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-Structure paper
| Title | Structural insights into transcriptional regulation by the helicase RECQL5. |
|---|---|
| Journal, issue, pages | Nat Struct Mol Biol, Vol. 32, Issue 9, Page 1721-1730, Year 2025 |
| Publish date | Jul 7, 2025 |
Authors | Alfredo Jose Florez Ariza / Nicholas Z Lue / Patricia Grob / Benjamin Kaeser / Jie Fang / Susanne A Kassube / Eva Nogales / ![]() |
| PubMed Abstract | Transcription poses a major challenge for genome stability. The RECQL5 helicase helps safeguard genome integrity and is the only member of the human RecQ helicase family that directly binds to RNA ...Transcription poses a major challenge for genome stability. The RECQL5 helicase helps safeguard genome integrity and is the only member of the human RecQ helicase family that directly binds to RNA polymerase II (Pol II) and affects its progression. While RECQL5 mitigates transcription stress in cells, the molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon is unclear. Here, we use cryo-electron microscopy to determine the structures of stalled human Pol II elongation complexes (ECs) bound to RECQL5. Our structures reveal the molecular interactions stabilizing RECQL5 binding to the Pol II EC and highlight its role as a transcriptional roadblock. Additionally, we find that, in its nucleotide-free state, RECQL5 twists the downstream DNA in the EC and, upon nucleotide binding, undergoes a conformational change that allosterically induces Pol II toward a post-translocation state. We propose that this mechanism may help restart Pol II elongation and, therefore, contribute to reducing transcription stress. |
External links | Nat Struct Mol Biol / PubMed:40624164 / PubMed Central |
| Methods | EM (single particle) |
| Resolution | 2.6 - 3.7 Å |
| Structure data | EMDB-48071, PDB-9ehz: EMDB-48073, PDB-9ei1: EMDB-48074, PDB-9ei2: EMDB-48075, PDB-9ei3: EMDB-48076, PDB-9ei4: |
| Chemicals | ![]() ChemComp-ZN: ![]() ChemComp-MG: ![]() ChemComp-ANP: ![]() ChemComp-ADP: |
| Source |
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Keywords | TRANSCRIPTION / TRANSFERASE/DNA/RNA / translocation / Human RNA polymerase II / TRANSFERASE-DNA-RNA complex / RECQL5 helicase / IRI Module |
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homo sapiens (human)
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