Penn State researchers observe gene transcription inside living organisms

Researchers at Penn State have utilized cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to observe the process of gene transcription as it occurs within living organisms. Previously, scientific observations of eukaryotic RNA polymerase II—the molecular machinery responsible for converting DNA instructions into RNA—were limited to highly purified samples in controlled laboratory test tubes.

By using fruit fly embryos, the research team developed a method to extract intact transcription complexes, which include clusters of RNA polymerase II and DNA. The use of cryo-EM allowed the team to visualize these structures at near-atomic detail in a more natural, dynamic state. Katsuhiko Murakami, a professor of molecular biology at Penn State, noted that the findings reveal how the process operates within the chaotic environment of a cell, rather than under idealized conditions. The study's findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.