Structural dynamics of RNA polymerase II throughout the nucleotide addition cycle

Abstract

RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) drives gene expression through iterative nucleotide addition cycles (NACs) comprising translocation, substrate binding, and catalysis. The lack of pre-catalysis and post-catalysis intermediates has precluded a complete mechanistic understanding of the NAC. Here we present 31 Cryo-electron Microscopy structures (with 43 maps) capturing distinct stages of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNAPII elongation complex (EC) NAC, including previously intractable transition intermediates. We establish a continuous spectrum of RNAPII EC structural dynamics during the NAC, which can be divided into two coordinated phases: a substrate-induced EC tightening phase and a post-catalysis EC relaxation phase. For the substrate-induced EC tightening phase, the substrate binding initiates allosteric conformational changes across the entire RNAPII EC, including Trigger Loop folding, funnel closure, clamp closure, transcription bubble ordering, and precise alignment of the RNA 3′-end with substrate to form a catalysis-competent configuration. For the post-catalysis EC relaxation phase, we capture the long-sought, short-lived post-catalysis product state and identify a series of intermediates that reveal a reverse conformational transition that facilitates rapid translocation. Together, our findings define a comprehensive structural and dynamic framework for RNAPII NAC, yielding a “molecular movie” of RNAPII in action and revealing a fundamental principle by which the enzyme balances speed and fidelity through coordinated conformational dynamics. RNA polymerase II catalyses transcription through nucleotide addition cycles, but key structural intermediates were unresolved. Here, the authors present cryo‑EM snapshots capturing the elongation cycle, revealing coordinated conformational dynamics that balance catalytic efficiency and fidelity.