1
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Yang KB, Rasouly A, Epshtein V, Martinez C, Nguyen T, Shamovsky I, Nudler E. Persistence of backtracking by human RNA polymerase II. Mol Cell 2024; 84:897-909.e4. [PMID: 38340716 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) can backtrack during transcription elongation, exposing the 3' end of nascent RNA. Nascent RNA sequencing can approximate the location of backtracking events that are quickly resolved; however, the extent and genome-wide distribution of more persistent backtracking are unknown. Consequently, we developed a method to directly sequence the extruded, "backtracked" 3' RNA. Our data show that RNA Pol II slides backward more than 20 nt in human cells and can persist in this backtracked state. Persistent backtracking mainly occurs where RNA Pol II pauses near promoters and intron-exon junctions and is enriched in genes involved in translation, replication, and development, where gene expression is decreased if these events are unresolved. Histone genes are highly prone to persistent backtracking, and the resolution of such events is likely required for timely expression during cell division. These results demonstrate that persistent backtracking can potentially affect diverse gene expression programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin B Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Aviram Rasouly
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Criseyda Martinez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Thao Nguyen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Ilya Shamovsky
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Evgeny Nudler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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2
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Vasilyev N, Liu MMJ, Epshtein V, Shamovsky I, Nudler E. General transcription factor from Escherichia coli with a distinct mechanism of action. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:141-149. [PMID: 38177674 PMCID: PMC10803263 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01154-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Gene expression in Escherichia coli is controlled by well-established mechanisms that activate or repress transcription. Here, we identify CedA as an unconventional transcription factor specifically associated with the RNA polymerase (RNAP) σ70 holoenzyme. Structural and biochemical analysis of CedA bound to RNAP reveal that it bridges distant domains of β and σ70 subunits to stabilize an open-promoter complex. CedA does so without contacting DNA. We further show that cedA is strongly induced in response to amino acid starvation, oxidative stress and aminoglycosides. CedA provides a basal level of tolerance to these clinically relevant antibiotics, as well as to rifampicin and peroxide. Finally, we show that CedA modulates transcription of hundreds of bacterial genes, which explains its pleotropic effect on cell physiology and pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Vasilyev
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mengjie M J Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ilya Shamovsky
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Evgeny Nudler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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3
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Yang KB, Rasouly A, Epshtein V, Martinez C, Nguyen T, Shamovsky I, Nudler E. Persistence of backtracking by human RNA polymerase II. bioRxiv 2023:2023.12.13.571520. [PMID: 38168453 PMCID: PMC10760130 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.13.571520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
RNA polymerase II (pol II) can backtrack during transcription elongation, exposing the 3' end of nascent RNA. Nascent RNA sequencing can approximate the location of backtracking events that are quickly resolved; however, the extent and genome wide distribution of more persistent backtracking is unknown. Consequently, we developed a novel method to directly sequence the extruded, "backtracked" 3' RNA. Our data shows that pol II slides backwards more than 20 nucleotides in human cells and can persist in this backtracked state. Persistent backtracking mainly occurs where pol II pauses near promoters and intron-exon junctions, and is enriched in genes involved in translation, replication, and development, where gene expression is decreased if these events are unresolved. Histone genes are highly prone to persistent backtracking, and the resolution of such events is likely required for timely expression during cell division. These results demonstrate that persistent backtracking has the potential to affect diverse gene expression programs.
