ArticleNature2015
Real-time observation of the initiation of RNA polymerase II transcription.
Article in Nature, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 63 papers.
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Who cites it
63 citing papers in PubMed, 103 citations in OpenAlex.
- The molecular basis of transcription initiation by RNA polymerase II.Nature reviews. Molecular cell biology · 2026Review
- Important role in transcription start site selection for the RNA polymerase II-TFIIE-TFIIH interface in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.Genetics · 2026Article
- Genetic dissection of transcription start site selection by RNA polymerase II in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.Genetics · 2026Article
- RNA polymerase II-TFIIE-TFIIH interface functions in transcription start site selection inbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025Article
- RNA polymerase II initiation factors show different dynamic behaviour upon induced transcription in live cells.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025Article
- Optical trapping with optical magnetic field and photonic Hall effect forces.Nature communications · 2025Article
- Genetic dissection of transcription start site selection by RNA Polymerase II inbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025Article
- Measuring the biomechanical properties of cell-derived fibronectin fibrils.Biomechanics and modeling in mechanobiology · 2025Article
- Transcription start site scanning requires the fungi-specific hydrophobic loop of Tfb3.Nucleic acids research · 2024Article
- How Transcription Factor Clusters Shape the Transcriptional Landscape.Biomolecules · 2024Review
- Single-molecule reconstruction of eukaryotic factor-dependent transcription termination.Nature communications · 2024Article
- Article
- Quantitative analysis of transcription start site selection reveals control by DNA sequence, RNA polymerase II activity and NTP levels.Nature structural & molecular biology · 2024Article
- Article
- RNAP Promoter Search and Transcription Kinetics in LiveThe journal of physical chemistry. B · 2023Article
- Transcriptional activators in the early Drosophila embryo perform different kinetic roles.Cell systems · 2023Article
- Mechanical determinants of chromatin topology and gene expression.Nucleus (Austin, Tex.) · 2022Review
- Uncovering the mechanisms of transcription elongation by eukaryotic RNA polymerases I, II, and III.iScience · 2022Article
- Structural visualization of de novo transcription initiation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA polymerase II.Molecular cell · 2022Article
- Article
3 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Biochemical and structural studies have shown that the initiation of RNA polymerase II transcription proceeds in the following stages: assembly of the polymerase with general transcription factors and promoter DNA in a 'closed' preinitiation complex (PIC); unwinding of about 15 base pairs of the promoter DNA to form an 'open' complex; scanning downstream to a transcription start site; synthesis of a short transcript, thought to be about 10 nucleotides long; and promoter escape. Here we have assembled a 32-protein, 1.5-megadalton PIC derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and observe subsequent initiation processes in real time with optical tweezers. Contrary to expectation, scanning driven by the transcription factor IIH involved the rapid opening of an extended transcription bubble, averaging 85 base pairs, accompanied by the synthesis of a transcript up to the entire length of the extended bubble, followed by promoter escape. PICs that failed to achieve promoter escape nevertheless formed open complexes and extended bubbles, which collapsed back to closed or open complexes, resulting in repeated futile scanning.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.