Mediator is a large, modular protein complex that is conserved from yeast to human and conveys regulatory signals from DNA-binding transcription factors to RNA polymerase II. Not only are the polypeptides conserved but the structural organisation is also largely conserved. One or two subunits are either fungal or vertebral specific but Med11 is one of the subunits that is conserved from fungi to humans [2]. Med11 appears to be necessary for the full and successful assembly of the core head sub-region [4].

1: Identification of mammalian Mediator subunits with similarities to yeast Mediator subunits Srb5, Srb6, Med11, and Rox3. Sato S, Tomomori-Sato C, Banks CA, Sorokina I, Parmely TJ, Kong SE, Jin J, Cai Y, Lane WS, Brower CS, Conaway RC, Conaway JW; J Biol Chem 2003;278:15123-15127. PMID:12584197

2: A high resolution protein interaction map of the yeast Mediator complex. Guglielmi B, van Berkum NL, Klapholz B, Bijma T, Boube M, Boschiero C, Bourbon HM, Holstege FC, Werner M; Nucleic Acids Res. 2004;32:5379-5391. PMID:15477388

3: Structure-system correlation identifies a gene regulatory Mediator submodule. Lariviere L, Seizl M, van Wageningen S, Rother S, van de Pasch L, Feldmann H, Strasser K, Hahn S, Holstege FC, Cramer P; Genes Dev. 2008;22:872-877. PMID:18381891

4: Head module control of mediator interactions. Takagi Y, Calero G, Komori H, Brown JA, Ehrensberger AH, Hudmon A, Asturias F, Kornberg RD; Mol Cell. 2006;23:355-364. PMID:16885025