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Related Concept Videos

The Replisome03:01

The Replisome

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DNA replication is carried out by a large complex of proteins that act in a coordinated matter to achieve high-fidelity DNA replication. Together this complex is known as the DNA replication machinery or the replisome.
The synthesis of the leading and lagging strands is a highly coordinated process. To explain this, the “Trombone model” was proposed by Bruce Alberts in 1980. The DNA loop formation starts when a primer is synthesized on the parent lagging strand. The loop grows with...
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Translesion DNA Polymerases02:10

Translesion DNA Polymerases

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Translesion (TLS) polymerases rescue stalled DNA polymerases at sites of damaged bases by replacing the replicative polymerase and installing a nucleotide across the damaged site. Doing so, TLS allows additional time for the cell to repair the damage before resuming regular DNA replication.
TLS polymerases are found in all three domains of life - archaea, bacteria, and eukaryotes. Of the different classes of TLS polymerases, members of the Y family are fitted with specialized structures that...
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Lagging Strand Synthesis01:59

Lagging Strand Synthesis

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During replication, the complementary strands in double-stranded DNA are synthesized at different rates. Replication first begins on the leading strand. Replication starts later, occurs more slowly, and proceeds discontinuously on the lagging strand.
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Transcription Elongation Factors02:35

Transcription Elongation Factors

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Transcription elongation is a dynamic process that alters depending upon the sequence heterogeneity of the DNA being transcribed. Hence, it is not surprising that the elongation complex's composition also varies along the way while transcribing a gene.
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Nucleic Acid Structure01:25

Nucleic Acid Structure

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The pentose sugar in DNA is deoxyribose, while in RNA the pentose sugar is ribose. The difference between the sugars is the presence of the hydroxyl group on the ribose's second carbon and a hydrogen on the deoxyribose's second carbon. The phosphate residue attaches to the hydroxyl group of the 5′ carbon of one sugar and the hydroxyl group of the 3′ carbon of the sugar of the next nucleotide, which forms  a 5′ to 3′ phosphodiester linkage.
DNA Structure
DNA...
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Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases00:58

Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases

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RNA Polymerase (RNAP) is conserved in all animals, with bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic RNAPs sharing significant sequence, structural, and functional similarities. Among the three eukaryotic RNAPs, RNA Polymerase II is most similar to bacterial RNAP in terms of both structural organization and folding topologies of the enzyme subunits. However, these similarities are not reflected in their mechanism of action.
All three eukaryotic RNAPs require specific transcription factors, of which the...
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Updated: Apr 20, 2026

Artificial RNA Polymerase II Elongation Complexes for Dissecting Co-transcriptional RNA Processing Events
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Artificial RNA Polymerase II Elongation Complexes for Dissecting Co-transcriptional RNA Processing Events

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RNA virus polymerase-helicase coupling enables rapid elongation through duplex RNA.

Pim P B America1, Subhas C Bera2, Arnab Das1

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Cell Reports
|April 18, 2026
PubMed
Summary

The coronavirus helicase significantly boosts RNA synthesis by forming a complex with the viral polymerase. This interaction actively regulates viral RNA replication dynamics.

Keywords:
CP: microbiologyCP: molecular biologyRNA virusesSARS-CoV-2helicasehigh throughputmagnetic tweezerspolymerase-helicase couplingreplication-transcription complexsingle moleculestatistical modelingviral replication

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Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Positive-sense RNA ((+)RNA) viruses utilize helicases for replication, but their exact function, particularly in coronaviruses (CoVs), remains unclear.
  • In CoVs, the helicase moves in the opposite direction to the polymerase, posing questions about their coordination during RNA synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the precise role of the coronavirus helicase in viral RNA replication.
  • To investigate the mechanism by which the helicase interacts with the viral polymerase and influences RNA synthesis.

Main Methods:

  • High-throughput single-molecule magnetic tweezers were employed to study the dynamics of coronavirus helicase and polymerase interactions.
  • A detailed kinetic model was developed based on large datasets to analyze the distinct dynamic states of RNA synthesis.

Main Results:

  • The coronavirus helicase was shown to enhance RNA synthesis through duplex RNA by 10-fold.
  • A directional complex between the helicase and viral polymerase was identified, coordinating elongation despite opposing polarities.
  • Helicase engagement was found to govern distinct dynamic states, including fast-bursting and slow, backtracking-prone modes.

Conclusions:

  • The study reveals an active coupling mechanism between the coronavirus helicase and polymerase that modulates replication dynamics.
  • Findings provide a mechanistic basis for understanding continuous versus discontinuous RNA synthesis in coronaviruses.
  • The viral helicase is established as a central regulator of RNA replication in coronaviruses.