CHAPTER 11: Epilogue

As we mark the diamond anniversary of the first purification of RNA polymerase in 1961, our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of transcription continues to deepen. New questions are arising, driven both by a refined appreciation of macromolecular function and by the development of new methods and approaches. We conclude this volume by asking what new trends and questions will we witness in the coming ten years. At the inevitable risk of not anticipating the happy surprises that are the true hallmark of fundamental science, we foresee several areas where research into transcriptional mechanisms is likely to head.