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You L, Wang C, Molodtsov V, Kuznedelov K, Miao X, Wenck BR, Ulisse P, Sanders TJ, Marshall CJ, Firlar E, Kaelber JT, Santangelo TJ, Ebright RH. Structural basis of archaeal FttA-dependent transcription termination. Nature 2024:10.1038/s41586-024-07979-9. [PMID: 39322680 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07979-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
The ribonuclease FttA (also known as aCPSF and aCPSF1) mediates factor-dependent transcription termination in archaea1-3. Here we report the structure of a Thermococcus kodakarensis transcription pre-termination complex comprising FttA, Spt4, Spt5 and a transcription elongation complex (TEC). The structure shows that FttA interacts with the TEC in a manner that enables RNA to proceed directly from the TEC RNA-exit channel to the FttA catalytic centre and that enables endonucleolytic cleavage of RNA by FttA, followed by 5'→3' exonucleolytic cleavage of RNA by FttA and concomitant 5'→3' translocation of FttA on RNA, to apply mechanical force to the TEC and trigger termination. The structure further reveals that Spt5 bridges FttA and the TEC, explaining how Spt5 stimulates FttA-dependent termination. The results reveal functional analogy between bacterial and archaeal factor-dependent termination, functional homology between archaeal and eukaryotic factor-dependent termination, and fundamental mechanistic similarities in factor-dependent termination in bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linlin You
- Waksman Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Chengyuan Wang
- Waksman Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Center for Microbes, Development, and Health, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Vadim Molodtsov
- Waksman Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine RUDN, Moscow, Russia
| | - Konstantin Kuznedelov
- Waksman Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Xinyi Miao
- Waksman Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Breanna R Wenck
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Paul Ulisse
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Travis J Sanders
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Craig J Marshall
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Emre Firlar
- Rutgers CryoEM and Nanoimaging Facility and Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Jason T Kaelber
- Rutgers CryoEM and Nanoimaging Facility and Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Thomas J Santangelo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Richard H Ebright
- Waksman Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
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2
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Molodtsov V, Wang C, Zhang J, Kaelber JT, Blaha G, Ebright RH. Structural basis of RfaH-mediated transcription-translation coupling. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024:10.1038/s41594-024-01372-w. [PMID: 39117885 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01372-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
The NusG paralog RfaH mediates bacterial transcription-translation coupling in genes that contain a DNA sequence element, termed an ops site, required for pausing RNA polymerase (RNAP) and for loading RfaH onto the paused RNAP. Here, we report cryo-electron microscopy structures of transcription-translation complexes (TTCs) containing Escherichia coli RfaH. The results show that RfaH bridges RNAP and the ribosome, with the RfaH N-terminal domain interacting with RNAP and the RfaH C-terminal domain interacting with the ribosome. The results show that the distribution of translational and orientational positions of RNAP relative to the ribosome in RfaH-coupled TTCs is more restricted than in NusG-coupled TTCs because of the more restricted flexibility of the RfaH interdomain linker. The results further suggest that the structural organization of RfaH-coupled TTCs in the 'loading state', in which RNAP and RfaH are located at the ops site during formation of the TTC, is the same as the structural organization of RfaH-coupled TTCs in the 'loaded state', in which RNAP and RfaH are located at positions downstream of the ops site during function of the TTC. The results define the structural organization of RfaH-containing TTCs and set the stage for analysis of functions of RfaH during translation initiation and transcription-translation coupling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vadim Molodtsov
- Waksman Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Research Institute for Systems Biology and Medicine, Moscow, Russia
| | - Chengyuan Wang
- Waksman Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Center for Microbes, Development and Health, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Center for Microbes, Development and Health, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jason T Kaelber
- Rutgers CryoEM and Nanoimaging Facility and Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Gregor Blaha
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Richard H Ebright
- Waksman Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
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Wang C, Molodtsov V, Kaelber JT, Blaha G, Ebright RH. Structural basis of long-range transcription-translation coupling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.20.604413. [PMID: 39071276 PMCID: PMC11275968 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.20.604413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Structures recently have been reported of molecular assemblies that mediate transcription-translation coupling in Escherichia coli . In these molecular assemblies, termed "coupled transcription-translation complexes" or "TTC-B", RNA polymerase (RNAP) interacts directly with the ribosome, the transcription elongation factor NusG or its paralog RfaH forms a bridge between RNAP and ribosome, and the transcription elongation factor NusA optionally forms a second bridge between RNAP and ribosome. Here, we have determined structures of coupled transcription-translation complexes having mRNA spacers between RNAP and ribosome longer than the maximum-length mRNA spacer compatible with formation of TTC-B. The results define a new class of coupled transcription-translation complex, termed "TTC-LC," where "LC" denotes "long-range coupling." TTC-LC differs from TTC-B by a ∼60° rotation and ∼70 Å translation of RNAP relative to ribosome, resulting in loss of direct interactions between RNAP and ribosome and creation of a ∼70 Å gap between RNAP and ribosome. TTC-LC accommodates long mRNA spacers by looping out mRNA from the gap between RNAP and ribosome. We propose that TTC-LC is an intermediate in assembling and disassembling TTC-B, mediating pre-TTC-B transcription-translation coupling before a ribosome catches up to RNAP, and mediating post-TTC-B transcription-translation coupling after a ribosome stops moving and RNAP continues moving.
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Molodtsov V, Wang C, Kaelber JT, Blaha G, Ebright RH. Structural basis of RfaH-mediated transcription-translation coupling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.05.565726. [PMID: 37986937 PMCID: PMC10659316 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.05.565726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The NusG paralog RfaH mediates bacterial transcription-translation coupling on genes that contain a DNA sequence element, termed an ops site, required for pausing RNA polymerase (RNAP) and for loading RfaH onto the paused RNAP. Here we report cryo-EM structures of transcription-translation complexes (TTCs) containing RfaH. The results show that RfaH bridges RNAP and the ribosome, with the RfaH N-terminal domain interacting with RNAP, and with the RfaH C-terminal domain interacting with the ribosome. The results show that the distribution of translational and orientational positions of RNAP relative to the ribosome in RfaH-coupled TTCs is more restricted than in NusG-coupled TTCs, due to the more restricted flexibility of the RfaH interdomain linker. The results further show that the structural organization of RfaH-coupled TTCs in the "loading state," in which RNAP and RfaH are located at the ops site during formation of the TTC, is the same as the structural organization of RfaH-coupled TTCs in the "loaded state," in which RNAP and RfaH are located at positions downstream of the ops site during function of the TTC. The results define the structural organization of RfaH-containing TTCs and set the stage for analysis of functions of RfaH during translation initiation and transcription-translation coupling. One sentence summary Cryo-EM reveals the structural basis of transcription-translation coupling by RfaH.
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Wang C, Molodtsov V, Sanders TJ, Marshall CJ, Firlar E, Kaelber JT, Santangelo TJ, Ebright RH. Structural basis of archaeal FttA-dependent transcription termination. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.09.552649. [PMID: 37609354 PMCID: PMC10441395 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.09.552649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
The ribonuclease FttA mediates factor-dependent transcription termination in archaea 1-3 . Here, we report the structure of a Thermococcus kodakarensis transcription pre-termination complex comprising FttA, Spt4, Spt5, and a transcription elongation complex (TEC). The structure shows that FttA interacts with the TEC in a manner that enables RNA to proceed directly from the TEC RNA-exit channel to the FttA catalytic center and that enables endonucleolytic cleavage of RNA by FttA, followed by 5'→3' exonucleolytic cleavage of RNA by FttA and concomitant 5'→3' translocation of FttA on RNA, to apply mechanical force to the TEC and trigger termination. The structure further reveals that Spt5 bridges FttA and the TEC, explaining how Spt5 stimulates FttA-dependent termination. The results reveal functional analogy between bacterial and archaeal factor-dependent termination, reveal functional homology between archaeal and eukaryotic factor-dependent termination, and reveal fundamental mechanistic similarities in factor-dependent termination in the three domains of life: bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic. One sentence summary Cryo-EM reveals the structure of the archaeal FttA pre-termination complex.
