In eukaryotic transcription, Mediator is a large multi-protein complex that regulates gene expression by connecting activators and repressors bound to regulatory DNA elements with the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription machinery. By using state-of-the-art protein-complex engineering and X-ray crystallography, Yuichiro Takagi’s group determined the structure of the Mediator head module essential subcomplex (7 subunits with molecular mass 223 kDa) at 4.3-Å resolution. The structure revealed 3 distinct lobes, as well as binding sites for general transcription factors and Pol II. This work provides intricate insight into the complex assembly underlying the mechanism of gene expression regulation by Mediator.
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| Figure: Structure of the Mediator head module. |
Citation: Imasaki T, Calero G, Cai G, Tsai K-L, Yamada K, Cardelli F, Erdjument-Bromage H, Tempst P, Berger I, Kornberg GL, Asturias FJ, Kornberg, RD, Takagi Y. Architecture of the Mediator head module. Nature. 2011 July 14; 475: 240-3. doi: 10.1038/nature10162.
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