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4
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Hao Z, Gowder M, Proshkin S, Bharati BK, Epshtein V, Svetlov V, Shamovsky I, Nudler E. RNA polymerase drives ribonucleotide excision DNA repair in E. coli. Cell 2023; 186:2425-2437.e21. [PMID: 37196657 PMCID: PMC10515295 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Ribonuclease HII (RNaseHII) is the principal enzyme that removes misincorporated ribonucleoside monophosphates (rNMPs) from genomic DNA. Here, we present structural, biochemical, and genetic evidence demonstrating that ribonucleotide excision repair (RER) is directly coupled to transcription. Affinity pull-downs and mass-spectrometry-assisted mapping of in cellulo inter-protein cross-linking reveal the majority of RNaseHII molecules interacting with RNA polymerase (RNAP) in E. coli. Cryoelectron microscopy structures of RNaseHII bound to RNAP during elongation, with and without the target rNMP substrate, show specific protein-protein interactions that define the transcription-coupled RER (TC-RER) complex in engaged and unengaged states. The weakening of RNAP-RNaseHII interactions compromises RER in vivo. The structure-functional data support a model where RNaseHII scans DNA in one dimension in search for rNMPs while "riding" the RNAP. We further demonstrate that TC-RER accounts for a significant fraction of repair events, thereby establishing RNAP as a surveillance "vehicle" for detecting the most frequently occurring replication errors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhitai Hao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Manjunath Gowder
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Sergey Proshkin
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Binod K Bharati
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Vladimir Svetlov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Ilya Shamovsky
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Evgeny Nudler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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5
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Weaver JW, Proshkin S, Duan W, Epshtein V, Gowder M, Bharati BK, Afanaseva E, Mironov A, Serganov A, Nudler E. Control of transcription elongation and DNA repair by alarmone ppGpp. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023; 30:600-607. [PMID: 36997761 PMCID: PMC10191844 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-00948-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
Second messenger (p)ppGpp (collectively guanosine tetraphosphate and guanosine pentaphosphate) mediates bacterial adaptation to nutritional stress by modulating transcription initiation. More recently, ppGpp has been implicated in coupling transcription and DNA repair; however, the mechanism of ppGpp engagement remained elusive. Here we present structural, biochemical and genetic evidence that ppGpp controls Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (RNAP) during elongation via a specific site that is nonfunctional during initiation. Structure-guided mutagenesis renders the elongation (but not initiation) complex unresponsive to ppGpp and increases bacterial sensitivity to genotoxic agents and ultraviolet radiation. Thus, ppGpp binds RNAP at sites with distinct functions in initiation and elongation, with the latter being important for promoting DNA repair. Our data provide insights on the molecular mechanism of ppGpp-mediated adaptation during stress, and further highlight the intricate relationships between genome stability, stress responses and transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob W Weaver
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sergey Proshkin
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Science, Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Moscow, Russia
| | - Wenqian Duan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Manjunath Gowder
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Binod K Bharati
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elena Afanaseva
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Science, Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Mironov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Science, Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Serganov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Evgeny Nudler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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6
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Bharati BK, Gowder M, Zheng F, Alzoubi K, Svetlov V, Kamarthapu V, Weaver JW, Epshtein V, Vasilyev N, Shen L, Zhang Y, Nudler E. Crucial role and mechanism of transcription-coupled DNA repair in bacteria. Nature 2022; 604:152-159. [PMID: 35355008 PMCID: PMC9370829 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04530-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Transcription-coupled DNA repair (TCR) is presumed to be a minor sub-pathway of nucleotide excision repair (NER) in bacteria. Global genomic repair is thought to perform the bulk of repair independently of transcription. TCR is also believed to be mediated exclusively by Mfd-a DNA translocase of a marginal NER phenotype1-3. Here we combined in cellulo cross-linking mass spectrometry with structural, biochemical and genetic approaches to map the interactions within the TCR complex (TCRC) and to determine the actual sequence of events that leads to NER in vivo. We show that RNA polymerase (RNAP) serves as the primary sensor of DNA damage and acts as a platform for the recruitment of NER enzymes. UvrA and UvrD associate with RNAP continuously, forming a surveillance pre-TCRC. In response to DNA damage, pre-TCRC recruits a second UvrD monomer to form a helicase-competent UvrD dimer that promotes backtracking of the TCRC. The weakening of UvrD-RNAP interactions renders cells sensitive to genotoxic stress. TCRC then recruits a second UvrA molecule and UvrB to initiate the repair process. Contrary to the conventional view, we show that TCR accounts for the vast majority of chromosomal repair events; that is, TCR thoroughly dominates over global genomic repair. We also show that TCR is largely independent of Mfd. We propose that Mfd has an indirect role in this process: it participates in removing obstructive RNAPs in front of TCRCs and also in recovering TCRCs from backtracking after repair has been completed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binod K Bharati