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6
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Yakhnin A, Bubunenko M, Mandell Z, Lubkowska L, Husher S, Babitzke P, Kashlev M. Robust regulation of transcription pausing in Escherichia coli by the ubiquitous elongation factor NusG. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2221114120. [PMID: 37276387 PMCID: PMC10268239 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221114120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription elongation by multi-subunit RNA polymerases (RNAPs) is regulated by auxiliary factors in all organisms. NusG/Spt5 is the only universally conserved transcription elongation factor shared by all domains of life. NusG is a component of antitermination complexes controlling ribosomal RNA operons, an essential antipausing factor, and a transcription-translation coupling factor in Escherichia coli. We employed RNET-seq for genome-wide mapping of RNAP pause sites in wild-type and NusG-depleted cells. We demonstrate that NusG is a major antipausing factor that suppresses thousands of backtracked and nonbacktracked pauses across the E. coli genome. The NusG-suppressed pauses were enriched immediately downstream from the translation start codon but were also abundant elsewhere in open reading frames, small RNA genes, and antisense transcription units. This finding revealed a strong similarity of NusG to Spt5, which stimulates the elongation rate of many eukaryotic genes. We propose a model in which promoting forward translocation and/or stabilization of RNAP in the posttranslocation register by NusG results in suppression of pausing in E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander V. Yakhnin
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Mikhail Bubunenko
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Zachary F. Mandell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA16802
| | - Lucyna Lubkowska
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Sara Husher
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
| | - Paul Babitzke
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA16802
| | - Mikhail Kashlev
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD21702
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7
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Allosteric mechanism of transcription inhibition by NusG-dependent pausing of RNA polymerase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2218516120. [PMID: 36745813 PMCID: PMC9963633 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218516120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
NusG is a transcription elongation factor that stimulates transcription pausing in Gram+ bacteria including B. subtilis by sequence-specific interaction with a conserved pause-inducing -11TTNTTT-6 motif found in the non-template DNA (ntDNA) strand within the transcription bubble. To reveal the structural basis of NusG-dependent pausing, we determined a cryo-EM structure of a paused transcription complex (PTC) containing RNA polymerase (RNAP), NusG, and the TTNTTT motif in the ntDNA strand. The interaction of NusG with the ntDNA strand rearranges the transcription bubble by positioning three consecutive T residues in a cleft between NusG and the β-lobe domain of RNAP. We revealed that the RNAP swivel module rotation (swiveling), which widens (swiveled state) and narrows (non-swiveled state) a cleft between NusG and the β-lobe, is an intrinsic motion of RNAP and is directly linked to trigger loop (TL) folding, an essential conformational change of all cellular RNAPs for the RNA synthesis reaction. We also determined cryo-EM structures of RNAP escaping from the paused transcription state. These structures revealed the NusG-dependent pausing mechanism by which NusG-ntDNA interaction inhibits the transition from swiveled to non-swiveled states, thereby preventing TL folding and RNA synthesis allosterically. This motion is also reduced by the formation of an RNA hairpin within the RNA exit channel. Thus, the pause half-life can be modulated by the strength of the NusG-ntDNA interaction and/or the stability of the RNA hairpin. NusG residues that interact with the TTNTTT motif are widely conserved in bacteria, suggesting that NusG-dependent pausing is widespread.
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8
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Artsimovitch I, Ramírez-Sarmiento CA. Metamorphic proteins under a computational microscope: Lessons from a fold-switching RfaH protein. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:5824-5837. [PMID: 36382197 PMCID: PMC9630627 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Metamorphic proteins constitute unexpected paradigms of the protein folding problem, as their sequences encode two alternative folds, which reversibly interconvert within biologically relevant timescales to trigger different cellular responses. Once considered a rare aberration, metamorphism may be common among proteins that must respond to rapidly changing environments, exemplified by NusG-like proteins, the only transcription factors present in every domain of life. RfaH, a specialized paralog of bacterial NusG, undergoes an all-α to all-β domain switch to activate expression of virulence and conjugation genes in many animal and plant pathogens and is the quintessential example of a metamorphic protein. The dramatic nature of RfaH structural transformation and the richness of its evolutionary history makes for an excellent model for studying how metamorphic proteins switch folds. Here, we summarize the structural and functional evidence that sparked the discovery of RfaH as a metamorphic protein, the experimental and computational approaches that enabled the description of the molecular mechanism and refolding pathways of its structural interconversion, and the ongoing efforts to find signatures and general properties to ultimately describe the protein metamorphome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Artsimovitch
- Department of Microbiology and The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - César A. Ramírez-Sarmiento
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- ANID, Millennium Science Initiative Program, Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago, Chile
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9
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Fong N, Sheridan RM, Ramachandran S, Bentley DL. The pausing zone and control of RNA polymerase II elongation by Spt5: Implications for the pause-release model. Mol Cell 2022; 82:3632-3645.e4. [PMID: 36206739 PMCID: PMC9555879 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The pause-release model of transcription proposes that 40-100 bases from the start site RNA Pol II pauses, followed by release into productive elongation. Pause release is facilitated by the PTEFb phosphorylation of the RNA Pol II elongation factor, Spt5. We mapped paused polymerases by eNET-seq and found frequent pausing in zones that extend ∼0.3-3 kb into genes even when PTEFb is inhibited. The fraction of paused polymerases or pausing propensity declines gradually over several kb and not abruptly as predicted for a discrete pause-release event. Spt5 depletion extends pausing zones, suggesting that it promotes the maturation of elongation complexes to a low-pausing state. The expression of mutants after Spt5 depletion showed that phosphomimetic substitutions in the CTR1 domain diminished pausing throughout genes. By contrast, mutants that prevent the phosphorylation of the Spt5 RNA-binding domain strengthened pausing. Thus, distinct Spt5 phospho-isoforms set the balance between pausing and elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nova Fong
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, PO Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Ryan M Sheridan
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, PO Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Srinivas Ramachandran
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, PO Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - David L Bentley
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, PO Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
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10
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Mittermeier M, Wang B, Said N, Gjorgjevikj D, Wahl MC, Artsimovitch I. A non-native C-terminal extension of the β' subunit compromises RNA polymerase and Rho functions. Mol Microbiol 2022; 117:871-885. [PMID: 35049093 PMCID: PMC9018486 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Escherichia coli RfaH abrogates Rho-mediated polarity in lipopolysaccharide core biosynthesis operons, and ΔrfaH cells are hypersensitive to antibiotics, bile salts, and detergents. Selection for rfaH suppressors that restore growth on SDS identified a temperature-sensitive mutant in which 46 C-terminal residues of the RNA polymerase (RNAP) β' subunit are replaced with 23 residues carrying a net positive charge. Based on similarity to rpoC397, which confers a temperature-sensitive phenotype and resistance to bacteriophages, we named this mutant rpoC397*. We show that SDS resistance depends on a single nonpolar residue within the C397* tail, whereas basic residues are dispensable. In line with its mimicry of RfaH, C397* RNAP is resistant to Rho but responds to pause signals, NusA, and NusG in vitro similarly to the wild-type enzyme and binds to Rho and Nus factors in vivo. Strikingly, the deletion of rpoZ, which encodes the ω "chaperone" subunit, restores rpoC397* growth at 42°C but has no effect on SDS sensitivity. Our results suggest that the C397* tail traps the ω subunit in an inhibitory state through direct contacts and hinders Rho-dependent termination through long-range interactions. We propose that the dynamic and hypervariable β'•ω module controls RNA synthesis in response to niche-specific signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maura Mittermeier
- Department of Microbiology and The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Bing Wang
- Department of Microbiology and The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Nelly Said
- Laboratory of Structural Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniela Gjorgjevikj
- Laboratory of Structural Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Markus C Wahl
- Laboratory of Structural Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Irina Artsimovitch
- Department of Microbiology and The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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11
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Elghondakly A, Wu CH, Klupt S, Goodson J, Winkler WC. A NusG Specialized Paralog That Exhibits Specific, High-Affinity RNA-Binding Activity. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167100. [PMID: 34119489 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial NusG associates with RNA polymerase (RNAP) through its N-terminal domain, while the C-terminal domain (CTD) forms dynamic interactions with Rho, S10, NusB and NusA to affect transcription elongation. While virtually all bacteria encode for a core NusG, many also synthesize paralogs that transiently bind RNAP to alter expression of targeted genes. Yet, despite the importance of the genes they regulate, most of the subfamilies of NusG paralogs (e.g., UpxY, TaA, ActX and LoaP) have not been investigated in depth. Herein, we discover that LoaP requires a small RNA hairpin located within the 5' leader region of its targeted operons. LoaP binds the RNA element with nanomolar affinity and high specificity, in contrast to other NusG proteins, which have not been shown to exhibit RNA-binding activity. These data reveal a sequence feature that can be used to identify LoaP-regulated operons. This discovery also expands the repertoire of macromolecular interactions exhibited by the NusG CTD during transcription elongation to include an RNA ligand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amr Elghondakly
- The University of Maryland, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Chih Hao Wu
- The University of Maryland, Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Steven Klupt
- The University of Maryland, Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Jonathan Goodson
- The University of Maryland, Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Wade C Winkler
- The University of Maryland, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College Park, MD, United States; The University of Maryland, Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, College Park, MD, United States.
