Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System01:15

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...
Assembly of Complex Microtubule Structures01:32

Assembly of Complex Microtubule Structures

Complex microtubule structures are present in resting cells and in dividing cells. In resting cells, they are responsible for maintaining the cellular architecture, tracks for intracellular transport, positioning of organelles, assembly of cilia and flagella. They mediate the bipolar spindle assembly for chromosomal segregation and positioning of the cell division plate in dividing cells. The formation of microtubule complex structures depends on the cell type, cell stage, and cell function.
Cerebral Hemispheres01:05

Cerebral Hemispheres

The human brain, a complex organ, is functionally divided into two cerebral hemispheres—left and right. These hemispheres are interconnected by a structure of paramount importance, the corpus callosum. This substantial bundle of neural fibers is not just a bridge between the hemispheres but a crucial element for the brain's comprehensive functioning. It enables efficient communication between the two hemispheres, allowing each side of the brain to control and receive sensory and motor...
Assembly of Signaling Complexes01:30

Assembly of Signaling Complexes

Multiprotein signaling complexes are formed in a dynamic process involving protein-protein interactions at the cytoplasmic domain of transmembrane receptors or enzymatic and non-enzymatic proteins associated with the receptor. These complexes ensure the activation and propagation of intracellular signals that regulate cell functions.
Interaction domains in cell signaling
Interaction domains recognize exposed features of their binding partners containing post-translationally modified sequences,...
Organization of the Brain01:30

Organization of the Brain

The brain is an integral component of the nervous system and serves as the center for processing sensory inputs, making decisions, and directing bodily actions. This complex organ is organized into three primary sections: the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain, each responsible for a range of vital functions.
Hindbrain
The hindbrain, located at the base of the brain, plays a vital role in regulating automatic processes that sustain life. It includes the medulla oblongata, which is essential for...
Fluid Mosaic Model01:19

Fluid Mosaic Model

Scientists identified the plasma membrane in the 1890s and its principal chemical components (lipids and proteins) by 1915. The model for plasma membrane structure, proposed in 1935 by Hugh Davson and James Danielli, was the first model to be widely accepted in the scientific community. The model was based on the plasma membrane's "railroad track" appearance in early electron micrographs. Davson and Danielli theorized that the plasma membrane's structure resembled a sandwich with the analogy of...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Survival outcomes in patients with metachronous breast cancer bone metastasis: an 11-year single-institution retrospective study.

American journal of cancer research·2026
Same author

Structural basis for a filamentous morpheein model of human cystathionine beta-synthase.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Sequential chemo-immunotherapy followed by standard versus reduced thoracic radiotherapy for older and/or frail stage III non-small-cell lung cancer: A randomized open-label cohort trial.

PLoS medicine·2026
Same author

RNI Precision Trial Protocol: Optimization of Regional Node Irradiation for Sentinel Lymph Node-positive Breast Cancer Omitting Axillary Dissection Based on Clinical and Genomic Risk Assessment: A Prospective Clinical Trial.

Technology in cancer research & treatment·2026
Same author

Host ATR-vimentin hijacking to membrane-bound and membrane-less viral replication organelles fuels RNA virus propagation.

Science bulletin·2026
Same author

The PRINCE-BC trial: precision regional irradiation of nodal stations for clinical evaluation of high-risk pN0 breast cancer - a phase III, open-label, randomized controlled trial.

BMC cancer·2026
Same journal

Genome-wide absolute quantification of chromatin looping.

Nature structural & molecular biology·2026
Same journal

Putting numbers on chromatin looping.

Nature structural & molecular biology·2026
Same journal

Transcriptional readthrough progresses from incidental byproduct to therapeutic opportunity.

Nature structural & molecular biology·2026
Same journal

Distinct ATRX functions cooperate with 9-1-1 and CST complexes to safeguard replication and telomere integrity.

Nature structural & molecular biology·2026
Same journal

Structurally defining neurokinin selectivity to improve NK2R agonists.

Nature structural & molecular biology·2026
Same journal

Surveying the roles of NINJ1 in plasma membrane rupture.

Nature structural & molecular biology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Recording and Analyzing Multimodal Large-Scale Neuronal Ensemble Dynamics on CMOS-Integrated High-Density Microelectrode Array
09:44

Recording and Analyzing Multimodal Large-Scale Neuronal Ensemble Dynamics on CMOS-Integrated High-Density Microelectrode Array

Published on: March 8, 2024

Mediator head module structure and functional interactions.

Gang Cai1, Tsuyoshi Imasaki, Kentaro Yamada

  • 1Department of Cell Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA.

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology
|February 16, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The Mediator Head module

More Related Videos

Microdissection of Mouse Brain into Functionally and Anatomically Different Regions
08:06

Microdissection of Mouse Brain into Functionally and Anatomically Different Regions

Published on: February 15, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Recording and Analyzing Multimodal Large-Scale Neuronal Ensemble Dynamics on CMOS-Integrated High-Density Microelectrode Array
09:44

Recording and Analyzing Multimodal Large-Scale Neuronal Ensemble Dynamics on CMOS-Integrated High-Density Microelectrode Array

Published on: March 8, 2024

Microdissection of Mouse Brain into Functionally and Anatomically Different Regions
08:06

Microdissection of Mouse Brain into Functionally and Anatomically Different Regions

Published on: February 15, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Structural Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • The Mediator complex is crucial for regulating gene transcription by interacting with RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) and promoter DNA.
  • The Mediator Head module plays a key role in these interactions, but its structural dynamics and specific binding partners remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the structural organization and conformational flexibility of the Mediator Head module.
  • To characterize the interactions of the Head module with TATA-binding protein (TBP) and RNAPII subunits Rpb4/Rpb7.
  • To understand how these interactions contribute to pre-initiation complex formation and transcriptional regulation.

Main Methods:

  • Single-particle electron microscopy (cryo-EM) for structural determination.
  • Biochemical assays to confirm interactions.
  • Genetic analyses in yeast to assess functional significance.

Main Results:

  • The Mediator Head module exists in multiple conformations, influenced by a movable jaw (Med18-Med20 subcomplex).
  • TBP binds to the Head module near the Med18-Med20 attachment site, stabilizing an open conformation.
  • RNAPII subunits Rpb4 and Rpb7 bind within the Head module's jaws, with these interactions being essential for yeast cell viability.

Conclusions:

  • The structural plasticity of the Mediator Head module is critical for its function.
  • Specific interactions with TBP and RNAPII subunits mediate the stabilization of the pre-initiation complex.
  • Mediator likely influences transcription initiation by modulating RNAPII conformation and DNA binding.