Effect of salts on abortive and productive elongation catalysed by wheat germ RNA polymerase II

Promoter escape by RNA polymerase II

Transcription of protein-coding genes is one of the most fundamental processes that underlies all life and is a primary mechanism of biological regulation. In eukaryotic cells, transcription depends on the formation of a complex at the promoter region of the gene that minimally includes RNA polymerase II and several auxiliary proteins known as the general transcription factors. Transcription initiation follows at the promoter site given the availability of nucleoside triphosphates and ATP. Soon after the polymerase begins the synthesis of the nascent mRNA chain, it enters a critical stage, referred to as promoter escape, that is characterized by physical and functional instability of the transcription complex. These include formation of abortive transcripts, strong dependence on ATP cofactor, the general transcription factor TFIIH and downstream template. These criteria are no longer in effect when the nascent RNA reaches a length of 14-15 nucleotides. Towards the end of promoter escape, disruption or adjustment of protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions, including the release of some of the general transcription factors from the early transcription complex is to be expected, allowing the transition to the elongation stage of transcription. In this review, we examine the experimental evidence that defines promoter escape as a distinct stage in transcription, and point out areas where critical information is missing.

Accuracy of wheat-germ RNA polymerase II. General enzymatic properties and effect of template conformational transition from right-handed B-DNA to left-handed Z-DNA

We investigated the accuracy of the insertion process in RNA chain elongation catalyzed by wheat germ RNA polymerase II. Error frequencies varied from 1 misinserted nucleotide per 250 polymerized correct substrates to less than 1 in 2 x 10(5), depending on template sequence and nature of the divalent metal cofactor. Higher error ratios were observed in the presence of Mn2+ compared to Mg2+, and with alternating poly[d(G-C)].poly[d(G-C)] compared to poly[d(A-T)].poly[d(A-T)]. In this latter case the eukaryotic RNA polymerase was as accurate as Escherichia coli RNA polymerase holo-enzyme. The fidelity of wheat germ RNA polymerase II was also examined in transcription of polynucleotide templates in the poly[d(G-C)] family adopting either the right-handed B or left-handed Z conformations. Error ratios for noncomplementary ATP increased markedly under experimental conditions favoring the B-to-Z conformational transition of the alternating copolymers. In accordance with the results of previous studies, the rate of productive elongation, i.e. the synthesis of poly[r(G-C)], was depressed, suggesting that the decreased accuracy of the enzyme derived from an altered competence of the enzyme to form elongation complexes on the left-handed DNA. As judged by the large difference in apparent Km values of the enzyme for complementary and noncomplementary nucleoside triphosphates, part of the discrimination between substrates seemed to take place at the initial binding step. Furthermore, the results indicate that wheat germ RNA polymerase II was able to elongate a primer with a 3'-terminal mismatch, and thus to incorporate the mismatched nucleotide stably in the nascent RAN. However, the probability of productive RNA chain elongation was much lower with noncognate than with the complementary substrates.

RNA polymerases react differently at d(ApG) and d(GpG) adducts in DNA modified by cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II)

Two duplexes (20-mers) were constructed containing either a single cis-[Pt(NH3)2[d(GpG)]] or cis-[Pt(NH3)2[d(ApG)]] intrastrand cross-link, the major DNA adducts of the antitumor drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II). These synthetic duplexes were multimerized and the resultant polymers used as templates in single-step addition reactions of condensation of a single nucleoside triphosphate substrate to a dinucleotide primer (abortive elongation reaction) catalyzed by prokaryotic or eukaryotic RNA polymerases. Primer-substrate combinations were selected so as to direct trinucleotide product formation within the platinated bases of the templates. Transcription experiments established that cis-DDP-DNA adducts formed at d(ApG) or d(GpG) sites are not an absolute block to formation of a single phosphodiester bond by either Escherichia coli RNA polymerase or wheat germ RNA polymerase II. Furthermore, the kinetic data indicate that single-step addition reactions are much more impeded at the platinated d(GpG) than at the platinated d(ApG) site and that the mechanisms of inhibition of RNA polymerase activity are different at the two platinated sites. In particular, binding affinity between E. coli RNA polymerase and the d(GpG)-containing platinated template is lowered, as the apparent Km of enzyme for the platinated polymer is increased by a factor of 4-5. In contrast, binding affinity between the RNA polymerase and the d(ApG)-containing template is not affected by modification of the d(ApG) site by cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II). Similar experiments were carried out with synthetic templates containing the adducts at the d(GpG) sites, in which one of the two platinated dG residues is paired with a dT residue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Transcription of synthetic DNA containing sequences with dyad symmetry by wheat-germ RNA polymerase II. Increased rates of product release in single-step addition reactions