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12
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Lei L, Burton ZF. Early Evolution of Transcription Systems and Divergence of Archaea and Bacteria. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:651134. [PMID: 34026831 PMCID: PMC8131849 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.651134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA template-dependent multi-subunit RNA polymerases (RNAPs) found in all three domains of life and some viruses are of the two-double-Ψ-β-barrel (DPBB) type. The 2-DPBB protein format is also found in some RNA template-dependent RNAPs and a major replicative DNA template-dependent DNA polymerase (DNAP) from Archaea (PolD). The 2-DPBB family of RNAPs and DNAPs probably evolved prior to the last universal common cellular ancestor (LUCA). Archaeal Transcription Factor B (TFB) and bacterial σ factors include homologous strings of helix-turn-helix units. The consequences of TFB-σ homology are discussed in terms of the evolution of archaeal and bacterial core promoters. Domain-specific DPBB loop inserts functionally connect general transcription factors to the RNAP active site. Archaea appear to be more similar to LUCA than Bacteria. Evolution of bacterial σ factors from TFB appears to have driven divergence of Bacteria from Archaea, splitting the prokaryotic domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Lei
- Department of Biology, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, United States
| | - Zachary F Burton
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, MI, United States
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13
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Mandell ZF, Oshiro RT, Yakhnin AV, Vishwakarma R, Kashlev M, Kearns DB, Babitzke P. NusG is an intrinsic transcription termination factor that stimulates motility and coordinates gene expression with NusA. eLife 2021; 10:e61880. [PMID: 33835023 PMCID: PMC8060035 DOI: 10.7554/elife.61880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
NusA and NusG are transcription factors that stimulate RNA polymerase pausing in Bacillus subtilis. While NusA was known to function as an intrinsic termination factor in B. subtilis, the role of NusG in this process was unknown. To examine the individual and combinatorial roles that NusA and NusG play in intrinsic termination, Term-seq was conducted in wild type, NusA depletion, ΔnusG, and NusA depletion ΔnusG strains. We determined that NusG functions as an intrinsic termination factor that works alone and cooperatively with NusA to facilitate termination at 88% of the 1400 identified intrinsic terminators. Our results indicate that NusG stimulates a sequence-specific pause that assists in the completion of suboptimal terminator hairpins with weak terminal A-U and G-U base pairs at the bottom of the stem. Loss of NusA and NusG leads to global misregulation of gene expression and loss of NusG results in flagella and swimming motility defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary F Mandell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkUnited States
| | - Reid T Oshiro
- Department of Biology, Indiana UniversityBloomingtonUnited States
| | - Alexander V Yakhnin
- NCI RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, NCIFrederickUnited States
| | - Rishi Vishwakarma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkUnited States
| | - Mikhail Kashlev
- NCI RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, NCIFrederickUnited States
| | - Daniel B Kearns
- Department of Biology, Indiana UniversityBloomingtonUnited States
| | - Paul Babitzke
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkUnited States
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14
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Yakhnin AV, Kashlev M, Babitzke P. NusG-dependent RNA polymerase pausing is a frequent function of this universally conserved transcription elongation factor. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2020; 55:716-728. [PMID: 33003953 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2020.1828261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Although transcription by RNA polymerase (RNAP) is highly processive, elongation can be transiently halted by RNAP pausing. Pausing provides time for diverse regulatory events to occur such as RNA folding and regulatory factor binding. The transcription elongation factors NusA and NusG dramatically affect the frequency and duration of RNAP pausing, and hence regulation of transcription. NusG is the only transcription factor conserved in all three domains of life; its homolog in archaea and eukaryotes is Spt5. This review focuses on NusG-dependent pausing, which is a common occurrence in Bacillus subtilis. B. NusG induces pausing about once per 3 kb at a consensus TTNTTT motif in the non-template DNA strand within the paused transcription bubble. A conserved region of NusG contacts the TTNTTT motif to stabilize the paused transcription elongation complex (TEC) in multiple catalytically inactive RNAP conformations. The density of NusG-dependent pause sites is 3-fold higher in untranslated regions, suggesting that pausing could regulate the expression of hundreds of genes in B. subtilis. We describe how pausing in 5' leader regions contributes to regulating the expression of B. subtilis genes by transcription attenuation and translation control mechanisms. As opposed to the broadly accepted view that NusG is an anti-pausing factor, phylogenetic analyses suggest that NusG-dependent pausing is a widespread mechanism in bacteria. This function of NusG is consistent with the well-established role of its eukaryotic homolog Spt5 in promoter-proximal pausing. Since NusG is present in all domains of life, NusG-dependent pausing could be a conserved mechanism in all organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander V Yakhnin
- NCI RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Mikhail Kashlev
- NCI RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Paul Babitzke
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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15
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Huang YH, Said N, Loll B, Wahl MC. Structural basis for the function of SuhB as a transcription factor in ribosomal RNA synthesis. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 47:6488-6503. [PMID: 31020314 PMCID: PMC6614801 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribosomal RNA synthesis in Escherichia coli involves a transcription complex, in which RNA polymerase is modified by a signal element on the transcript, Nus factors A, B, E and G, ribosomal protein S4 and inositol mono-phosphatase SuhB. This complex is resistant to ρ-dependent termination and facilitates ribosomal RNA folding, maturation and subunit assembly. The functional contributions of SuhB and their structural bases are presently unclear. We show that SuhB directly binds the RNA signal element and the C-terminal AR2 domain of NusA, and we delineate the atomic basis of the latter interaction by macromolecular crystallography. SuhB recruitment to a ribosomal RNA transcription complex depends on the RNA signal element but not on the NusA AR2 domain. SuhB in turn is required for stable integration of the NusB/E dimer into the complex. In vitro transcription assays revealed that SuhB is crucial for delaying or suppressing ρ-dependent termination, that SuhB also can reduce intrinsic termination, and that SuhB-AR2 contacts contribute to these effects. Together, our results reveal functions of SuhB during ribosomal RNA synthesis and delineate some of the underlying molecular interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Heng Huang
- Freie Universität Berlin, Laboratory of Structural Biochemistry, Takustraβe 6, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nelly Said
- Freie Universität Berlin, Laboratory of Structural Biochemistry, Takustraβe 6, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernhard Loll
- Freie Universität Berlin, Laboratory of Structural Biochemistry, Takustraβe 6, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Markus C Wahl
- Freie Universität Berlin, Laboratory of Structural Biochemistry, Takustraβe 6, D-14195 Berlin, Germany.,Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Macromolecular Crystallography, Albert-Einstein-Straße 15, D-12489 Berlin, Germany
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16
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Abstract
Bacteriophages employ small proteins to usurp host molecular machinery, thereby interfering with central metabolic processes in infected bacteria. Generally, phages inhibit or redirect host transcription to favor transcription of their own genomes. Mechanistic and structural studies of phage-modulated host transcription may provide inspirations for the development of novel antibacterial substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus C Wahl
- Freie Universität Berlin, Laboratory of Structural Biochemistry, Berlin, Germany.,Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Macromolecular Crystallography, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ranjan Sen
- Laboratory of Transcription, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad, India
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17
