title: Recent structural studies of RNA polymerases II and III.
abstract: Here, I review three new structural studies from our laboratory. First, the crystal structure of RNA polymerase (Pol) II in complex with an RNA inhibitor revealed that this RNA blocks transcription initiation by preventing DNA loading into the active-centre cleft. Secondly, the structure of the SRI (Set2 Rpb1-interacting) domain of the histone methyltransferase Set2 revealed a novel fold for specific interaction with the doubly phosphorylated CTD (C-terminal repeat domain) of Pol II. Finally, we obtained the first structural information on Pol III, in the form of an 11-subunit model obtained by combining a homology model of the nine-subunit core enzyme with a new X-ray structure of the subcomplex C17/25.
authors.affiliation: Gene Center Munich, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 25, 81377 Munich, Germany. cramer@lmb.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cramer
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012320:RNA Polymerase III / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D012319:RNA Polymerase II; D012320:RNA Polymerase III