Nature | Sycamore Research Institute Professor Yanhui Xu's Team Reveals Dynamic Process of RNA Polymerase III Transcription Initiation

RNA Polymerase III (Pol III) is responsible for transcribing various small non-coding RNAs, including 5S rRNA, tRNA, and U6 snRNA, which are essential for protein synthesis and cell cycle regulation.

On June 4, 2025, the team led by Professor Yanhui Xu at the Sycamore Research Institute published a paper in Nature titled 'Structural insights into human Pol III transcription initiation in action'.

The study utilized cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to capture multiple intermediate states of the transcription complex. They discovered that the transition from initiation to elongation occurs when the RNA reaches a length of 6 nucleotides, triggered by the displacement of the BRF2 finger domain.

This work provides a high-resolution roadmap of the molecular 'machine' in action, completing our understanding of eukaryotic transcription regulation.