9XYC

Pol II-DSIF-SPT6-PAF1c-TFIIS-IWS1-ELOF1-LEDGF-nucleosome LEDGF+nucleosome map Q

Summary for 9XYC

• Entry DOI: 10.2210/pdb9xyc/pdb
• Related: 9MLC
• EMDB information: 48353 72325
• Descriptor: DNA (139-MER), Histone H3.2, Histone H4, ... (7 entities in total)
• Functional Keywords: polymerase, elongation factor, nucleosome, transcription, transcription-dna complex, transcription/dna
• Biological source: Xenopus laevis (African clawed frog); More
• Total number of polymer chains: 11
• Total formula weight: 256082.90

Authors

Syau, D.,Farnung, L. (deposition date: 2025-08-25, release date: 2026-03-18, Last modification date: 2026-06-03)

Primary citation

Syau, D.,Steinruecke, F.,Roth, S.,Schmid, E.,Adelman, K.,Walter, J.C.,Farnung, L.
Structure and function of IWS1 in transcription elongation.
Nucleic Acids Res., 54:-, 2026

PubMed Abstract: Transcription elongation by RNA polymerase II is a tightly regulated process that requires coordinated interactions between transcription elongation factors. IWS1 (Interacts with SPT6) has been implicated as a core elongation factor, but its molecular role remains unclear. We show that the intrinsically disordered C-terminal region of IWS1 contains short linear motifs (SLiMs) that multivalently engage the elongation machinery. Using cryo-electron microscopy, we map SLiMs in IWS1 that interact with Pol II subunits RPB1, RPB2, and RPB5, as well as elongation factors DSIF, SPT6, and ELOF1. Functional assays demonstrate that distinct IWS1 SLiMs specify IWS1 recruitment and IWS1-dependent transcription stimulation. IWS1 recruitment to the transcription elongation complex depends on association via the RPB1 jaw and binding of downstream DNA. Transcription elongation stimulation requires interactions with the RPB2 lobe and ELOF1. We identify other transcription elongation factors including ELOA and RECQL5 that bind the RPB1 jaw and demonstrate that IWS1 protects the activated transcription elongation complex from RECQL5 inhibition. We also reveal the binding of the histone reader and IWS1 interactor LEDGF to a transcribed downstream nucleosome. Our findings establish IWS1 as a modular scaffold that helps organize the transcription elongation complex, illustrating how disordered regions regulate transcription elongation.

PubMed: 42134803
DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkag357

Experimental method

ELECTRON MICROSCOPY (3.5 Å)