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Bossi L, Ratel M, Laurent C, Kerboriou P, Camilli A, Eveno E, Boudvillain M, Figueroa-Bossi N. NusG prevents transcriptional invasion of H-NS-silenced genes. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008425. [PMID: 31589608 PMCID: PMC6797219 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Evolutionarily conserved NusG protein enhances bacterial RNA polymerase processivity but can also promote transcription termination by binding to, and stimulating the activity of, Rho factor. Rho terminates transcription upon anchoring to cytidine-rich motifs, the so-called Rho utilization sites (Rut) in nascent RNA. Both NusG and Rho have been implicated in the silencing of horizontally-acquired A/T-rich DNA by nucleoid structuring protein H-NS. However, the relative roles of the two proteins in H-NS-mediated gene silencing remain incompletely defined. In the present study, a Salmonella strain carrying the nusG gene under the control of an arabinose-inducible repressor was used to assess the genome-wide response to NusG depletion. Results from two complementary approaches, i) screening lacZ protein fusions generated by random transposition and ii) transcriptomic analysis, converged to show that loss of NusG causes massive upregulation of Salmonella pathogenicity islands (SPIs) and other H-NS-silenced loci. A similar, although not identical, SPI-upregulated profile was observed in a strain with a mutation in the rho gene, Rho K130Q. Surprisingly, Rho mutation Y80C, which affects Rho's primary RNA binding domain, had either no effect or made H-NS-mediated silencing of SPIs even tighter. Thus, while corroborating the notion that bound H-NS can trigger Rho-dependent transcription termination in vivo, these data suggest that H-NS-elicited termination occurs entirely through a NusG-dependent pathway and is less dependent on Rut site binding by Rho. We provide evidence that through Rho recruitment, and possibly through other still unidentified mechanisms, NusG prevents pervasive transcripts from elongating into H-NS-silenced regions. Failure to perform this function causes the feedforward activation of the entire Salmonella virulence program. These findings provide further insight into NusG/Rho contribution in H-NS-mediated gene silencing and underscore the importance of this contribution for the proper functioning of a global regulatory response in growing bacteria. The complete set of transcriptomic data is freely available for viewing through a user-friendly genome browser interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lionello Bossi
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, France
| | - Mathilde Ratel
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, France
| | - Camille Laurent
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, France
| | - Patricia Kerboriou
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, France
| | - Andrew Camilli
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Eric Eveno
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, rue Charles Sadron, France
| | - Marc Boudvillain
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, rue Charles Sadron, France
| | - Nara Figueroa-Bossi
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, France
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18
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Tuning the sequence specificity of a transcription terminator. Curr Genet 2019; 65:729-733. [PMID: 30739200 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-019-00939-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The bacterial hexameric helicase known as Rho is an archetypal sequence-specific transcription terminator that typically halts the synthesis of a defined set of transcripts, particularly those bearing cytosine-rich 3'-untranslated regions. However, under conditions of translational stress, Rho can also terminate transcription at cytosine-poor sites when assisted by the transcription factor NusG. Recent structural, biochemical, and computational studies of the Rho·NusG interaction in Escherichia coli have helped establish how NusG reprograms Rho activity. NusG is found to be an allosteric activator of Rho that directly binds to the ATPase motor domain of the helicase and facilitates closure of the Rho ring around non-ideal (purine-rich) target RNAs. The manner in which NusG acts on Rho helps to explain how the transcription terminator is excluded from acting on RNA polymerase by exogenous factors, such as the antitermination protein NusE, the NusG paralog RfaH, and RNA polymerase-coupled ribosomes. Collectively, an understanding of the link between NusG and Rho provides new insights into how transcriptional and translational fidelity are maintained during gene expression in bacteria.
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19
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Abstract
Transcription is a discontinuous process, where each nucleotide incorporation cycle offers a decision between elongation, pausing, halting, or termination. Many cis-acting regulatory RNAs, such as riboswitches, exert their influence over transcription elongation. Through such mechanisms, certain RNA elements can couple physiological or environmental signals to transcription attenuation, a process where cis-acting regulatory RNAs directly influence formation of transcription termination signals. However, through another regulatory mechanism called processive antitermination (PA), RNA polymerase can bypass termination sites over much greater distances than transcription attenuation. PA mechanisms are widespread in bacteria, although only a few classes have been discovered overall. Also, although traditional, signal-responsive riboswitches have not yet been discovered to promote PA, it is increasingly clear that small RNA elements are still oftentimes required. In some instances, small RNA elements serve as loading sites for cellular factors that promote PA. In other instances, larger, more complicated RNA elements participate in PA in unknown ways, perhaps even acting alone to trigger PA activity. These discoveries suggest that what is now needed is a systematic exploration of PA in bacteria, to determine how broadly these transcription elongation mechanisms are utilized, to reveal the diversity in their molecular mechanisms, and to understand the general logic behind their cellular applications. This review covers the known examples of PA regulatory mechanisms and speculates that they may be broadly important to bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R. Goodson
- The University of Maryland, Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, College Park, MD 20742
| | - Wade C. Winkler
- The University of Maryland, Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, College Park, MD 20742
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20
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Lawson MR, Ma W, Bellecourt MJ, Artsimovitch I, Martin A, Landick R, Schulten K, Berger JM. Mechanism for the Regulated Control of Bacterial Transcription Termination by a Universal Adaptor Protein. Mol Cell 2018; 71:911-922.e4. [PMID: 30122535 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2018.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
NusG/Spt5 proteins are the only transcription factors utilized by all cellular organisms. In enterobacteria, NusG antagonizes the transcription termination activity of Rho, a hexameric helicase, during the synthesis of ribosomal and actively translated mRNAs. Paradoxically, NusG helps Rho act on untranslated transcripts, including non-canonical antisense RNAs and those arising from translational stress; how NusG fulfills these disparate functions is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that NusG activates Rho by assisting helicase isomerization from an open-ring, RNA-loading state to a closed-ring, catalytically active translocase. A crystal structure of closed-ring Rho in complex with NusG reveals the physical basis for this activation and further explains how Rho is excluded from translationally competent RNAs. This study demonstrates how a universally conserved transcription factor acts to modulate the activity of a ring-shaped ATPase motor and establishes how the innate sequence bias of a termination factor can be modulated to silence pervasive, aberrant transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Lawson
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Wen Ma
- Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science Technology, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Michael J Bellecourt
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Irina Artsimovitch
- Department of Microbiology and The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Andreas Martin
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Robert Landick
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Klaus Schulten
- Center for Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science Technology, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - James M Berger
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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21
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Nedialkov Y, Svetlov D, Belogurov GA, Artsimovitch I. Locking the nontemplate DNA to control transcription. Mol Microbiol 2018; 109:445-457. [PMID: 29758107 PMCID: PMC6173972 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Universally conserved NusG/Spt5 factors reduce RNA polymerase pausing and arrest. In a widely accepted model, these proteins bridge the RNA polymerase clamp and lobe domains across the DNA channel, inhibiting the clamp opening to promote pause-free RNA synthesis. However, recent structures of paused transcription elongation complexes show that the clamp does not open and suggest alternative mechanisms of antipausing. Among these mechanisms, direct contacts of NusG/Spt5 proteins with the nontemplate DNA in the transcription bubble have been proposed to prevent unproductive DNA conformations and thus inhibit arrest. We used Escherichia coli RfaH, whose interactions with DNA are best characterized, to test this idea. We report that RfaH stabilizes the upstream edge of the transcription bubble, favoring forward translocation, and protects the upstream duplex DNA from exonuclease cleavage. Modeling suggests that RfaH loops the nontemplate DNA around its surface and restricts the upstream DNA duplex mobility. Strikingly, we show that RfaH-induced DNA protection and antipausing activity can be mimicked by shortening the nontemplate strand in elongation complexes assembled on synthetic scaffolds. We propose that remodeling of the nontemplate DNA controls recruitment of regulatory factors and R-loop formation during transcription elongation across all life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri Nedialkov