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Manjunath Gowder
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Fangfang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Khaled Alzoubi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vladimir Svetlov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Venu Kamarthapu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jacob W Weaver
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nikita Vasilyev
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Liqiang Shen
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Evgeny Nudler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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7
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Abstract
Global Genomic Repair (GGR) and Transcription-Coupled Repair (TCR) have been viewed, respectively, as major and minor sub-pathways of the nucleotide excision repair (NER) process that removes bulky lesions from the genome. Here we applied a next generation sequencing assay, CPD-seq, in E. coli to measure the levels of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) lesions before, during, and after UV-induced genotoxic stress, and, therefore, to determine the rate of genomic recovery by NER at a single nucleotide resolution. We find that active transcription is necessary for the repair of not only the template strand (TS), but also the non-template strand (NTS), and that the bulk of TCR is independent of Mfd – a DNA translocase that is thought to be necessary and sufficient for TCR in bacteria. We further show that repair of both TS and NTS is enhanced by increased readthrough past Rho-dependent terminators. We demonstrate that UV-induced genotoxic stress promotes global antitermination so that TCR is more accessible to the antisense, intergenic, and other low transcribed regions. Overall, our data suggest that GGR and TCR are essentially the same process required for complete repair of the bacterial genome. Transcription-Coupled DNA repair has been classically defined as the preferential repair of the template strand (TS) over the non-template strand (NTS). Here the authors challenge this classic model of TCR by using a genome-wide repair assay, CPD-seq, as well as RNA-seq, to show that TCR occurs across the entire E. coli genome – including NTS and intergenic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britney Martinez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Binod K Bharati
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Evgeny Nudler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA. .,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, 10016, USA.
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8
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Hao Z, Epshtein V, Kim KH, Proshkin S, Svetlov V, Kamarthapu V, Bharati B, Mironov A, Walz T, Nudler E. Pre-termination Transcription Complex: Structure and Function. Mol Cell 2020; 81:281-292.e8. [PMID: 33296676 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Rho is a general transcription termination factor playing essential roles in RNA polymerase (RNAP) recycling, gene regulation, and genomic stability in most bacteria. Traditional models of transcription termination postulate that hexameric Rho loads onto RNA prior to contacting RNAP and then translocates along the transcript in pursuit of the moving RNAP to pull RNA from it. Here, we report the cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of two termination process intermediates. Prior to interacting with RNA, Rho forms a specific "pre-termination complex" (PTC) with RNAP and elongation factors NusA and NusG, which stabilize the PTC. RNA exiting RNAP interacts with NusA before entering the central channel of Rho from the distal C-terminal side of the ring. We map the principal interactions in the PTC and demonstrate their critical role in termination. Our results support a mechanism in which the formation of a persistent PTC is a prerequisite for termination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhitai Hao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Kelly H Kim
- Laboratory of Molecular Electron Microscopy, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sergey Proshkin
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Vladimir Svetlov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Venu Kamarthapu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Binod Bharati
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Alexander Mironov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Thomas Walz
- Laboratory of Molecular Electron Microscopy, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Evgeny Nudler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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9
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Sedlyarova N, Rescheneder P, Magán A, Popitsch N, Rziha N, Bilusic I, Epshtein V, Zimmermann B, Lybecker M, Sedlyarov V, Schroeder R, Nudler E. Natural RNA Polymerase Aptamers Regulate Transcription in E. coli. Mol Cell 2017. [PMID: 28648779 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2017.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