Interaction of purified eukaryotic RNA polymerase II with various synthetic palindromic DNA sequences is associated with the formation of transcriptional complexes of different stabilities, i.e. having different propensities for releasing the nascent transcript. This phenomenon was observed by using wheat-germ RNA polymerase II and a series of double-stranded template polymers containing palindromic repeating motifs of 6-16 bp, with regulatory alternating purine and pyrimidine bases such as d[ATA(CG)nC].d[TAT(GC)nG], with n = 1, 3 or 6 referred to as d(GC), d(GC)3 or d(GC)6, respectively. We also synthesized two double-stranded methylated polymers, containing the repeating units d(ATAm5CGm5C).d(TATGm5CG) and d[ATA(m5CG)6m5C].d[TAT(Gm5C)6G] [designated d(GmC) and d(GmC)6, respectively]. All of these polymers served as templates for the reaction of single-step addition of CTP to a CpG primer catalysed by wheat-germ RNA polymerase II, to an extent that seems well correlated with the number of potential initiation sites within the DNA molecules. Furthermore, in these reactions, the enzyme appears to form relatively stable transcriptional complexes, as trinucleotide product was released only very slowly. In marked contrast to the results with the CpG primer, the single-step addition reaction primed by UpA, i.e. the synthesis of UpApU proceeded at a much higher velocity and was strongly enhanced by increasing the d(G-C) content of the repeating units of the DNA polymers. Thus, taking into account the number of potential sites at which UpApU synthesis could occur, the extent of UpApU synthesis was increased about 12-fold with d(GC)6 compared to that with the d(GC) template. The catalytic nature of the reaction necessarily implies that the stability of the transcription complexes with the plant RNA polymerase II decreased as the d(G-C) content of the repeating motif increased. Furthermore, although the synthesis of CpGpC could be demonstrated with d(GmC)6 as template, the UpA-primed synthesis of UpApU could not be detected with this polymer. The results obtained in transcription of these polymers are discussed in relation to the potential involvement of palindromic DNA in transcription termination and attenuation in the presence of RNA polymerase II.

Abortive intermediates in transcription by wheat-germ RNA polymerase II. Dynamic aspects of enzyme/template interactions in selection of the enzyme synthetic mode

At constant enzyme concentration and with the full set of nucleotide substrates dictated by template sequence, the chain-length distribution of polymeric product varies with template concentration in reactions catalysed by wheat-germ RNA polymerase II. Under the same conditions, but in the presence of a single ribonucleoside triphosphate, the rate of condensation of the triphosphate substrate to a dinucleotide primer also exhibits a complex dependence with the template concentration. This effect is observed using poly[d(A-T)] as a template. For both reactions there are two extreme types of behaviour in each of which transcription appears to involve a single enzyme synthetic mode, characterized by either a high (at low template concentration) or a low (at high template concentration) probability of releasing the transcripts. A strong correlation is found between these two pathways, such that conditions favouring the abortive release of trinucleotide products in the single-step addition reaction are associated with the synthesis of short-length RNA species in productive elongation, and reciprocally. A model previously developed by Papanicolaou, Lecomte & Ninio [(1986) J. Mol. Biol. 189, 435-448] to account for the kinetics of polymerization/excision ratios with Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I, and by Job, Soulié, Job & Shire [(1988) J. Theor. Biol. 134, 273-289] for kinetics of RNA-chain elongation by wheat-germ RNA polymerase II provides an explanation for the observed behaviour with the plant transcriptase. The basic requirement of this model is a slow equilibrium between two states of the polymerization complex with distinct probabilities of releasing the product. In the presence of Mn2+, and under conditions allowing the synthesis of poly[r(A-U)], one of these states is involved in the formation of oligonucleotides shorter than 15 bases, whereas the other catalyses the polymerization of chains longer than 40 bases.

Potential memory and hysteretic effects in transcription

Kinetic results of RNA-chain elongation catalysed by wheat-germ RNA polymerase II are analysed according to the concept that DNA-dependent conformational transitions of the transcription complex intervene during transcription. A model is presented, involving participation of several forms of the transcription complex with different catalytic properties, generated by the sequence and/or conformation of the DNA template and/or the experimental conditions. The available experimental data suggest that these forms are interconvertible. Examples in which hysteretic transitions might occur are outlined, such as termination of transcription and transition from abortive to productive elongation in the first steps of RNA synthesis. The slow catalytic adaptation of the transcription complex to the template sequence might be a more general phenomenon for enzyme systems acting on polynucleotide templates, in view of the recent proposal that enzyme memory effects may also have some importance in DNA replication and messenger RNA (mRNA) translation.