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
- Center for RNA Nanobiotechnology and Nanomedicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Dmitri Svetlov
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | | | - Irina Artsimovitch
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
- Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
- Center for RNA Nanobiotechnology and Nanomedicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
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22
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Saxena S, Myka KK, Washburn R, Costantino N, Court DL, Gottesman ME. Escherichia coli transcription factor NusG binds to 70S ribosomes. Mol Microbiol 2018; 108:495-504. [PMID: 29575154 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Transcription and translation are coupled processes in bacteria. A role of transcription elongation cofactor NusG in coupling has been suggested by in vitro structural studies. NMR revealed association of the NusG carboxy-terminal domain with S10 (NusE), implying a direct role for NusG as a bridge linking RNAP and the lead ribosome. Here we present the first in vitro and in vivo evidence of full-length NusG association with mature 70S ribosomes. Binding did not require accessory factors in vitro. Mutating the NusG:S10 binding interface at NusG F165 or NusE M88 and D97 residues weakened NusG:S10 association in vivo and completely abolished it in vitro, supporting the specificity of this interaction. Mutations in the binding interface increased sensitivity to chloramphenicol. This phenotype was suppressed by rpoB*35, an RNAP mutation that reduces replisome-RNAP clashes. We propose that weakened NusG:S10 interaction leads to uncoupling when translation is inhibited, with resulting RNAP backtracking, replication blocks and formation of lethal DNA double-strand breaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivalika Saxena
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kamila K Myka
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert Washburn
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nina Costantino
- Gene Regulation and Chromosome Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Donald L Court
- Gene Regulation and Chromosome Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Max E Gottesman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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23
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Shi D, Svetlov D, Abagyan R, Artsimovitch I. Flipping states: a few key residues decide the winning conformation of the only universally conserved transcription factor. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:8835-8843. [PMID: 28605514 PMCID: PMC5587751 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors from the NusG family bind to the elongating RNA polymerase to enable synthesis of long RNAs in all domains of life. In bacteria, NusG frequently co-exists with specialized paralogs that regulate expression of a small set of targets, many of which encode virulence factors. Escherichia coli RfaH is the exemplar of this regulatory mechanism. In contrast to NusG, which freely binds to RNA polymerase, RfaH exists in a structurally distinct autoinhibitory state in which the RNA polymerase-binding site is buried at the interface between two RfaH domains. Binding to an ops DNA sequence triggers structural transformation wherein the domains dissociate and RfaH refolds into a NusG-like structure. Formation of the autoinhibitory state, and thus sequence-specific recruitment, represents the decisive step in the evolutionary history of the RfaH subfamily. We used computational and experimental approaches to identify the residues that confer the unique regulatory properties of RfaH. Our analysis highlighted highly conserved Ile and Phe residues at the RfaH interdomain interface. Replacement of these residues with equally conserved Glu and Val counterpart residues in NusG destabilized interactions between the RfaH domains and allowed sequence-independent recruitment to RNA polymerase, suggesting a plausible pathway for diversification of NusG paralogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Shi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA.,Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Dmitri Svetlov
- Department of Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.,The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Ruben Abagyan
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Irina Artsimovitch
- The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.,Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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24
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Abstract
At the end of the multistep transcription process, the elongating RNA polymerase (RNAP) is dislodged from the DNA template either at specific DNA sequences, called the terminators, or by a nascent RNA-dependent helicase, Rho. In Escherichia coli, about half of the transcription events are terminated by the Rho protein. Rho utilizes its RNA-dependent ATPase activities to translocate along the mRNA and eventually dislodges the RNAP via an unknown mechanism. The transcription elongation factor NusG facilitates this termination process by directly interacting with Rho. In this review, we discuss current models describing the mechanism of action of this hexameric transcription terminator, its regulation by different cis and trans factors, and the effects of the termination process on physiological processes in bacterial cells, particularly E. coli and Salmonella enterica Typhimurium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pallabi Mitra
- Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Nampally, Hyderabad-500001, India; , , ,
| | - Gairika Ghosh
- Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Nampally, Hyderabad-500001, India; , , , .,Department of Graduate Studies, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka-576104, India
| | - Md Hafeezunnisa
- Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Nampally, Hyderabad-500001, India; , , , .,Department of Graduate Studies, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka-576104, India
| | - Ranjan Sen
- Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Nampally, Hyderabad-500001, India; , , ,
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25
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Said N, Krupp F, Anedchenko E, Santos KF, Dybkov O, Huang YH, Lee CT, Loll B, Behrmann E, Bürger J, Mielke T, Loerke J, Urlaub H, Spahn CMT, Weber G, Wahl MC. Structural basis for λN-dependent processive transcription antitermination. Nat Microbiol 2017; 2:17062. [DOI: 10.1038/nmicrobiol.2017.62] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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26
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Goodson JR, Klupt S, Zhang C, Straight P, Winkler WC. LoaP is a broadly conserved antiterminator protein that regulates antibiotic gene clusters in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Nat Microbiol 2017; 2:17003. [PMID: 28191883 DOI: 10.1038/nmicrobiol.2017.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
A valuable resource available in the search for new natural products is the diverse microbial life that spans the planet. A large subset of these microorganisms synthesize complex specialized metabolites exhibiting biomedically important activities. A limiting step to the characterization of these compounds is an elucidation of the genetic regulatory mechanisms that oversee their production. Although proteins that control transcription initiation of specialized metabolite gene clusters have been identified, those affecting transcription elongation have not been broadly investigated. In this study, we analysed the phylogenetic distribution of the large, widespread NusG family of transcription elongation proteins and found that it includes a cohesive outgroup of paralogues (herein coined LoaP), which are often positioned adjacent or within gene clusters for specialized metabolites. We established Bacillus amyloliquefaciens LoaP as a paradigm for this protein subgroup and showed that it regulated the transcriptional readthrough of termination sites located within two different antibiotic biosynthesis operons. Both of these antibiotics have been implicated in plant-protective activities, demonstrating that LoaP controls an important regulon of specialized metabolite genes for this microorganism. These data therefore reveal transcription elongation as a point of regulatory control for specialized metabolite pathways and introduce a subgroup of NusG proteins for this purpose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R Goodson
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, The University of Maryland, 3112 Biosciences Research Building, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - Steven Klupt
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, The University of Maryland, 3112 Biosciences Research Building, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - Chengxi Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, TAMU 2128 - Rm 435, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Paul Straight
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, TAMU 2128 - Rm 435, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Wade C Winkler
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, The University of Maryland, 3112 Biosciences Research Building, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
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27
