Artsimovitch I, Landick R. The transcriptional regulator RfaH stimulates RNA chain synthesis after recruitment to elongation complexes by the exposed nontemplate DNA strand.
Cell 2002;
109:193-203. [PMID:
12007406 DOI:
10.1016/s0092-8674(02)00724-9]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 202] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The transcriptional regulatory protein RfaH controls expression of several operons that encode extracytoplasmic components in bacteria. Regulation by RfaH occurs during transcript elongation and depends on a 5'-proximal, transcribed nucleic acid sequence called ops that induces transcriptional pausing in vitro and in vivo. We report that RfaH recognizes RNA polymerase transcribing RfaH-regulated operons by interacting with the ops sequence in the exposed nontemplate DNA strand of ops-paused transcription complexes. Although RfaH delays escape from the ops pause, once escape occurs, RfaH enhances elongation by suppressing pausing and rho-dependent termination without apparent involvement of other accessory proteins. This activity predicts a cumulative antitermination model for RfaH's regulation of ops-containing operons in vivo.
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