Transcription of left-handed Z-DNA templates: increased rate of single-step addition reactions catalyzed by wheat germ RNA polymerase II

Wheat germ RNA polymerase II is able to transcribe polynucleotide templates in the poly-[d(G-C)] family, adopting either the right-handed B or left-handed Z conformations depending on the ionic environment and temperature. Thus, with poly[d(G-C)] either the B state (in MgCl2) or the associated Z* state (in MnCl2) can be established. Poly[d(G-m5C)] adopts the Z form readily in MgCl2, and poly-[d(G-br5C)] can be regarded as being "constitutively" in the Z state. In transcription studies with CpG as a primer and templates in the left-handed conformation, it is found that the rate of productive elongation, i.e., the synthesis of poly[r(G-C)], is depressed, in accordance with the results of previous studies. However, with a single triphosphate substrate, CTP, the rate of formation of the first phosphodiester bond, i.e., the synthesis of CpGpC, is about 4-fold greater with both the Z and Z* templates than with B-DNA. This transcriptional activity is also catalytic in the sense that product concentrations exceed that of the enzyme. The synthesis of CpGpC is reduced in the presence of GTP. However, the apparent Km value for GTP utilization is lower for the trinucleotide synthesis (0.1 microM) than that obtained for productive elongation (0.8 microM), a result that also holds for B-DNA templates. All transcription reactions are specifically inhibited by the fungal toxin alpha-amanitin, and, in the case of the left-handed templates, by monoclonal anti-Z-DNA antibodies. The relative probabilities of single-step addition and productive elongation imply that the major distinction between transcription of templates in the B and Z conformations involves a step following the synthesis of the first phosphodiester bond. As a result, fully competent elongation complexes do not form on the left-handed DNA.

A slow kinetic transient in RNA synthesis catalysed by wheat-germ RNA polymerase II

Progress curves of U-A-primed RNA synthesis catalysed by wheat-germ RNA polymerase II on a poly[d(A-T)] template exhibit a slow burst of activity. In contrast, the progress curves of single-step addition of UMP to U-A primer in the abortive elongation reaction do not exhibit the slow burst of activity. The correlation between the kinetic transient in the productive pathway of RNA synthesis and the rate of abortive elongation is suggestive of the occurrence of a slow conformational change of the transcription complex during the transition from abortive to productive elongation. The exceptional duration of the transient burst (in the region of 4 min) may suggest a transition of a hysteretic type.

Kinetic co-operativity of wheat-germ RNA polymerase II with adenosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate as substrate

A kinetic study of productive RNA chain elongation indicates that adenosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate can serve as substrate in reactions catalysed by purified wheat-germ RNA polymerase II on a poly[d(A-T)] template. However, in contrast with the results obtained with the natural substrate ATP, the double-reciprocal plots, 1/velocity versus 1/[nucleotide], are not linear but characteristic of apparent negative co-operativity. The extent of the kinetic co-operativity is modified when the reactions are conducted in the additional presence of fixed amounts of an alternative substrate such as ATP or inhibitors such as dATP or cordycepin triphosphate. Analogous results are obtained whether the reactions are carried out in the presence of Mg2+ or Mn2+ as the metal ion cofactor. However, the data show that with Mn2+ the RNA polymerase is less specific in substrate recognition than with Mg2+. Tentative kinetic models are proposed to account for the rate measurements.

Abortive and productive elongation catalysed by purified spinach chloroplast RNA polymerase

Experimental conditions are reported under which purified spinach chloroplast RNA polymerase catalyses the abortive elongation reaction on a synthetic poly[d(A-T)] template. The reaction only occurs under very stringent conditions and absolutely requires Mn2+ as the metal activator. No reaction can be detected in the presence of Mg2+. Furthermore, the rate of abortive elongation with the chloroplast enzyme is extremely sensitive to the presence of added salts, such as KCl or (NH4)2SO4, in the reaction assays. In the combined presence of Mn2+ and Mg2+, a marked inhibition of abortive elongation is associated with an activation of productive elongation and an increased length of RNA chains. Thus, whereas Mn2+ is more active than Mg2+ for phosphodiester bond formation, it appears that Mg2+ favors the stabilization of the ternary transcription complexes. These results are compared with those obtained under similar conditions for wheat germ RNA polymerase II and Escherichia coli RNA polymerase.

Effect of low nucleotide concentrations on abortive elongation catalysed by wheat-germ RNA polymerase II

A kinetic study of the effect of elongating nucleotide concentration on the reactions of abortive elongation catalysed by wheat-germ RNA polymerase II on a poly[d(A-T)] template suggests that the shift from abortive to productive elongation may involve the participation of at least two nucleotides, according to a mechanism very similar to that reported for Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. Experiments performed with non-complementary nucleotides with respect to the DNA template, and with substrate derivatives, allow an analysis of the substrate specificity during these reactions. Similar experiments performed with poly[d(A-A-T)].poly[d(T-T-A)] as template provide a starting point for a better understanding of the effect of DNA sequence on the rates of abortive and productive elongation catalysed by the plant enzyme.