Structure of a transcribing RNA polymerase II–U1 snRNP complex

• DOI: 10.1126/science.abf1870
• Publication Date: 2021-01-14T20:06:30Z
• Authors: Suyang Zhang; Shintaro Aibara; Seychelle M. Vos; Dmitry E. Agafonov; Reinhard Lührmann; Patrick Cramer
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Transcription, Genetic; Cryoelectron Microscopy; Sus scrofa; Introns; Ribonucleoprotein, U1 Small Nuclear; Alternative Splicing; 03 medical and health sciences; Protein Domains; RNA Precursors; Spliceosomes; Animals; Humans; Nucleic Acid Conformation; RNA Polymerase II; RNA, Messenger; Protein Binding

A tight couple makes messenger RNAs

Gene expression in eukaryotes first requires transcription of DNA to an RNA copy and then splicing to form the final, processed messenger RNA (mRNA). Zhang et al. investigated how gene transcription and RNA splicing are physically coupled. Using cryo–electron microscopy, they resolved the molecular structure of a complex of the transcription enzyme RNA polymerase II with part of the splicing machinery, the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle. The results provide important details for our understanding of coupled mRNA production.

Science , this issue p. 305