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Liu B, Steitz TA. Structural insights into NusG regulating transcription elongation. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:968-974. [PMID: 27899640 PMCID: PMC5314768 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw1159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
NusG is an essential transcription factor that plays multiple key regulatory roles in transcription elongation, termination and coupling translation and transcription. The core role of NusG is to enhance transcription elongation and RNA polymerase processivity. Here, we present the structure of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase complexed with NusG. The structure shows that the NusG N-terminal domain (NGN) binds at the central cleft of RNA polymerase surrounded by the β' clamp helices, the β protrusion, and the β lobe domains to close the promoter DNA binding channel and constrain the β' clamp domain, but with an orientation that is different from the one observed in the archaeal β' clamp-Spt4/5 complex. The structure also allows us to construct a reliable model of the complete NusG-associated transcription elongation complex, suggesting that the NGN domain binds at the upstream fork junction of the transcription elongation complex, similar to σ2 in the transcription initiation complex, to stabilize the junction, and therefore enhances transcription processivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Liu
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Thomas A Steitz
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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28
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Xun S, Jiang F, Wu YD. Intrinsically disordered regions stabilize the helical form of the C-terminal domain of RfaH: A molecular dynamics study. Bioorg Med Chem 2016; 24:4970-4977. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2016.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Revised: 08/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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29
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Abstract
Under conditions of tight coupling between translation and transcription, the ribosome enables synthesis of full-length mRNAs by preventing both formation of intrinsic terminator hairpins and loading of the transcription termination factor Rho. While previous studies have focused on transcription factors, we investigated the role of Escherichia coli elongation factor P (EF-P), an elongation factor required for efficient translation of mRNAs containing consecutive proline codons, in maintaining coupled translation and transcription. In the absence of EF-P, the presence of Rho utilization (rut) sites led to an ~30-fold decrease in translation of polyproline-encoding mRNAs. Coexpression of the Rho inhibitor Psu fully restored translation. EF-P was also shown to inhibit premature termination during synthesis and translation of mRNAs encoding intrinsic terminators. The effects of EF-P loss on expression of polyproline mRNAs were augmented by a substitution in RNA polymerase that accelerates transcription. Analyses of previously reported ribosome profiling and global proteomic data identified several candidate gene clusters where EF-P could act to prevent premature transcription termination. In vivo probing allowed detection of some predicted premature termination products in the absence of EF-P. Our findings support a model in which EF-P maintains coupling of translation and transcription by decreasing ribosome stalling at polyproline motifs. Other regulators that facilitate ribosome translocation through roadblocks to prevent premature transcription termination upon uncoupling remain to be identified. Bacterial mRNA and protein syntheses are often tightly coupled, with ribosomes binding newly synthesized Shine-Dalgarno sequences and then translating nascent mRNAs as they emerge from RNA polymerase. While previous studies have mainly focused on the roles of transcription factors, here we investigated whether translation factors can also play a role in maintaining coupling and preventing premature transcription termination. Using the polyproline synthesis enhancer elongation factor P, we found that rapid translation through potential stalling motifs is required to provide efficient coupling between ribosomes and RNA polymerase. These findings show that translation enhancers can play an important role in gene expression by preventing premature termination of transcription.
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Valabhoju V, Agrawal S, Sen R. Molecular Basis of NusG-mediated Regulation of Rho-dependent Transcription Termination in Bacteria. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:22386-22403. [PMID: 27605667 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.745364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2016] [Revised: 08/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial transcription elongation factor NusG stimulates the Rho-dependent transcription termination through a direct interaction with Rho. The mechanistic basis of NusG dependence of the Rho function is not known. Here, we describe Rho* mutants I168V, R221C/A, and P235H that do not require NusG for their termination function. These Rho* mutants have acquired new properties, which otherwise would have been imparted by NusG. A detailed analyses revealed that they have more stable interactions at the secondary RNA binding sites of Rho, which reduced the lag in initiating its ATPase as well as the translocase activities. These more stable interactions arose from the significant spatial re-orientations of the P, Q, and R structural loops of the Rho central channel. We propose that NusG imparts similar conformational changes in the central channel of Rho, yielding faster isomerization of the open to the closed hexameric states of the latter during its RNA-loading step. This acceleration stabilizes the Rho-RNA interactions at many terminators having suboptimal rut sites, thus making Rho-NusG interactions so essential in vivo Finally, identification of the NusG binding sites on the Rho hexamer led us to conclude that the former exerts its effect allosterically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishalini Valabhoju
- From the Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Tuljaguda Complex, 4-1-714 Mozamjahi Road, Nampally, Hyderabad 500 001, India and.,the Gradutate Studies, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka 576104 India
| | - Sonia Agrawal
- From the Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Tuljaguda Complex, 4-1-714 Mozamjahi Road, Nampally, Hyderabad 500 001, India and
| | - Ranjan Sen
- From the Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Tuljaguda Complex, 4-1-714 Mozamjahi Road, Nampally, Hyderabad 500 001, India and
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31
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Abstract
The known diversity of metabolic strategies and physiological adaptations of archaeal species to extreme environments is extraordinary. Accurate and responsive mechanisms to ensure that gene expression patterns match the needs of the cell necessitate regulatory strategies that control the activities and output of the archaeal transcription apparatus. Archaea are reliant on a single RNA polymerase for all transcription, and many of the known regulatory mechanisms employed for archaeal transcription mimic strategies also employed for eukaryotic and bacterial species. Novel mechanisms of transcription regulation have become apparent by increasingly sophisticated in vivo and in vitro investigations of archaeal species. This review emphasizes recent progress in understanding archaeal transcription regulatory mechanisms and highlights insights gained from studies of the influence of archaeal chromatin on transcription.
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Grylak-Mielnicka A, Bidnenko V, Bardowski J, Bidnenko E. Transcription termination factor Rho: a hub linking diverse physiological processes in bacteria. Microbiology (Reading) 2016; 162:433-447. [DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Grylak-Mielnicka
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics PAS, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Vladimir Bidnenko
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Jacek Bardowski
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics PAS, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Elena Bidnenko
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
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33
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Bacterial Transcription as a Target for Antibacterial Drug Development. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2016; 80:139-60. [PMID: 26764017 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00055-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription, the first step of gene expression, is carried out by the enzyme RNA polymerase (RNAP) and is regulated through interaction with a series of protein transcription factors. RNAP and its associated transcription factors are highly conserved across the bacterial domain and represent excellent targets for broad-spectrum antibacterial agent discovery. Despite the numerous antibiotics on the market, there are only two series currently approved that target transcription. The determination of the three-dimensional structures of RNAP and transcription complexes at high resolution over the last 15 years has led to renewed interest in targeting this essential process for antibiotic development by utilizing rational structure-based approaches. In this review, we describe the inhibition of the bacterial transcription process with respect to structural studies of RNAP, highlight recent progress toward the discovery of novel transcription inhibitors, and suggest additional potential antibacterial targets for rational drug design.
