Nanog organizes transcription bodies

Abstract

The localization of transcriptional activity in specialized transcription bodies is a hallmark of gene expression in eukaryotic cells. How proteins of the transcriptional machinery come together to form such bodies, however, is unclear. Here, we take advantage of two large, isolated, and long-lived transcription bodies that reproducibly form during early zebrafish embryogenesis, to characterize the dynamics of transcription body formation. Once formed, these transcription bodies are enriched for initiating and elongating RNA polymerase II, as well as the transcription factors Nanog and Sox19b. Analyzing the events leading up to transcription, we find that Nanog and Sox19b cluster prior to transcription, and independently of RNA accumulation. The clustering of transcription factors is sequential; Nanog clusters first, and this is required for the clustering of Sox19b and the initiation of transcription. Mutant analysis revealed that both the DNA-binding domain, as well as one of the two intrinsically disordered regions of Nanog are required to organize the two bodies of transcriptional activity. Taken together, our data suggests that the clustering of transcription factors dictates the formation of transcription bodies. HIGHLIGHTSO_LITranscription factors cluster prior to, and independently of transcription C_LIO_LINanog organizes transcription bodies: it is required for the clustering of Sox19b as well as RNA polymerase II C_LIO_LIThis organizing activity requires its DNA binding domain as well as one of its intrinsically disordered regions C_LIO_LITranscription elongation results in the disassembly of transcription factor clusters C_LI