The exact mechanism by which cellular RNA polymerases translocate and maintain exceptionally high fidelity during transcription remains an important unresolved issue. Two recent structural studies of yeast RNA polymerase II in complex with its potent inhibitor, the fungal toxin α-amanitin, address this matter by describing crucial and surprising details about the dynamic organization of the enzyme catalytic center.
- Vladimir Svetlov
- Evgeny Nudler