In search for RNA signals that modulate transcription via direct interaction with RNA polymerase (RNAP), we deep sequenced an E. coli genomic library enriched for RNAP-binding RNAs. Many natural RNAP-binding aptamers, termed RAPs, were mapped to the genome. Over 60% of E. coli genes carry RAPs in their mRNA. Combining in vitro and in vivo approaches, we characterized a subset of inhibitory RAPs (iRAPs) that promote Rho-dependent transcription termination. A representative iRAP within the coding region of the essential gene, nadD, greatly reduces its transcriptional output in stationary phase and under oxidative stress, demonstrating that iRAPs control gene expression in response to changing environment. The mechanism of iRAPs involves active uncoupling of transcription and translation, making nascent RNA accessible to Rho. iRAPs encoded in the antisense strand also promote gene expression by reducing transcriptional interference. In essence, our work uncovers a broad class of cis-acting RNA signals that globally control bacterial transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadezda Sedlyarova
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Dr. Bohrgasse 9/5, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Philipp Rescheneder
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna & Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrés Magán
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Dr. Bohrgasse 9/5, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Niko Popitsch
- Children's Cancer Research Institute, St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Natascha Rziha
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Dr. Bohrgasse 9/5, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ivana Bilusic
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Dr. Bohrgasse 9/5, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Bob Zimmermann
- Department of Molecular Evolution and Development, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Meghan Lybecker
- University of Colorado, 1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO 80918, USA
| | - Vitaly Sedlyarov
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Renée Schroeder
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Dr. Bohrgasse 9/5, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Evgeny Nudler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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10
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Sedlyarova N, Shamovsky I, Bharati BK, Epshtein V, Chen J, Gottesman S, Schroeder R, Nudler E. sRNA-Mediated Control of Transcription Termination in E. coli. Cell 2016; 167:111-121.e13. [PMID: 27662085 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) have been implicated in various aspects of post-transcriptional gene regulation. Here, we demonstrate that sRNAs also act at the level of transcription termination. We use the rpoS gene, which encodes a general stress sigma factor σ(S), as a model system, and show that sRNAs DsrA, ArcZ, and RprA bind the rpoS 5'UTR to suppress premature Rho-dependent transcription termination, both in vitro and in vivo. sRNA-mediated antitermination markedly stimulates transcription of rpoS during the transition to the stationary phase of growth, thereby facilitating a rapid adjustment of bacteria to global metabolic changes. Next generation RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis indicate that Rho functions as a global "attenuator" of transcription, acting at the 5'UTR of hundreds of bacterial genes, and that its suppression by sRNAs is a widespread mode of bacterial gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadezda Sedlyarova
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellbiology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Dr. Bohrgasse 9/5, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Ilya Shamovsky
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Binod K Bharati
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jiandong Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Susan Gottesman
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Renée Schroeder
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellbiology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Dr. Bohrgasse 9/5, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Evgeny Nudler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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11
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Kamarthapu V, Epshtein V, Benjamin B, Proshkin S, Mironov A, Cashel M, Nudler E. ppGpp couples transcription to DNA repair in E. coli. Science 2016; 352:993-6. [PMID: 27199428 DOI: 10.1126/science.aad6945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The small molecule alarmone (p)ppGpp mediates bacterial adaptation to nutrient deprivation by altering the initiation properties of RNA polymerase (RNAP). ppGpp is generated in Escherichia coli by two related enzymes, RelA and SpoT. We show that ppGpp is robustly, but transiently, induced in response to DNA damage and is required for efficient nucleotide excision DNA repair (NER). This explains why relA-spoT-deficient cells are sensitive to diverse genotoxic agents and ultraviolet radiation, whereas ppGpp induction renders them more resistant to such challenges. The mechanism of DNA protection by ppGpp involves promotion of UvrD-mediated RNAP backtracking. By rendering RNAP backtracking-prone, ppGpp couples transcription to DNA repair and prompts transitions between repair and recovery states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venu Kamarthapu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Bradley Benjamin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Sergey Proshkin
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Alexander Mironov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Michael Cashel
