scholarly journals Transcription Under Torsion

Science ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 340 (6140) ◽  
pp. 1580-1583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Ma ◽  
Lu Bai ◽  
Michelle D. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Dna Supercoiling ◽  
Arbitrary Sequence ◽  
Supercoiled Dna ◽  
Direct Measurements ◽  
Dynamic Modification ◽  
In Cells

In cells, RNA polymerase (RNAP) must transcribe supercoiled DNA, whose torsional state is constantly changing, but how RNAP deals with DNA supercoiling remains elusive. We report direct measurements of individual Escherichia coli RNAPs as they transcribed supercoiled DNA. We found that a resisting torque slowed RNAP and increased its pause frequency and duration. RNAP was able to generate 11 ± 4 piconewton-nanometers (mean ± standard deviation) of torque before stalling, an amount sufficient to melt DNA of arbitrary sequence and establish RNAP as a more potent torsional motor than previously known. A stalled RNAP was able to resume transcription upon torque relaxation, and transcribing RNAP was resilient to transient torque fluctuations. These results provide a quantitative framework for understanding how dynamic modification of DNA supercoiling regulates transcription.

DNA Supercoiling and transcription in Escherichia coli: Influence of RNA polymerase mutations

1979 ◽  
Vol 177 (1) ◽  
pp. 169-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Mirkin ◽  
E. S. Bogdanova ◽  
Zh. M. Gorlenko ◽  
A. I. Gragerov ◽  
O. A. Larionov
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Dna Supercoiling

scholarly journals Bridged filaments of histone-like nucleoid structuring protein pause RNA polymerase and aid termination in bacteria

eLife ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew V Kotlajich ◽  
Daniel R Hron ◽  
Beth A Boudreau ◽  
Zhiqiang Sun ◽  
Yuri L Lyubchenko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Dna Supercoiling ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Transcriptional Pausing ◽  
Noncoding Transcription ◽  
Stimulation Of

Bacterial H-NS forms nucleoprotein filaments that spread on DNA and bridge distant DNA sites. H-NS filaments co-localize with sites of Rho-dependent termination in Escherichia coli, but their direct effects on transcriptional pausing and termination are untested. In this study, we report that bridged H-NS filaments strongly increase pausing by E. coli RNA polymerase at a subset of pause sites with high potential for backtracking. Bridged but not linear H-NS filaments promoted Rho-dependent termination by increasing pause dwell times and the kinetic window for Rho action. By observing single H-NS filaments and elongating RNA polymerase molecules using atomic force microscopy, we established that bridged filaments surround paused complexes. Our results favor a model in which H-NS-constrained changes in DNA supercoiling driven by transcription promote pausing at backtracking-susceptible sites. Our findings provide a mechanistic rationale for H-NS stimulation of Rho-dependent termination in horizontally transferred genes and during pervasive antisense and noncoding transcription in bacteria.

scholarly journals Stringent control in Escherichia coli applies also to transcription by T7 RNA polymerase.

1987 ◽  
Vol 262 (9) ◽  
pp. 3940-3943
Author(s):  
M. Yamagishi ◽  
J.R. Cole ◽  
M. Nomura ◽  
F.W. Studier ◽  
J.J. Dunn
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
T7 Rna Polymerase ◽  
Stringent Control
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