Architecture of an RNA polymerase II transcription pre-initiation complex

Kenji Murakami; Hans Elmlund; Nir Kalisman; David A. Bushnell; Christopher M. Adams; Maia Azubel; Dominika Elmlund; Yael Levi-Kalisman; Xin Liu; Brian J. Gibbons; Michael Levitt; Roger D. Kornberg

doi:10.1126/science.1238724

Architecture of an RNA polymerase II transcription pre-initiation complex

Kenji Murakami, Hans Elmlund, Nir Kalisman, David A. Bushnell, Christopher M. Adams, Maia Azubel, Dominika Elmlund, Yael Levi-Kalisman, Xin Liu, Brian J. Gibbons, Michael Levitt, Roger D. Kornberg

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Abstract

The protein density and arrangement of subunits of a complete, 32-protein, RNA polymerase II (pol II) transcription pre-initiation complex (PIC) were determined by means of cryogenic electron microscopy and a combination of chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry. The PIC showed a marked division in two parts, one containing all the general transcription factors (GTFs) and the other pol II. Promoter DNA was associated only with the GTFs, suspended above the pol II cleft and not in contact with pol II. This structural principle of the PIC underlies its conversion to a transcriptionally active state; the PIC is poised for the formation of a transcription bubble and descent of the DNA into the pol II cleft.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	1238724
Journal	Science
Volume	342
Issue number	6159
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1238724
State	Published - 2013

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title = "Architecture of an RNA polymerase II transcription pre-initiation complex",

abstract = "The protein density and arrangement of subunits of a complete, 32-protein, RNA polymerase II (pol II) transcription pre-initiation complex (PIC) were determined by means of cryogenic electron microscopy and a combination of chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry. The PIC showed a marked division in two parts, one containing all the general transcription factors (GTFs) and the other pol II. Promoter DNA was associated only with the GTFs, suspended above the pol II cleft and not in contact with pol II. This structural principle of the PIC underlies its conversion to a transcriptionally active state; the PIC is poised for the formation of a transcription bubble and descent of the DNA into the pol II cleft.",

author = "Kenji Murakami and Hans Elmlund and Nir Kalisman and Bushnell, {David A.} and Adams, {Christopher M.} and Maia Azubel and Dominika Elmlund and Yael Levi-Kalisman and Xin Liu and Gibbons, {Brian J.} and Michael Levitt and Kornberg, {Roger D.}",

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T1 - Architecture of an RNA polymerase II transcription pre-initiation complex

AU - Murakami, Kenji

AU - Elmlund, Hans

AU - Kalisman, Nir

AU - Bushnell, David A.

AU - Adams, Christopher M.

AU - Azubel, Maia

AU - Elmlund, Dominika

AU - Levi-Kalisman, Yael

AU - Liu, Xin

AU - Gibbons, Brian J.

AU - Levitt, Michael

AU - Kornberg, Roger D.

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - The protein density and arrangement of subunits of a complete, 32-protein, RNA polymerase II (pol II) transcription pre-initiation complex (PIC) were determined by means of cryogenic electron microscopy and a combination of chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry. The PIC showed a marked division in two parts, one containing all the general transcription factors (GTFs) and the other pol II. Promoter DNA was associated only with the GTFs, suspended above the pol II cleft and not in contact with pol II. This structural principle of the PIC underlies its conversion to a transcriptionally active state; the PIC is poised for the formation of a transcription bubble and descent of the DNA into the pol II cleft.

AB - The protein density and arrangement of subunits of a complete, 32-protein, RNA polymerase II (pol II) transcription pre-initiation complex (PIC) were determined by means of cryogenic electron microscopy and a combination of chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry. The PIC showed a marked division in two parts, one containing all the general transcription factors (GTFs) and the other pol II. Promoter DNA was associated only with the GTFs, suspended above the pol II cleft and not in contact with pol II. This structural principle of the PIC underlies its conversion to a transcriptionally active state; the PIC is poised for the formation of a transcription bubble and descent of the DNA into the pol II cleft.

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Architecture of an RNA polymerase II transcription pre-initiation complex

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