scholarly journals The role of replication clamp-loader protein HolC of Escherichia coli in overcoming replication / transcription conflicts

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deani L. Cooper ◽  
Taku Harada ◽  
Samia Tamazi ◽  
Alexander E. Ferrazzoli ◽  
Susan T. Lovett
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Dna Replication ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Transcription Elongation ◽  
Specific Inhibitor ◽  
Clamp Loader ◽  
Enhanced Sensitivity ◽  
Transcriptional Termination ◽  
Transcription Complexes

ABSTRACTIn Escherichia coli, DNA replication is catalyzed by an assembly of proteins, the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme. This complex includes the polymerase and proofreading subunits as well as the processivity clamp and clamp loader complex. The holC gene encodes an accessory protein (known as x) to the core clamp loader complex and is the only protein of the holoenzyme that binds to single-strand DNA binding protein, SSB. HolC is not essential for viability although mutants show growth impairment, genetic instability and sensitivity to DNA damaging agents. In this study, to elucidate the role of HolC in replication, we isolate spontaneous suppressor mutants in a holCΔ strain and identify these by whole genome sequencing. Some suppressors are alleles of RNA polymerase, suggesting that transcription is problematic for holC mutant strains or sspA, stringent starvation protein. Using a conditional holC plasmid, we examine factors affecting transcription elongation and termination for synergistic or suppressive effects on holC mutant phenotypes. Alleles of RpoA (α), RpoB (β) and RpoC (β’) RNA polymerase holoenzyme can partially suppress loss of HolC. In contrast, mutations in transcription factors DksA and NusA enhanced the inviability of holC mutants. Mfd had no effect nor did elongation factors GreA and GreB. HolC mutants showed enhanced sensitivity to bicyclomycin, a specific inhibitor of Rho-dependent termination. Bicyclomycin also reverses suppression of holC by rpoA rpoC and sspA.These results are consistent with the hypothesis that transcription complexes block replication in holC mutants and Rho-dependent transcriptional termination and DksA function are particularly important to sustain viability and chromosome integrity.IMPORTANCETranscription elongation complexes present an impediment to DNA replication. We provide evidence that one component of the replication clamp loader complex, HolC, of E. coli is required to overcome these blocks. This genetic study of transcription factor effects on holC growth defects implicates Rho-dependent transcriptional termination and DksA function as critical. It also implicates, for the first time, a role of SspA, stringent starvation protein, in avoidance or tolerance of replication/replication conflicts. We speculate that HolC helps resolve codirectional collisions between replication and transcription complexes, which become toxic in HolC’s absence.

scholarly journals The Role of Replication Clamp-Loader Protein HolC of Escherichia coli in Overcoming Replication/Transcription Conflicts

mBio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deani L. Cooper ◽  
Taku Harada ◽  
Samia Tamazi ◽  
Alexander E. Ferrazzoli ◽  
Susan T. Lovett
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Dna Replication ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Transcription Elongation ◽  
Clamp Loader ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Growth Defects ◽  
Transcriptional Termination ◽  
Transcription Complexes