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Arimbasseri AG, Maraia RJ. A high density of cis-information terminates RNA Polymerase III on a 2-rail track. RNA Biol 2015; 13:166-71. [PMID: 26636900 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2015.1116677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription termination delineates the 3' ends of transcripts, prevents otherwise runaway RNA polymerase (RNAP) from intruding into downstream genes and regulatory elements, and enables release of the RNAP for recycling. While other eukaryotic RNAPs require complex cis-signals and/or accessory factors to achieve these activities, RNAP III does so autonomously with high efficiency and precision at a simple oligo(dT) stretch of 5-6 bp. A basis for this high density cis-information is that both template and nontemplate strands of the RNAP III terminator carry distinct signals for different stages of termination. High-density cis-information is a feature of the RNAP III system that is also reflected by dual functionalities of the tRNA promoters as both DNA and RNA elements. We review emerging developments in RNAP III termination and single strand nontemplate DNA use by other RNAPs. Use of nontemplate signals by RNAPs and associated transcription factors may be prevalent in gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneeshkumar G Arimbasseri
- a Intramural Research Program, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development , Bethesda , MD , USA
| | - Richard J Maraia
- a Intramural Research Program, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development , Bethesda , MD , USA.,b Commissioned Corps, U. S. Public Health Service , Washington, DC
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35
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Imashimizu M, Shimamoto N, Oshima T, Kashlev M. Transcription elongation. Heterogeneous tracking of RNA polymerase and its biological implications. Transcription 2015; 5:e28285. [PMID: 25764114 PMCID: PMC4214235 DOI: 10.4161/trns.28285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulation of transcription elongation via pausing of RNA polymerase has multiple physiological roles. The pausing mechanism depends on the sequence heterogeneity of the DNA being transcribed, as well as on certain interactions of polymerase with specific DNA sequences. In order to describe the mechanism of regulation, we introduce the concept of heterogeneity into the previously proposed alternative models of elongation, power stroke and Brownian ratchet. We also discuss molecular origins and physiological significances of the heterogeneity.
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36
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Abstract
Bacteria lack subcellular compartments and harbor a single RNA polymerase that synthesizes both structural and protein-coding RNAs, which are cotranscriptionally processed by distinct pathways. Nascent rRNAs fold into elaborate secondary structures and associate with ribosomal proteins, whereas nascent mRNAs are translated by ribosomes. During elongation, nucleic acid signals and regulatory proteins modulate concurrent RNA-processing events, instruct RNA polymerase where to pause and terminate transcription, or act as roadblocks to the moving enzyme. Communications among complexes that carry out transcription, translation, repair, and other cellular processes ensure timely execution of the gene expression program and survival under conditions of stress. This network is maintained by auxiliary proteins that act as bridges between RNA polymerase, ribosome, and repair enzymes, blurring boundaries between separate information-processing steps and making assignments of unique regulatory functions meaningless. Understanding the regulation of transcript elongation thus requires genome-wide approaches, which confirm known and reveal new regulatory connections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irina Artsimovitch
- Department of Microbiology and Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210;
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37
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Yakhnin H, Yakhnin AV, Babitzke P. Ribosomal protein L10(L12)4 autoregulates expression of the Bacillus subtilis rplJL operon by a transcription attenuation mechanism. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:7032-43. [PMID: 26101249 PMCID: PMC4538822 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2014] [Accepted: 06/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Ribosomal protein genes are often controlled by autoregulatory mechanisms in which a protein encoded in the operon can either bind to newly synthesized rRNA during rapid growth or to a similar target in its mRNA during poor growth conditions. The rplJL operon encodes the ribosomal L10(L12)4 complex. In Escherichia coli L10(L12)4 represses its translation by binding to the rplJL leader transcript. We identified three RNA structures in the Bacillus subtilis rplJL leader transcript that function as an anti-antiterminator, antiterminator or intrinsic terminator. Expression studies with transcriptional and translational fusions indicated that L10(L12)4 represses rplJL expression at the transcriptional level. RNA binding studies demonstrated that L10(L12)4 stabilizes the anti-antiterminator structure, while in vitro transcription results indicated that L10(L12)4 promotes termination. Disruption of anti-antiterminator, antiterminator or terminator function by competitor oligonucleotides in vitro and by mutations in vivo demonstrated that each structure functions as predicted. Thus, rplJL expression is regulated by an autogenous transcription attenuation mechanism in which L10(L12)4 binding to the anti-antiterminator structure promotes termination. We also found that translation of a leader peptide increases rplJL expression, presumably by inhibiting Rho-dependent termination. Thus, the rplJL operon of B. subtilis is regulated by transcription attenuation and antitermination mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Yakhnin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Alexander V Yakhnin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Paul Babitzke
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for RNA Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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38
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Imashimizu M, Takahashi H, Oshima T, McIntosh C, Bubunenko M, Court DL, Kashlev M. Visualizing translocation dynamics and nascent transcript errors in paused RNA polymerases in vivo. Genome Biol 2015; 16:98. [PMID: 25976475 PMCID: PMC4457086 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-015-0666-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcription elongation is frequently interrupted by pausing signals in DNA, with downstream effects on gene expression. Transcription errors also induce prolonged pausing, which can lead to a destabilized genome by interfering with DNA replication. Mechanisms of pausing associated with translocation blocks and misincorporation have been characterized in vitro, but not in vivo. RESULTS We investigate the pausing pattern of RNA polymerase (RNAP) in Escherichia coli by a novel approach, combining native elongating transcript sequencing (NET-seq) with RNase footprinting of the transcripts (RNET-seq). We reveal that the G-dC base pair at the 5' end of the RNA-DNA hybrid interferes with RNAP translocation. The distance between the 5' G-dC base pair and the 3' end of RNA fluctuates over a three-nucleotide width. Thus, the G-dC base pair can induce pausing in post-translocated, pre-translocated, and backtracked states of RNAP. Additionally, a CpG sequence of the template DNA strand spanning the active site of RNAP inhibits elongation and induces G-to-A errors, which leads to backtracking of RNAP. Gre factors efficiently proofread the errors and rescue the backtracked complexes. We also find that pausing events are enriched in the 5' untranslated region and antisense transcription of mRNA genes and are reduced in rRNA genes. CONCLUSIONS In E. coli, robust transcriptional pausing involves RNAP interaction with G-dC at the upstream end of the RNA-DNA hybrid, which interferes with translocation. CpG DNA sequences induce transcriptional pausing and G-to-A errors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiko Imashimizu
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
| | - Hiroki Takahashi
- Medical Mycology Research Center, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8673, Japan.
| | - Taku Oshima
- Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5, Ikoma, Nara, 630-0192, Japan.
| | - Carl McIntosh
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
| | - Mikhail Bubunenko
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
| | - Donald L Court
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
| | - Mikhail Kashlev
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
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39
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Arimbasseri AG, Maraia RJ. Mechanism of Transcription Termination by RNA Polymerase III Utilizes a Non-template Strand Sequence-Specific Signal Element. Mol Cell 2015; 58:1124-32. [PMID: 25959395 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2015.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2015] [Revised: 03/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanism of transcription termination by a eukaryotic RNA polymerase (RNAP) has been limited by lack of a characterizable intermediate that reflects transition from an elongation complex to a true termination event. While other multisubunit RNAPs require multipartite cis-signals and/or ancillary factors to mediate pausing and release of the nascent transcript from the clutches of these enzymes, RNAP III does so with precision and efficiency on a simple oligo(dT) tract, independent of other cis-elements or trans-factors. We report an RNAP III pre-termination complex that reveals termination mechanisms controlled by sequence-specific elements in the non-template strand. Furthermore, the TFIIF-like RNAP III subunit C37 is required for this function of the non-template strand signal. The results reveal the RNAP III terminator as an information-rich control element. While the template strand promotes destabilization via a weak oligo(rU:dA) hybrid, the non-template strand provides distinct sequence-specific destabilizing information through interactions with the C37 subunit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneeshkumar G Arimbasseri
- Intramural Research Program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Richard J Maraia
- Intramural Research Program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Commissioned Corps, US Public Health Service.
