

The nucleolus is the most prominent compartment of the cell nucleus and is the place where ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) are synthesized, processed and assembled with ribosomal proteins. Although the nucleolus has been studied for decades its structural and functional organization is still unclear. In particular, the role of various types of DNA participating in the formation of nucleoli along with ribosomal genes is not understood. The present thesis summarizes the current knowledge and views on the nucleolus, focusing on the two synthetic processes, replication and transcription, in mammalian cells. Specific features of these processes in the context of nucleolar ultrastructure remains an unsolved problem of the modern molecular biology