Researchers from the Institute Krems Bioanalytics, the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) and IMP Vienna have published new findings on the assembly of RNA polymerase II in the renowned journal Nature Communications. Franz Herzog and Benjamin Neuditschko from the laboratory of the endowed professorship “Biomedical Mass Spectrometry” at IMC Krems are co-authors of the study led by Carrie Bernecky at ISTA. The research provides new insights into the assembly of RNA polymerase II, an enzyme that is essential for gene expression in human cells.
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New Insights into the Assembly of RNA Polymerase II
How does a key cellular enzyme come together?
RNA polymerase II performs a crucial task in human cells: it reads information encoded in DNA and transcribes it into messenger RNA. This process, known as transcription, is essential for cells to produce proteins and perform their functions.
Before RNA polymerase II can fulfil its role, however, it must first be assembled from numerous components in the cytoplasm and subsequently transported into the cell nucleus. Until now, the precise mechanisms underlying this assembly process have only been partially understood.
A new study published in the renowned journal Nature Communications now provides further insights into this process.
Advanced methods reveal the assembly process
The research team investigated RNA polymerase II during the final stages of its assembly. To do so, the researchers used advanced structural biology techniques, including cryo-electron microscopy and chemical cross-linking combined with mass spectrometry.
These methods enabled the researchers to visualise how different proteins interact with RNA polymerase II and support its assembly. These so-called assembly factors help ensure, among other things, that the enzyme is assembled correctly and does not interact prematurely with other components of the transcription machinery.
The study also identifies a GTP-dependent regulatory mechanism that controls when certain factors remain associated with RNA polymerase II during the assembly process.
New insights into a fundamental cellular process
The findings provide a more detailed understanding of how RNA polymerase II is regulated and assembled step by step into a functional enzyme. They add important insights to our understanding of gene expression by shedding light on a process that is fundamental to the functioning of human cells.
At the same time, the study demonstrates the potential of integrative structural biology, in which advanced analytical and structural biology techniques are combined to decipher complex cellular processes at the molecular level.
Scientific expertise from Krems
Through their co-authorship, Franz Herzog and Benjamin Neuditschko contribute to this international research effort. The publication highlights the expertise of Institute Krems Bioanalytics in molecular and structural biology, as well as the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in investigating fundamental biological processes.
Hlavata, A., Neuditschko, B., Schellhaas, U., Plaschka, C., Herzog, F. & Bernecky, C. (2026). Structure of cytoplasmic RNA polymerase II. Nature Communications.
More information: Contribution to New Insights into RNA Polymerase II Assembly Published in Nature Communications – Institute Krems Bioanalytics