- Division of Developmental Biology, Intramural Research Program, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Evgeny Nudler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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12
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Nudler E, Epshtein V, Kamarthapu V, Svetlov V, McGary K. A New Look at Transcription‐Coupled DNA Repair. FASEB J 2015. [DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.490.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Evgeny Nudler
- BiochemistryNYU School of MedicineHoward Hughes Medical InstituteUnited States
| | - Vitaly Epshtein
- BiochemistryNYU School of MedicineHoward Hughes Medical InstituteUnited States
| | - Venu Kamarthapu
- BiochemistryNYU School of MedicineHoward Hughes Medical InstituteUnited States
| | - Vladimir Svetlov
- BiochemistryNYU School of MedicineHoward Hughes Medical InstituteUnited States
| | - Kathleen McGary
- BiochemistryNYU School of MedicineHoward Hughes Medical InstituteUnited States
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13
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Epshtein V, Kamarthapu V, McGary K, Svetlov V, Ueberheide B, Proshkin S, Mironov A, Nudler E. UvrD facilitates DNA repair by pulling RNA polymerase backwards. Nature 2014; 505:372-7. [PMID: 24402227 DOI: 10.1038/nature12928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2013] [Accepted: 12/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
UvrD helicase is required for nucleotide excision repair, although its role in this process is not well defined. Here we show that Escherichia coli UvrD binds RNA polymerase during transcription elongation and, using its helicase/translocase activity, forces RNA polymerase to slide backward along DNA. By inducing backtracking, UvrD exposes DNA lesions shielded by blocked RNA polymerase, allowing nucleotide excision repair enzymes to gain access to sites of damage. Our results establish UvrD as a bona fide transcription elongation factor that contributes to genomic integrity by resolving conflicts between transcription and DNA repair complexes. Furthermore, we show that the elongation factor NusA cooperates with UvrD in coupling transcription to DNA repair by promoting backtracking and recruiting nucleotide excision repair enzymes to exposed lesions. Because backtracking is a shared feature of all cellular RNA polymerases, we propose that this mechanism enables RNA polymerases to function as global DNA damage scanners in bacteria and eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitaly Epshtein
- 1] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA [2]
| | - Venu Kamarthapu
- 1] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA [2] Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA [3]
| | - Katelyn McGary
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Vladimir Svetlov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Beatrix Ueberheide
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Sergey Proshkin
- State Research Institute of Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms, Moscow 117545, Russia
| | - Alexander Mironov
- 1] State Research Institute of Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms, Moscow 117545, Russia [2] Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Evgeny Nudler
- 1] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA [2] Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
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14
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Sosunova E, Sosunov V, Epshtein V, Nikiforov V, Mustaev A. Control of transcriptional fidelity by active center tuning as derived from RNA polymerase endonuclease reaction. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:6688-703. [PMID: 23283976 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.424002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Precise transcription by cellular RNA polymerase requires the efficient removal of noncognate nucleotide residues that are occasionally incorporated. Mis-incorporation causes the transcription elongation complex to backtrack, releasing a single strand 3'-RNA segment bearing a noncognate residue, which is hydrolyzed by the active center that carries two Mg(2+) ions. However, in most x-ray structures only one Mg(2+) is present. This Mg(2+) is tightly bound to the active center aspartates, creating an inactive stable state. The first residue of the single strand RNA segment in the backtracked transcription elongation complex strongly promotes transcript hydrolytic cleavage by establishing a network of interactions that force a shift of stably bound Mg(2+) to release some of its aspartate coordination valences for binding to the second Mg(2+) thus enabling catalysis. Such a rearrangement that we call active center tuning (ACT) occurs when all recognition contacts of the active center-bound RNA segment are established and verified by tolerance to stress. Transcription factor Gre builds on the ACT mechanism in the same reaction by increasing the retention of the second Mg(2+) and by activating the attacking water, causing 3000-4000-fold reaction acceleration and strongly reinforcing proofreading. The unified mechanism for RNA synthesis and degradation by RNA polymerase predicts that ACT also executes NTP selection thereby contributing to high transcription fidelity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Sosunova
- Public Health Research Institute Center, New Jersey Medical School, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey 07103, USA
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15