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40
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NandyMazumdar M, Artsimovitch I. Ubiquitous transcription factors display structural plasticity and diverse functions: NusG proteins - Shifting shapes and paradigms. Bioessays 2015; 37:324-34. [PMID: 25640595 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201400177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Numerous accessory factors modulate RNA polymerase response to regulatory signals and cellular cues and establish communications with co-transcriptional RNA processing. Transcription regulators are astonishingly diverse, with similar mechanisms arising via convergent evolution. NusG/Spt5 elongation factors comprise the only universally conserved and ancient family of regulators. They bind to the conserved clamp helices domain of RNA polymerase, which also interacts with non-homologous initiation factors in all domains of life, and reach across the DNA channel to form processivity clamps that enable uninterrupted RNA chain synthesis. In addition to this ubiquitous function, NusG homologs exert diverse, and sometimes opposite, effects on gene expression by competing with each other and other regulators for binding to the clamp helices and by recruiting auxiliary factors that facilitate termination, antitermination, splicing, translation, etc. This surprisingly diverse range of activities and the underlying unprecedented structural changes make studies of these "transformer" proteins both challenging and rewarding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monali NandyMazumdar
- Department of Microbiology and The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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41
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Castro-Roa D, Zenkin N. Methods for the assembly and analysis of in vitro transcription-coupled-to-translation systems. Methods Mol Biol 2015; 1276:81-99. [PMID: 25665559 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2392-2_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
RNA polymerase is a complex machinery, which is further embedded in interactions with other cellular components that interplay with either the transcribed DNA (DNA polymerases, topoisomerases, etc.) or the nascent RNA (RNA processing enzymes, ribosomes, etc.). In prokaryotes, coupling of transcription and translation is thought to play many regulatory roles but the mechanistic understanding of their interactions has been hindered by the lack of a defined experimental system. Here, we describe a pure transcription-coupled-to-translation system in which control of the ribosome has been achieved through its stepwise translocation towards RNA polymerase. This system can be used to study the effects of concurrent translation on RNA chain elongation and to elucidate the interface between the two macromolecular complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Castro-Roa
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Baddiley-Clark Building, Richardson Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, UK,
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42
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Kalyani BS, Kunamneni R, Wal M, Ranjan A, Sen R. A NusG paralogue from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Rv0639, has evolved to interact with ribosomal protein S10 (Rv0700) but not to function as a transcription elongation–termination factor. Microbiology (Reading) 2015; 161:67-83. [DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.083709-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- B. Sudha Kalyani
- Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Nampally, Hyderabad-500 001, India
| | - Radhika Kunamneni
- Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Nampally, Hyderabad-500 001, India
| | - Megha Wal
- Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Nampally, Hyderabad-500 001, India
| | - Amitabh Ranjan
- Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Nampally, Hyderabad-500 001, India
| | - Ranjan Sen
- Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Nampally, Hyderabad-500 001, India
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43
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Shashni R, Qayyum MZ, Vishalini V, Dey D, Sen R. Redundancy of primary RNA-binding functions of the bacterial transcription terminator Rho. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:9677-90. [PMID: 25081210 PMCID: PMC4150792 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The bacterial transcription terminator, Rho, terminates transcription at half of the operons. According to the classical model derived from in vitro assays on a few terminators, Rho is recruited to the transcription elongation complex (EC) by recognizing specific sites (rut) on the nascent RNA. Here, we explored the mode of in vivo recruitment process of Rho. We show that sequence specific recognition of the rut site, in majority of the Rho-dependent terminators, can be compromised to a great extent without seriously affecting the genome-wide termination function as well as the viability of Escherichia coli. These terminators function optimally only through a NusG-assisted recruitment and activation of Rho. Our data also indicate that at these terminators, Rho-EC-bound NusG interaction facilitates the isomerization of Rho into a translocase-competent form by stabilizing the interactions of mRNA with the secondary RNA binding site, thereby overcoming the defects of the primary RNA binding functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Shashni
- Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Tuljaguda Complex, 4-1-714 Mozamjahi Road, Nampally, Hyderabad 500001, India
| | - M Zuhaib Qayyum
- Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Tuljaguda Complex, 4-1-714 Mozamjahi Road, Nampally, Hyderabad 500001, India
| | - V Vishalini
- Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Tuljaguda Complex, 4-1-714 Mozamjahi Road, Nampally, Hyderabad 500001, India
| | - Debashish Dey
- Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Tuljaguda Complex, 4-1-714 Mozamjahi Road, Nampally, Hyderabad 500001, India
| | - Ranjan Sen
- Laboratory of Transcription, Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Tuljaguda Complex, 4-1-714 Mozamjahi Road, Nampally, Hyderabad 500001, India
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44
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Karas BJ, Wise KS, Sun L, Venter JC, Glass JI, Hutchison CA, Smith HO, Suzuki Y. Rescue of mutant fitness defects using in vitro reconstituted designer transposons in Mycoplasma mycoides. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:369. [PMID: 25101070 PMCID: PMC4107850 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
With only hundreds of genes contained within their genomes, mycoplasmas have become model organisms for precise understanding of cellular processes, as well as platform organisms for predictable engineering of microbial functions for mission-critical applications. Despite the availability of “whole genome writing” in Mycoplasma mycoides, some traditional methods for genetic engineering are underdeveloped in mycoplasmas. Here we demonstrate two facile transposon-mediated approaches for introducing genes into the synthetic cell based on M. mycoides. The marker-less approach involves preparing a fragment containing only a small genomic region of interest with flanking transposase-binding sites, followed by in vitro transposase loading and introduction into the cells. The marker-driven approach involves cloning an open reading frame (ORF) of interest into a vector containing a marker for mycoplasma transformation, as well as sites for transposase loading and random genomic integration. An innovative feature of this construct is to use a single promoter to express the transformation marker and the introduced ORF. The marker-driven approach can be conveniently applied to any exogenous or synthetic gene without any information on the effect of the gene on the strain, whereas the marker-less approach requires that the fragment has a recognizable effect. Using the marker-less method, we found that a region containing the nusG gene rescues a slow growth phenotype of a strain containing a larger deletion encompassing this gene. Using the marker-driven approach, we better defined this finding, thereby establishing that nusG is required for a normal growth rate in synthetic M. mycoides. These methods are suitable for complementation tests to identify genes responsible for assorted functions lacking in deletion mutants. These approaches are also expected to facilitate rapid testing of various natural and engineered genes or gene clusters from numerous sources in M. mycoides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogumil J Karas
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy, J. Craig Venter Institute La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kim S Wise
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy, J. Craig Venter Institute La Jolla, CA, USA ; Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Lijie Sun
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy, J. Craig Venter Institute La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - J Craig Venter
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy, J. Craig Venter Institute La Jolla, CA, USA ; Department of Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy, J. Craig Venter Institute Rockville, MD, USA
| | - John I Glass
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy, J. Craig Venter Institute La Jolla, CA, USA ; Department of Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy, J. Craig Venter Institute Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Clyde A Hutchison
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy, J. Craig Venter Institute La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Hamilton O Smith
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy, J. Craig Venter Institute La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yo Suzuki
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy, J. Craig Venter Institute La Jolla, CA, USA
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45
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Bowman EA, Kelly WG. RNA polymerase II transcription elongation and Pol II CTD Ser2 phosphorylation: A tail of two kinases. Nucleus 2014; 5:224-36. [PMID: 24879308 DOI: 10.4161/nucl.29347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The transition between initiation and productive elongation during RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) transcription is a well-appreciated point of regulation across many eukaryotes. Elongating Pol II is modified by phosphorylation of serine 2 (Ser2) on its carboxy terminal domain (CTD) by two kinases, Bur1/Ctk1 in yeast and Cdk9/Cdk12 in metazoans. Here, we discuss the roles and regulation of these kinases and their relationship to Pol II elongation control, and focus on recent data from work in C. elegans that point out gaps in our current understand of transcription elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Bowman
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Research Triangle Park, NC USA
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46
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Imashimizu M, Kashlev M. Unveiling translocation intermediates of RNA polymerase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:7507-8. [PMID: 24828529 PMCID: PMC4040548 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1406413111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Masahiko Imashimizu
- Gene Regulation and Chromosome Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702
| | - Mikhail Kashlev
- Gene Regulation and Chromosome Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702
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47
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiannan Guo
- Biochemistry Department, University of Iowa , Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
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48
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Affiliation(s)
- Finn Werner
- RNAP Laboratory, Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London , Darwin Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, U.K
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