Dysfunctions of nuclear processes including transcription and DNA repair lead to severe human diseases. Gaining an understanding of how these processes operate in the crowded context of chromatin can be particularly challenging. Mediator is a large multiprotein complex conserved in eukaryotes with a key coactivator role in the regulation of RNA polymerase (Pol) II transcription. Despite intensive studies, the molecular mechanisms underlying Mediator function remain to be fully understood. Novel findings have provided insights into the relationship between Mediator and chromatin architecture, revealed its role in connecting transcription with DNA repair and proposed an emerging mechanism of phase separation involving Mediator condensates. Recent developments in the field suggest multiple functions of Mediator going beyond transcriptional processes per se that would explain its involvement in various human pathologies.

核过程的功能障碍，包括转录和DNA修复，会导致严重的人类疾病。了解这些过程在染色质的拥挤环境中如何运作可能特别具有挑战性。介体是在真核生物中保守的大型多蛋白复合物，在调控RNA聚合酶（Pol）II转录中具有关键的共激活因子作用。尽管进行了深入研究，但调解员功能的分子机制尚待充分了解。新颖的发现提供了对介体和染色质体系之间关系的见解，揭示了其在转录与DNA修复连接中的作用，并提出了一种涉及介体冷凝物的新兴相分离机制。该领域的最新发展表明介体的多种功能超越了转录过程本身就可以解释其参与各种人类疾病的原因。