RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcribes hundreds of thousands of transcription units – a reaction always brought to a close by its termination. Because Pol II transcribes multiple gene types, its termination occurs in a variety of ways, with the polymerase being responsive to different inputs. Moreover, it is not just a default process occurring at the end of genes. Promoter-proximal and premature termination is common and might in turn regulate gene expression levels. Although some transcription termination mechanisms have been debated for decades, research is only just underway on emergent processes. We provide an updated view of transcription termination in human cells, highlighting common themes and some interesting differences between the contexts in which it occurs.

RNA聚合酶II（Pol II）转录成千上万个转录单位-反应始终会因终止而终止。由于Pol II转录多种基因类型，因此其终止以多种方式发生，聚合酶对不同的输入有反应。而且，这不仅是基因末端发生的默认过程。启动子近端和过早终止是常见的，并且反过来可能调节基因表达水平。尽管一些转录终止机制已经争论了数十年，但有关新兴过程的研究才刚刚开始。我们提供了人类细胞中转录终止的更新视图，突出了共同的主题以及发生转录的上下文之间的一些有趣差异。