Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (RNAP) is the most studied bacterial RNAP and has been used as the model RNAP for screening and evaluating potential RNAP-targeting antibiotics. However, the x-ray crystal structure of E. coli RNAP has been limited to individual domains ...
Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (RNAP) is the most studied bacterial RNAP and has been used as the model RNAP for screening and evaluating potential RNAP-targeting antibiotics. However, the x-ray crystal structure of E. coli RNAP has been limited to individual domains. Here, I report the x-ray structure of the E. coli RNAP σ(70) holoenzyme, which shows σ region 1.1 (σ1.1) and the α subunit C-terminal domain for the first time in the context of an intact RNAP. σ1.1 is positioned at the RNAP DNA-binding channel and completely blocks DNA entry to the RNAP active site. The structure reveals that σ1.1 contains a basic patch on its surface, which may play an important role in DNA interaction to facilitate open promoter complex formation. The α subunit C-terminal domain is positioned next to σ domain 4 with a fully stretched linker between the N- and C-terminal domains. E. coli RNAP crystals can be prepared from a convenient overexpression system, allowing further structural studies of bacterial RNAP mutants, including functionally deficient and antibiotic-resistant RNAPs.
Related Citations:
X-ray Crystal Structures of Escherichia coli RNA Polymerase with Switch Region Binding Inhibitors Enable Rational Design of Squaramides with an Improved Fraction Unbound to Human Plasma Protein. Molodtsov, V., Fleming, P.R., Eyermann, C.J., Ferguson, A.D., Foulk, M.A., McKinney, D.C., Masse, C.E., Buurman, E.T., Murakami, K.S. (2015) J Med Chem 58: 3156
Organizational Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. kum14@psu.edu
Download Mendeley