ABSTRACT In Escherichia coli, DNA replication is catalyzed by an assembly of proteins, the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme. This complex includes the polymerase and proofreading subunits, the processivity clamp, and clamp loader complex. The holC gene encodes an accessory protein (known as χ) to the core clamp loader complex and is the only protein of the holoenzyme that binds to single-strand DNA binding protein, SSB. HolC is not essential for viability, although mutants show growth impairment, genetic instability, and sensitivity to DNA damaging agents. In this study, we isolate spontaneous suppressor mutants in a ΔholC strain and identify these by whole-genome sequencing. Some suppressors are alleles of RNA polymerase, suggesting that transcription is problematic for holC mutant strains, or alleles of sspA, encoding stringent starvation protein. Using a conditional holC plasmid, we examine factors affecting transcription elongation and termination for synergistic or suppressive effects on holC mutant phenotypes. Alleles of RpoA (α), RpoB (β), and RpoC (β′) RNA polymerase holoenzyme can partially suppress loss of HolC. In contrast, mutations in transcription factors DksA and NusA enhanced the inviability of holC mutants. HolC mutants showed enhanced sensitivity to bicyclomycin, a specific inhibitor of Rho-dependent termination. Bicyclomycin also reverses suppression of holC by rpoA, rpoC, and sspA. An inversion of the highly expressed rrnA operon exacerbates the growth defects of holC mutants. We propose that transcription complexes block replication in holC mutants and that Rho-dependent transcriptional termination and DksA function are particularly important to sustain viability and chromosome integrity. IMPORTANCE Transcription elongation complexes present an impediment to DNA replication. We provide evidence that one component of the replication clamp loader complex, HolC, of Escherichia coli is required to overcome these blocks. This genetic study of transcription factor effects on holC growth defects implicates Rho-dependent transcriptional termination and DksA function as critical. It also implicates, for the first time, a role of SspA, stringent starvation protein, in avoidance or tolerance of replication/replication conflicts. We speculate that HolC helps avoid or resolve collisions between replication and transcription complexes, which become toxic in HolC’s absence.

scholarly journals DNA polymerase III protein, HolC, helps resolve replication/transcription conflicts

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 143-145
Author(s):  
Susan T. Lovett
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Dna Polymerase ◽  
Specific Inhibitor ◽  
Dna Polymerase Iii ◽  
Clamp Loader ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Enhanced Sensitivity ◽  
Polymerase Iii ◽  
Transcription Complexes ◽  
Mutant Phenotypes

In Escherichia coli, DNA replication is catalyzed by an assembly of proteins, the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme. This complex includes the polymerase and proofreading subunits, the processivity clamp and clamp loader complex. The holC gene encodes an accessory protein (known as χ) to the core clamp loader complex and is the only protein of the holoenzyme that binds to single-strand DNA binding protein, SSB. HolC is not essential for viability although mutants show growth impairment, genetic instability and sensitivity to DNA damaging agents. In this study we isolate spontaneous suppressor mutants in a holC∆ strain and identify these by whole genome sequencing. Some suppressors are alleles of RNA polymerase, suggesting that transcription is problematic for holC mutant strains, and of sspA, stringent starvation protein. Using a conditional holC plasmid, we examine factors affecting transcription elongation and termination for synergistic or suppressive effects on holC mutant phenotypes. Alleles of RpoA (α), RpoB (β) and RpoC (β’) RNA polymerase holoenzyme can partially suppress loss of HolC. In contrast, mutations in transcription factors DksA and NusA enhanced the inviability of holC mutants. HolC mutants showed enhanced sensitivity to bicyclomycin, a specific inhibitor of Rho-dependent termination. Bicyclomycin also reverses suppression of holC by rpoA, rpoC and sspA. An inversion of the highly expressed rrnA operon exacerbates the growth defects of holC mutants. We propose that transcription complexes block replication in holC mutants and Rho-dependent transcriptional termination and DksA function are particularly important to sustain viability and chromosome integrity.

Eukaryotic transcription termination factor La mediates transcript release and facilitates reinitiation by RNA polymerase III

1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 2147-2158
Author(s):  
R J Maraia ◽  
D J Kenan ◽  
J D Keene
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Transcription Termination ◽  
Rna Polymerase Iii ◽  
Class Iii ◽  
Ample Evidence ◽  
Polymerase Iii ◽  
Transcription Complexes ◽  
Pol Iii

