SNAP output for PDB entry 7nw0 [SNAP web server]

PDB-id

7nw0; SNAP-derived features in text and JSON formats; DNAproDB

Class

transcription

Method

cryo-EM (6.6 Å)

Summary

RNA polymerase ii pre-initiation complex with open promoter DNA

Reference

Aibara S, Schilbach S, Cramer P (2021): "Structures of mammalian RNA polymerase II pre-initiation complexes." Nature, 594, 124-128. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03554-8.

Abstract

The initiation of transcription is a focal point for the regulation of gene activity during mammalian cell differentiation and development. For transcription initiation, RNA polymerase II (Pol II) assembles with general transcription factors into a pre-initiation complex (PIC) that opens promoter DNA. Previous work provided the molecular architecture of the yeast_1-9 and human_10,11 PIC and a topological model for DNA opening by the general factor TFIIH_12-14. Here we report the high-resolution cryo-EM PIC structure comprising human general factors and Sus scrofa domesticus Pol II, which is 99.9% identical to human Pol II. We determine PIC structures with closed and opened promoter DNA at 2.5-2.8 Å resolution, and resolve TFIIH at 2.9-4.0 Å resolution. We capture the TFIIH translocase XPB in the pre- and post-translocation states and show that XPB induces and propagates a DNA twist to initiate DNA opening ~30 base pairs downstream of the TATA box. We also provide evidence that DNA opening occurs in two steps and leads to TFIIH detachment from the core PIC, which may stop DNA twisting and enable RNA chain initiation.