Real-time visualization of reconstituted transcription reveals RNAPII activation mechanisms at single promoters.

ABSTRACT: RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is regulated by sequence-specific transcription factors (TFs) and the pre-initiation complex (PIC): TFIIA, TFIIB, TFIID, TFIIE, TFIIF, TFIIH, and Mediator. TFs, Mediator, and RNAPII contain intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) and form phase-separated condensates, but how IDRs control RNAPII function remains poorly understood. Using purified PIC factors, we developed a real-time in vitro fluorescence transcription (RIFT) assay for second-by-second visualization of transcription at hundreds of promoters simultaneously. Our results establish IDRs as essential for rapid RNAPII activation, without condensate formation. For example, HSF1 condensates and single molecules function identically, whereas MED1-IDR can functionally replace HSF1 but activates RNAPII with s

SUBMITTER: Palacio M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12520170 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature