Transcript Slide 1
Transcription
5----3 direction
RNA polymerase
consensus sequence
Initiation
Elongation
Termination
α2ββ’σ
σ = Initiation factor
Promotor
-35 = TTGACA
-10 = TATAAT (Pribnow box)
ρ dependent, independent
Stem& Loop
ρ Factor
Structural similarity between a bacterial RNA polymerase and a eucaryotic RNA polymerase II. Regions of
the two RNA polymerases that have similar structures are indicated in green. The eucaryotic polymerase is larger
than the bacterial enzyme (12 subunits instead of 5), and some of the additional regions are shown in gray. The
blue spheres represent Zn atoms that serve as structural components of the polymerases, and the red sphere
represents the Mg atom present at the active site, where polymerization takes place. The RNA polymerases in all
modern-day cells (bacteria, archaea, and eucaryotes) are closely related, indicating that the basic features of the
enzyme were in place before the divergence of the three major branches of life
Transcription Bubble. A schematic representation of a transcription bubble in the
elongation of an RNA transcript. Duplex DNA is unwound at the forward end of RNA
polymerase and rewound at its rear end. The RNA-DNA hybrid rotates during
elongation.
The structure of a bacterial RNA polymerase. Two depictions of the three-dimensional structure
of a bacterial RNA polymerase, with the DNA and RNA modeled in. This RNA polymerase is formed
from four different subunits, indicated by different colors (right). The DNA strand used as a template
is red, and the non-template strand is yellow. The rudder wedges apart the DNA-RNA hybrid as the
polymerase moves. For simplicity only the polypeptide backbone of the rudder is shown in the righthand figure, and the DNA exiting from the polymerase has been omitted. Because the RNA
polymerase is depicted in the elongation mode, the σ factor is absent
Schematic representation of the major form of E. coli RNA polymerase bound to
DNA. By convention, the transcription-initiation site is generally numbered +1. Base
pairs extending in the direction of transcription are said to be downstream of the start
site; those extending in the opposite direction are upstream. The σ70 subunit binds to
specific sequences near the −10 and −35 positions in the promoter. The α subunits lie
close to the DNA in the upstream direction. The β and β′ subunits associate with the
start site
Alternative Promoter Sequences. A comparison of the consensus sequences of
standard promoters, heat-shock promoters, and nitrogen-starvation promoters of E.
coli. These promoters are recognized by σ70, σ32, and σ54, respectively.
Members of the s70 family of sigma factors have 4 conserved regions
Region 1
masks the DNA binding activities that are present in regions 2 and 4, which become unmasked when the sigma factor
binds to the core RNA polymerase
Region 2
Subregion 2.3 and 2.4 form a DNA binding activity that recognizes the -10 promoter motif, region 2 also interacts with
core enzyme components
Region 4:
a DNA binding activity that recognizes the -35 promoter motif
subunit
size
aa
size
(Kd)
gene
function
alpha ()
329
36511
rpoA
required for assembly of the
enzyme; interacts with some
regulatory proteins; also
involved in catalysis
beta (b)
1342
150616
rpoB
involved in catalysis: chain
initiation and elongation
beta' (b')
1407
155159
rpoC
binds to the DNA template
sigma (s)
613
70263
rpoD
directs enzyme to the promoter
rpoZ
required to restore denatured
RNA polymerase in vitro to its
fully functional form
omega (w)
91
10237
sigma
factor
gene
function
s70
rpoD
principal sigma factor
s54
rpoN (ntrA,
glnF)
nitrogen-regulated gene transcription
s32
rpoH
heat-shock gene transcription
sS
rpoS
gene expression in stationary phase cells
sF
rpoF
expression of flagellar operons
sE
rpoE
involved in heat shock and oxidative stress responses;
regulates expression of extracytoplasmic proteins
sFecI
fecI
regulates the fec genes for iron dicitrate transport
Sigma
Factor
Promoters Recognized
Promoter
Consensus
−35 Region
−10 Region
σ70
Most genes
TTGACAT
TATAAT
σ32
Genes induced by heat shock
TCTCNCCCTTG
AA
CCCCATN
TA
σ28
Genes for motility and chemotaxis
CTAAA
CCGATAT
σ38
Genes for stationary phase and stress
response
σ54
Genes for nitrogen metabolism and other
functions
?
?
−24 Region
−12 Region
CTGGNA
TTGCA
Structure of the σ Subunit. The structure of a fragment from the E. coli subunit σ70
reveals the position of an α helix on the protein surface; this helix plays an important role
in binding to the -10 TATAAT sequence.
RNA-DNA Hybrid Separation.
A structure within RNA polymerase forces the
separation of the RNA-DNA hybrid, allowing the DNA strand to exit in one direction and
the RNA product to exit in another
Mechanism For the Termination of Transcription by ρ Protein. This protein is an
ATP-dependent helicase that binds the nascent RNA chain and pulls it away from RNA
polymerase and the DNA template.
Rho factor
Rho-dependent termination. Rho is a helicase that follows the RNA polymerase along
the transcript. When the polymerase stalls at a hairpin, Rho catches up and breaks the
RNA-DNA base pairs, releasing the transcript. Note that the diagram is schematic and
does not reflect the relative sizes of Rho and the RNA polymerase.
Termination at an intrinsic terminator. The presence of an inverted palindrome in the
DNA sequence results in formation of a hairpin loop in the transcript
Termination Signal. A termination signal found at the 3′ end of an mRNA transcript
consists of a series of bases that form a stable stem-loop structure and a series of U
residues
Rho Independent Transcription Termination
Rho Dependent Transcription Termination