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Dutta D, Shatalin K, Epshtein V, Gottesman ME, Nudler E. Linking RNA polymerase backtracking to genome instability in E. coli. Cell 2011; 146:533-43. [PMID: 21854980 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2011.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 249] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2011] [Revised: 04/18/2011] [Accepted: 07/26/2011] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Frequent codirectional collisions between the replisome and RNA polymerase (RNAP) are inevitable because the rate of replication is much faster than that of transcription. Here we show that, in E. coli, the outcome of such collisions depends on the productive state of transcription elongation complexes (ECs). Codirectional collisions with backtracked (arrested) ECs lead to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), whereas head-on collisions do not. A mechanistic model is proposed to explain backtracking-mediated DSBs. We further show that bacteria employ various strategies to avoid replisome collisions with backtracked RNAP, the most general of which is translation that prevents RNAP backtracking. If translation is abrogated, DSBs are suppressed by elongation factors that either prevent backtracking or reactivate backtracked ECs. Finally, termination factors also contribute to genomic stability by removing arrested ECs. Our results establish RNAP backtracking as the intrinsic hazard to chromosomal integrity and implicate active ribosomes and other anti-backtracking mechanisms in genome maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipak Dutta
- Department of Biochemistry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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16
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Artsimovitch I, Svetlov V, Nemetski SM, Epshtein V, Cardozo T, Nudler E. Tagetitoxin inhibits RNA polymerase through trapping of the trigger loop. J Biol Chem 2011; 286:40395-400. [PMID: 21976682 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.300889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Tagetitoxin (Tgt) inhibits multisubunit chloroplast, bacterial, and some eukaryotic RNA polymerases (RNAPs). A crystallographic structure of Tgt bound to bacterial RNAP apoenzyme shows that Tgt binds near the active site but does not explain why Tgt acts only at certain sites. To understand the Tgt mechanism, we constructed a structural model of Tgt bound to the transcription elongation complex. In this model, Tgt interacts with the β' subunit trigger loop (TL), stabilizing it in an inactive conformation. We show that (i) substitutions of the Arg residue of TL contacted by Tgt confer resistance to inhibitor; (ii) Tgt inhibits RNAP translocation, which requires TL movements; and (iii) paused complexes and a "slow" enzyme, in which the TL likely folds into an altered conformation, are resistant to Tgt. Our studies highlight the role of TL as a target through which accessory proteins and antibiotics can alter the elongation complex dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Artsimovitch
- Department of Microbiology and the Center for RNA Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
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17
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Epshtein V, Dutta D, Wade J, Nudler E. Erratum: An allosteric mechanism of Rho-dependent transcription termination. Nature 2010. [DOI: 10.1038/nature09360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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18
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Epshtein V, Dutta D, Wade J, Nudler E. An allosteric mechanism of Rho-dependent transcription termination. Nature 2010; 463:245-9. [PMID: 20075920 DOI: 10.1038/nature08669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2009] [Accepted: 11/16/2009] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Rho is the essential RNA helicase that sets the borders between transcription units and adjusts transcriptional yield to translational needs in bacteria. Although Rho was the first termination factor to be discovered, the actual mechanism by which it reaches and disrupts the elongation complex (EC) is unknown. Here we show that the termination-committed Rho molecule associates with RNA polymerase (RNAP) throughout the transcription cycle; that is, it does not require the nascent transcript for initial binding. Moreover, the formation of the RNAP-Rho complex is crucial for termination. We show further that Rho-dependent termination is a two-step process that involves rapid EC inactivation (trap) and a relatively slow dissociation. Inactivation is the critical rate-limiting step that establishes the position of the termination site. The trap mechanism depends on the allosterically induced rearrangement of the RNAP catalytic centre by means of the evolutionarily conserved mobile trigger-loop domain, which is also required for EC dissociation. The key structural and functional similarities, which we found between Rho-dependent and intrinsic (Rho-independent) termination pathways, argue that the allosteric mechanism of termination is general and likely to be preserved for all cellular RNAPs throughout evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
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19
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Abstract
Natural RNA sensors of small molecules (a.k.a. riboswitches) regulate numerous metabolic genes. In bacteria, these RNA elements control transcription termination and translation initiation by changing the folding pathway of nascent RNA upon direct binding of a metabolite. To identify and study riboswitches we used in vitro reconstituted solid-phase transcription elongation/termination system. This approach allows for direct monitoring of ligand binding and riboswitch functioning, establishing the working concentration of a ligand as a function of RNA polymerase speed, and also probing RNA structure of the riboswitch. Using this system we have been able to identify and characterize first several riboswitches including those involved in vitamin biosynthesis and sulfur metabolism. The system can be utilized to facilitate biochemical studies of riboswitches in general, i.e., to simplify analysis of riboswitches that are not necessarily involved in transcriptional control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Mironov
