scholarly journals Novel Escherichia coli RNA Polymerase Binding Protein Encoded by Bacteriophage T5

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 807
Author(s):  
Evgeny Klimuk ◽  
Vladimir Mekler ◽  
Darya Lavysh ◽  
Marina Serebryakova ◽  
Natalia Akulenko ◽  
...  

The Escherichia coli bacteriophage T5 has three temporal classes of genes (pre-early, early, and late). All three classes are transcribed by host RNA polymerase (RNAP) containing the σ70 promoter specificity subunit. Molecular mechanisms responsible for the switching of viral transcription from one class to another remain unknown. Here, we find the product of T5 gene 026 (gpT5.026) in RNAP preparations purified from T5-infected cells and demonstrate in vitro its tight binding to E. coli RNAP. While proteins homologous to gpT5.026 are encoded by all T5-related phages, no similarities to proteins with known functions can be detected. GpT5.026 binds to two regions of the RNAP β subunit and moderately inhibits RNAP interaction with the discriminator region of σ70-dependent promoters. A T5 mutant with disrupted gene 026 is viable, but the host cell lysis phase is prolongated and fewer virus particles are produced. During the mutant phage infection, the number of early transcripts increases, whereas the number of late transcripts decreases. We propose that gpT5.026 is part of the regulatory cascade that orchestrates a switch from early to late bacteriophage T5 transcription.

Author(s):  
Bożena Bruhn-Olszewska ◽  
Vadim Molodtsov ◽  
Michał Sobala ◽  
Maciej Dylewski ◽  
Katsuhiko S. Murakami ◽  
...  

2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (24) ◽  
pp. 11671-11680 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. A. M. Osman ◽  
C. L. Hemenway ◽  
K. W. Buck

ABSTRACT A template-dependent RNA polymerase has been used to determine the sequence elements in the 3′ untranslated region of tobacco mosaic virus RNA that are required for promotion of minus-strand RNA synthesis and binding to the RNA polymerase in vitro. Regions which were important for minus-strand synthesis were domain D1, which is equivalent to a tRNA acceptor arm; domain D2, which is similar to a tRNA anticodon arm; an upstream domain, D3; and a central core, C, which connects domains D1, D2, and D3 and determines their relative orientations. Mutational analysis of the 3′-terminal 4 nucleotides of domain D1 indicated the importance of the 3′-terminal CA sequence for minus-strand synthesis, with the sequence CCCA or GGCA giving the highest transcriptional efficiency. Several double-helical regions, but not their sequences, which are essential for forming pseudoknot and/or stem-loop structures in domains D1, D2, and D3 and the central core, C, were shown to be required for high template efficiency. Also important were a bulge sequence in the D2 stem-loop and, to a lesser extent, a loop sequence in a hairpin structure in domain D1. The sequence of the 3′ untranslated region upstream of domain D3 was not required for minus-strand synthesis. Template-RNA polymerase binding competition experiments showed that the highest-affinity RNA polymerase binding element region lay within a region comprising domain D2 and the central core, C, but domains D1 and D3 also bound to the RNA polymerase with lower affinity.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Camakaris ◽  
Ji Yang ◽  
Tadashi Fujii ◽  
James Pittard

A novel selection was developed for RpoA α-CTD mutants altered in activation by the TyrR regulatory protein of E. coli K-12. This allowed the identification of an aspartate to asparagine substitution in residue 250 (DN250) as an Act - mutation. Amino acid residues known to be close to D250 were altered by in vitro mutagenesis, and substitutions DR250, RE310 and RD310 were all shown to be defective in activation. None of these mutations caused defects in UP regulation. The rpoA mutation DN250 was transferred onto the chromosome to facilitate the isolation of suppressor mutations. TyrR Mutations EK139 and RG119 caused partial suppression of rpoA DN250, and TyrR RC119, RL119, RP119, RA77 and SG100 caused partial suppression of rpoA RE310. Additional activation-defective rpoA mutants (DT250, RS310, EG288) were also isolated, using the chromosomal rpoA DN250 strain. Several new Act - tyrR mutants were isolated in an rpoA + strain, adding positions R77, D97, K101, D118, R119, R121 and E141 to known residues, S95 and D103, and defining the ‘activation patch’ on the NTD of TyrR. These results support a model for activation of TyrR-regulated genes where the ‘activation patch’ on the TyrR NTD interacts with the ‘TyrR-specific patch’ on the αCTD of RNA polymerase. Given known structures, both these sites appear to be surface exposed, and suggest a model for activation by TyrR. They also help resolve confusing results in the literature that implicated residues within the 261 and 265 determinants, as Activator contact sites. IMPORTANCE Regulation of transcription by RNA polymerases is fundamental for adaptation to a changing environment and for cellular differentiation, across all kingdoms of life. The gene TyrR in Escherichia coli is a particularly useful model because it is involved in both activation and repression of a large number of operons by a range of mechanisms, and it interacts with all three aromatic amino acids and probably other effectors. Furthermore TyrR has homologues in many other genera, regulating many different genes, utilizing different effector molecules, and in some cases affecting virulence, and important plant interactions.


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