The Xist RNA-PRC2 complex at 20-nm resolution reveals a low Xist stoichiometry and suggests a hit-and-run mechanism in mouse cells

X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) is initiated by the long noncoding RNA Xist, which coats the inactive X (Xi) and targets Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) in cis. Epigenomic analyses have provided significant insight into Xist binding patterns and chromatin organization of the Xi. However, such epigenomic analyses are limited by averaging of population-wide dynamics and do not inform behavior of single cells. Here we view Xist RNA and the Xi at 20-nm resolution using STochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM) in mouse cells. We observe dynamics at the single-cell level not predicted by epigenomic analysis. Only ∼50 hubs of Xist RNA occur on the Xi in the maintenance phase, corresponding to 50–100 Xist molecules per Xi and contrasting with the chromosome-wide “coat” observed by deep sequencing and conventional microscopy. Likewise, only ∼50 hubs PRC2 are observed. PRC2 and Xist foci are not randomly distributed but showed statistically significant spatial association. Knock-off experiments enable visualization of the dynamics of dissociation and relocalization onto the Xi and support a functional tethering of Xist and PRC2. Our analysis reveals that Xist-PRC2 complexes are less numerous than expected and suggests methylation of nucleosomes in a hit-and-run model.