- State Research Institute of Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms, Moscow 113545, Russia
| | - Vitaly Epshtein
- Dept. of Biochemistry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10016
| | - Evgeny Nudler
- Dept. of Biochemistry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10016
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20
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Epshtein V, Cardinale CJ, Ruckenstein AE, Borukhov S, Nudler E. An allosteric path to transcription termination. Mol Cell 2008; 28:991-1001. [PMID: 18158897 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2007.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2007] [Revised: 07/18/2007] [Accepted: 10/10/2007] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Transcription termination signals in bacteria occur in RNA as a strong hairpin followed by a stretch of U residues at the 3' terminus. To release the transcript, RNA polymerase (RNAP) is thought to translocate forward without RNA synthesis. Here we provide genetic and biochemical evidence supporting an alternative model in which extensive conformational changes across the enzyme lead to termination without forward translocation. In this model, flexible parts of the RNA exit channel (zipper, flap, and zinc finger) assist the initial step of hairpin folding (nucleation). The hairpin then invades the RNAP main channel, causing RNA:DNA hybrid melting, structural changes of the catalytic site, and DNA-clamp opening induced by interaction with the G(trigger)-loop. Our results envision the elongation complex as a flexible structure, not a rigid body, and establish basic principles of the termination pathway that are likely to be universal in prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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21
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Tadigotla VR, Maoiléidigh DÓ, Sengupta AM, Epshtein V, Ebright RH, Nudler E, Ruckenstein AE. Thermodynamic and kinetic modeling of transcriptional pausing. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2006; 103:4439-44. [PMID: 16537373 PMCID: PMC1450190 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0600508103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2005] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a statistical mechanics approach for the prediction of backtracked pauses in bacterial transcription elongation derived from structural models of the transcription elongation complex (EC). Our algorithm is based on the thermodynamic stability of the EC along the DNA template calculated from the sequence-dependent free energy of DNA-DNA, DNA-RNA, and RNA-RNA base pairing associated with (i) the translocational and size fluctuations of the transcription bubble; (ii) changes in the associated DNA-RNA hybrid; and (iii) changes in the cotranscriptional RNA secondary structure upstream of the RNA exit channel. The calculations involve no adjustable parameters except for a cutoff used to discriminate paused from nonpaused complexes. When applied to 100 experimental pauses in transcription elongation by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase on 10 DNA templates, the approach produces statistically significant results. We also present a kinetic model for the rate of recovery of backtracked paused complexes. A crucial ingredient of our model is the incorporation of kinetic barriers to backtracking resulting from steric clashes of EC with the cotranscriptionally generated RNA secondary structure, an aspect not included explicitly in previous attempts at modeling the transcription elongation process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anirvan M. Sengupta
- *BioMaPS Institute for Quantitative Biology
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
| | - Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10016
| | - Richard H. Ebright
- *BioMaPS Institute for Quantitative Biology
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, and
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Waksman Institute, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854; and
| | - Evgeny Nudler
- Department of Biochemistry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10016
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22
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Bar-Nahum G, Epshtein V, Ruckenstein AE, Rafikov R, Mustaev A, Nudler E. A ratchet mechanism of transcription elongation and its control. Cell 2005; 120:183-93. [PMID: 15680325 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2004.11.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 262] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2004] [Revised: 09/14/2004] [Accepted: 11/23/2004] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
RNA chain elongation is a highly processive and accurate process that is finely regulated by numerous intrinsic and extrinsic signals. Here we describe a general mechanism that governs RNA polymerase (RNAP) movement and response to regulatory inputs such as pauses, terminators, and elongation factors. We show that E.coli RNAP moves by a complex Brownian ratchet mechanism, which acts prior to phosphodiester bond formation. The incoming substrate and the flexible F bridge domain of the catalytic center serve as two separate ratchet devices that function in concert to drive forward translocation. The adjacent G loop domain controls F bridge motion, thus keeping the proper balance between productive and inactive states of the elongation complex. This balance is critical for cell viability since it determines the rate, processivity, and fidelity of transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gil Bar-Nahum
