Kinetic Analysis of tRNA-Directed Transcription Antitermination of the Bacillus subtilis glyQS Gene In Vitro

ABSTRACT Binding of uncharged tRNA to the nascent transcript promotes readthrough of a leader region transcription termination signal in genes regulated by the T box transcription antitermination mechanism. Each gene in the T box family responds independently to its cognate tRNA, with specificity determined by base pairing of the tRNA to the leader at the anticodon and acceptor ends of the tRNA. tRNA binding stabilizes an antiterminator element in the transcript that sequesters sequences that participate in formation of the terminator helix. tRNAGly-dependent antitermination of the Bacillus subtilis glyQS leader was previously demonstrated in a purified in vitro assay system. This assay system was used to investigate the kinetics of transcription through the glyQS leader and the effect of tRNA and transcription elongation factors NusA and NusG on transcriptional pausing and antitermination. Several pause sites, including a major site in the loop of stem III of the leader, were identified, and the effect of modulation of pausing on antitermination efficiency was analyzed. We found that addition of tRNAGly can promote antitermination as long as the tRNA is added before the majority of the transcription complexes reach the termination site, and variations in pausing affect the requirements for timing of tRNA addition.