title: Structure of yeast RNA polymerase II in solution: implications for enzyme regulation and interaction with promoter DNA.
abstract: An 18 A resolution structure of the 12-subunit yeast RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) calculated from electron microscope images of single particles preserved in amorphous ice reveals the conformation of the enzyme in solution. The Rpb4/Rpb7 polymerase subunit complex was localized and found to be ideally positioned to determine the path of the nascent RNA transcript. The RNAPII structure suggests a revised mode of interaction with promoter DNA and demonstrates that regulation of RNAPII must involve structural changes that render the enzyme competent for initiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Craighead
authors.forename: Wei-hau
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Asturias
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000737:chemistry; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000737:chemistry*; D015003:Yeasts / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D021122:Protein Subunits; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; D012319:RNA Polymerase II