- Department of Biochemistry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
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23
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Mustaev A, Zaychikov E, Grachev M, Kozlov M, Severinov K, Epshtein V, Korzheva N, Bereshchenko O, Markovtsov V, Lukhtanov E, Tsarev I, Maximova T, Kashlev M, Bass I, Nikiforov V, Goldfarb A. Strategies and methods of cross-linking of RNA polymerase active center. Methods Enzymol 2004; 371:191-206. [PMID: 14712701 DOI: 10.1016/s0076-6879(03)71014-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Arkadv Mustaev
- Public Health Research Institute, 455 First Avenue, New York, New York 10016, USA
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24
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Epshtein V, Toulmé F, Rahmouni AR, Borukhov S, Nudler E. Transcription through the roadblocks: the role of RNA polymerase cooperation. EMBO J 2003; 22:4719-27. [PMID: 12970184 PMCID: PMC212720 DOI: 10.1093/emboj/cdg452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2003] [Revised: 07/10/2003] [Accepted: 07/23/2003] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
During transcription, cellular RNA polymerases (RNAP) have to deal with numerous potential roadblocks imposed by various DNA binding proteins. Many such proteins partially or completely interrupt a single round of RNA chain elongation in vitro. Here we demonstrate that Escherichia coli RNAP can effectively read through the site-specific DNA-binding proteins in vitro and in vivo if more than one RNAP molecule is allowed to initiate from the same promoter. The anti-roadblock activity of the trailing RNAP does not require transcript cleavage activity but relies on forward translocation of roadblocked complexes. These results support a cooperation model of transcription whereby RNAP molecules behave as 'partners' helping one another to traverse intrinsic and extrinsic obstacles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
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25
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Abstract
Transcription elongation is responsible for rapid synthesis of RNA chains of thousands of nucleotides in vivo. In contrast, a single round of transcription performed in vitro is frequently interrupted by pauses and arrests that drastically reduce the elongation rate and the yield of the full-length transcript. Here we demonstrate that most transcriptional delays disappear if more than one RNA polymerase (RNAP) molecule initiates from the same promoter. Anti-arrest and anti-pause effects of trailing RNAP are due to forward translocation of leading (backtracked) complexes. Such cooperation between RNAP molecules links the rate of elongation to the rate of initiation and explains why elongation is still fast and processive in vivo even without anti-arrest factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
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26
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Abstract
Many operons in Gram-positive bacteria that are involved in methionine (Met) and cysteine (Cys) biosynthesis possess an evolutionarily conserved regulatory leader sequence (S-box) that positively controls these genes in response to methionine starvation. Here, we demonstrate that a feed-back regulation mechanism utilizes S-adenosyl-methionine as an effector. S-adenosyl-methionine directly and specifically binds to the nascent S-box RNA, causing an intrinsic terminator to form and interrupt transcription prematurely. The S-box leader RNA thus expands the family of newly discovered riboswitches, i.e., natural regulatory RNA aptamers that seem to sense small molecules ranging from amino acid derivatives to vitamins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitaly Epshtein
- Department of Biochemistry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
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27
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Yuzenkova J, Delgado M, Nechaev S, Savalia D, Epshtein V, Artsimovitch I, Mooney RA, Landick R, Farias RN, Salomon R, Severinov K. Mutations of bacterial RNA polymerase leading to resistance to microcin j25. J Biol Chem 2002; 277:50867-75. [PMID: 12401787 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m209425200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
A mutation in the conserved segment of the rpoC gene, which codes for the largest RNA polymerase (RNAP) subunit, beta', was found to make Escherichia coli cells resistant to microcin J25 (MccJ25), a bactericidal 21-amino acid peptide active against Gram-negative bacteria (Delgado, M. A., Rintoul, M. R., Farias, R. N., and Salomon, R. A. (2001) J. Bacteriol. 183, 4543-4550). Here, we report that mutant RNAP prepared from MccJ25-resistant cells, but not the wild-type RNAP, is resistant to MccJ25 in vitro, thus establishing that RNAP is a true cellular target of MccJ25. We also report the isolation of additional rpoC mutations that lead to MccJ25 resistance in vivo and in vitro. The new mutations affect beta' amino acids in evolutionarily conserved segments G, G', and F and are exposed into the RNAP secondary channel, a narrow opening that connects the enzyme surface with the catalytic center. We also report that previously known rpoB (RNAP beta subunit) mutations that lead to streptolydigin resistance cause resistance to MccJ25. We hypothesize that MccJ25 inhibits transcription by binding in RNAP secondary channel and blocking substrate access to the catalytic center.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Yuzenkova
- Department of Genetics, Waksman Institute, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
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