Nature Communications (May 2021)

Live-cell imaging reveals the spatiotemporal organization of endogenous RNA polymerase II phosphorylation at a single gene

  • Linda S. Forero-Quintero,
  • William Raymond,
  • Tetsuya Handa,
  • Matthew N. Saxton,
  • Tatsuya Morisaki,
  • Hiroshi Kimura,
  • Edouard Bertrand,
  • Brian Munsky,
  • Timothy J. Stasevich

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23417-0
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 16

Abstract

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During transcription, RNA polymerase II (RNAP2) is recruited to promoters and phosphorylated stepwise; so far, these steps have not been visualized in a single-copy gene in live cells. Here the authors use single-molecule microscopy to visualize endogenous phosphorylated RNAP2 and nascent mRNA synthesis at a single locus in living cells.