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Structural basis of RNA polymerase III transcription initiation

Author

Listed:
  • Guillermo Abascal-Palacios

    (The Institute of Cancer Research)

  • Ewan Phillip Ramsay

    (The Institute of Cancer Research)

  • Fabienne Beuron

    (The Institute of Cancer Research)

  • Edward Morris

    (The Institute of Cancer Research)

  • Alessandro Vannini

    (The Institute of Cancer Research)

Abstract

RNA polymerase (Pol) III transcribes essential non-coding RNAs, including the entire pool of transfer RNAs, the 5S ribosomal RNA and the U6 spliceosomal RNA, and is often deregulated in cancer cells. The initiation of gene transcription by Pol III requires the activity of the transcription factor TFIIIB to form a transcriptionally active Pol III preinitiation complex (PIC). Here we present electron microscopy reconstructions of Pol III PICs at 3.4–4.0 Å and a reconstruction of unbound apo-Pol III at 3.1 Å. TFIIIB fully encircles the DNA and restructures Pol III. In particular, binding of the TFIIIB subunit Bdp1 rearranges the Pol III-specific subunits C37 and C34, thereby promoting DNA opening. The unwound DNA directly contacts both sides of the Pol III cleft. Topologically, the Pol III PIC resembles the Pol II PIC, whereas the Pol I PIC is more divergent. The structures presented unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying the first steps of Pol III transcription and also the general conserved mechanisms of gene transcription initiation.

Suggested Citation

  • Guillermo Abascal-Palacios & Ewan Phillip Ramsay & Fabienne Beuron & Edward Morris & Alessandro Vannini, 2018. "Structural basis of RNA polymerase III transcription initiation," Nature, Nature, vol. 553(7688), pages 301-306, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:553:y:2018:i:7688:d:10.1038_nature25441
    DOI: 10.1038/nature25441
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    Cited by:

    1. Haifeng Hou & Yan Li & Mo Wang & Aijun Liu & Zishuo Yu & Ke Chen & Dan Zhao & Yanhui Xu, 2021. "Structural insights into RNA polymerase III-mediated transcription termination through trapping poly-deoxythymidine," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Saurabh Mishra & Shaina H. Hasan & Rima M. Sakhawala & Shereen Chaudhry & Richard J. Maraia, 2021. "Mechanism of RNA polymerase III termination-associated reinitiation-recycling conferred by the essential function of the N terminal-and-linker domain of the C11 subunit," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, December.
    3. Phong Quoc Nguyen & Sonia Huecas & Amna Asif-Laidin & Adrián Plaza-Pegueroles & Beatrice Capuzzi & Noé Palmic & Christine Conesa & Joël Acker & Juan Reguera & Pascale Lesage & Carlos Fernández-Tornero, 2023. "Structural basis of Ty1 integrase tethering to RNA polymerase III for targeted retrotransposon integration," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    4. Guillermo Abascal-Palacios & Laura Jochem & Carlos Pla-Prats & Fabienne Beuron & Alessandro Vannini, 2021. "Structural basis of Ty3 retrotransposon integration at RNA Polymerase III-transcribed genes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Kevin Van Bortle & David P. Marciano & Qing Liu & Tristan Chou & Andrew M. Lipchik & Sanjay Gollapudi & Benjamin S. Geller & Emma Monte & Rohinton T. Kamakaka & Michael P. Snyder, 2022. "A cancer-associated RNA polymerase III identity drives robust transcription and expression of snaR-A noncoding RNA," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-17, December.

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