Article
- The EMBO Journal (2006) 25, 1700 - 1709
- doi:10.1038/sj.emboj.7601069
Published online: 6 April 2006
Subject Categories:
The role of an upstream promoter interaction in initiation of bacterial transcription
Sergei Nechaev1,2 and E Peter Geiduschek1
- Division of Biological Sciences and Center for Molecular Genetics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Present address: Laboratory of Molecular Carcinogenesis, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 111, TW Alexander Drive, Room D454A, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
Correspondence to:
Sergei Nechaev, Division of Biological Sciences and Center for Molecular Genetics, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0634, USA. Tel.: +1 858 534 2451; Fax: +1 858 534 7073; E-mail: netchaev@biomail.ucsd.edu
Received 5 January 2006; Accepted 9 March 2006
Abstract
The bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) recognizes promoters through sequence-specific contacts of its promoter-specificity components (
) with two DNA sequence motifs. Contacts with the upstream ('-35') promoter motif are made by domain 4 attached to the flap domain of the RNAP 
subunit. Bacteriophage T4 late promoters consist solely of an extended downstream ('-10') motif specifically recognized by the T4 gene 55 protein (gp55). Low level basal transcription is sustained by gp55-RNAP holoenzyme. The late transcription coactivator gp33 binds to the flap and represses this basal transcription. Gp33 can also repress transcription by Escherichia coli 70-RNAP holoenzyme mutated to allow gp33 access to the flap. We propose that repression is due to gp33 blocking an upstream sequence-independent DNA-binding site on RNAP (as 70 domain 4 does) but, unlike 70 domain 4, providing no new DNA interaction. We show that this upstream interaction is essential only at an early step of transcription initiation, and discuss the role of this interaction in promoter recognition and transcriptional regulation.
Keywords:
- gene regulation,
- repression,
- RNA polymerase,
- phage T4 gp33,
- promoter
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated
REVIEWS
Advances in bacterial promoter recognition and its control by factors that do not bind DNA
Nature Reviews Microbiology Review (01 Jul 2008)
NEWS AND VIEWS
An RNA transcriptional regulator templates its own regulatory RNA
Nature Chemical Biology News and Views (01 Feb 2007)
Nature Structural Biology News and Views (01 Jul 2002)
RESEARCH
T4 AsiA blocks DNA recognition by remodeling σ 70 region 4
The EMBO Journal Article (04 Aug 2004)
A σ-core interaction of the RNA polymerase holoenzyme that enhances promoter escape
The EMBO Journal Article (21 Mar 2007)