Ample evidence indicates that Alu family interspersed elements retrotranspose via primary transcripts synthesized by RNA polymerase III (pol III) and that this transposition sometimes results in genetic disorders in humans. However, Alu primary transcripts can be processed posttranscriptionally, diverting them away from the transposition pathway. The pol III termination signal of a well-characterized murine B1 (Alu-equivalent) element inhibits RNA 3' processing, thereby stabilizing the putative transposition intermediary. We used an immobilized template-based assay to examine transcription termination by VA1, 7SL, and Alu class III templates and the role of transcript release in the pol III terminator-dependent inhibition of processing of B1-Alu transcripts. We found that the RNA-binding protein La confers this terminator-dependent 3' processing inhibition on transcripts released from the B1-Alu template. Using pure recombinant La protein and affinity-purified transcription complexes, we also demonstrate that La facilitates multiple rounds of transcription reinitiation by pol III. These results illustrate an important role for La in RNA production by demonstrating its ability to clear the termination sites of class III templates, thereby promoting efficient use of transcription complexes by pol III. The role of La as a potential regulatory factor in transcript maturation and how this might apply to Alu interspersed elements is discussed.

scholarly journals Effect of disulfide and sulfhydryl reagents on abortive and productive elongation catalyzed by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase.

1994 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-419
Author(s):  
M Radłowski ◽  
D Job
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Sulfhydryl Reagents ◽  
Nitrobenzoic Acid ◽  
Steady State Kinetic ◽  
Transcription Complexes ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Rna Polymerase Holoenzyme ◽  
Productive Elongation

The effect of disulfide and sulfhydryl reagents on the rate of abortive and productive elongation has been studied using Escherichia coli RNA polymerase holoenzyme and poly[d(A-T)] as template. In the presence of UTP as a single substrate and UpA as a primer, the enzyme catalyzed efficiently the synthesis of the trinucleotide product UpApU. Incubation of RNA polymerase with 1 mM 2-mercaptoethanol resulted in a 5-fold increase of the rate of UpApU synthesis. In contrast, incubation of the enzyme with 1 mM 5,5'-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic) acid resulted in a 6-fold decrease of the rate of abortive elongation. Determination of the steady state kinetic constants associated with UpApU synthesis disclosed that the disulfide and sulfhydryl reagents mainly affected the rate of UpApU release from the ternary transcription complexes and therefore influenced the stability of such complexes.

Crystal structure of the human transcription elongation factor DSIF hSpt4 subunit in complex with the hSpt5 dimerization interface

2009 ◽  
Vol 425 (2) ◽  
pp. 373-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Wenzel ◽  
Berta M. Martins ◽  
Paul Rösch ◽  
Birgitta M. Wöhrl
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Transcription Elongation ◽  
Elongation Factor ◽  
Structural Similarity ◽  
Transcription Elongation Factor

The eukaryotic transcription elongation factor DSIF [DRB (5,6-dichloro-1-β-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole) sensitivity-inducing factor] is composed of two subunits, hSpt4 and hSpt5, which are homologous to the yeast factors Spt4 and Spt5. DSIF is involved in regulating the processivity of RNA polymerase II and plays an essential role in transcriptional activation of eukaryotes. At several eukaryotic promoters, DSIF, together with NELF (negative elongation factor), leads to promoter-proximal pausing of RNA polymerase II. In the present paper we describe the crystal structure of hSpt4 in complex with the dimerization region of hSpt5 (amino acids 176–273) at a resolution of 1.55 Å (1 Å=0.1 nm). The heterodimer shows high structural similarity to its homologue from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Furthermore, hSpt5-NGN is structurally similar to the NTD (N-terminal domain) of the bacterial transcription factor NusG. A homologue for hSpt4 has not yet been found in bacteria. However, the archaeal transcription factor RpoE” appears to be distantly related. Although a comparison of the NusG-NTD of Escherichia coli with hSpt5 revealed a similarity of the three-dimensional structures, interaction of E. coli NusG-NTD with hSpt4 could not be observed by NMR titration experiments. A conserved glutamate residue, which was shown to be crucial for dimerization in yeast, is also involved in the human heterodimer, but is substituted for a glutamine residue in Escherichia coli NusG. However, exchanging the glutamine for glutamate proved not to be sufficient to induce hSpt4 binding.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document