Separation and Characterization of the Subunits of Ribonucleic Acid Polymerase

Burgess, Richard R.

doi:10.1016/s0021-9258(18)63521-5

Cited by 500 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…With respect to eubacteria, core RNAP consists of two α subunits, one β and one β subunit, all of which are essential for a viable cell. Besides these well-studied and essential components, several additional, smaller subunits, δ, ε and ω, have been described and intensively researched over a number of decades (Burgess 1969;Pero, Nelson and Fox 1975;Keller et al, 2014). Additional to this, bacteria possess σ factors (housekeeping or alternative) that assist RNAP with promoter recognition, and the initiation of transcription (Helmann and Chamberlin 1988;Feklistov et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small things considered: the small accessory subunits of RNA polymerase in Gram-positive bacteria

Weiss¹,

Shaw²

2015

FEMS Microbiology Reviews

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The DNA-dependent RNA polymerase core enzyme in Gram-positive bacteria consists of seven subunits. Whilst four of them (α2ββ(')) are essential, three smaller subunits, δ, ε and ω (∼9-21.5 kDa), are considered accessory. Both δ and ω have been viewed as integral components of RNAP for several decades; however, ε has only recently been described. Functionally these three small subunits carry out a variety of tasks, imparting important, supportive effects on the transcriptional process of Gram-positive bacteria. While ω is thought to have a wide range of roles, reaching from maintaining structural integrity of RNAP to σ factor recruitment, the only suggested function for ε thus far is in protecting cells from phage infection. The third subunit, δ, has been shown to have distinct influences in maintaining transcriptional specificity, and thus has a key role in cellular fitness. Collectively, all three accessory subunits, although dispensable under laboratory conditions, are often thought to be crucial for proper RNAP function. Herein we provide an overview of the available literature on each subunit, summarizing landmark findings that have deepened our understanding of these proteins and their function, and outline future challenges in understanding the role of these small subunits in the transcriptional process.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small things considered: the small accessory subunits of RNA polymerase in Gram-positive bacteria

Weiss¹,

Shaw²

2015

FEMS Microbiology Reviews

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“…Furthermore, there is no indication as to the way an activator molecule would function to turn on the operon under its control. It is tempting to suggest that such an activator is a ribonucleic acid polymerase sigma factor (1,12) which upon activation by the inducer directs messenger ribonucleic acid synthesis specific for the arabinose operon. Before such a model can be entertained seriously, it is first necessary to demonstrate that the control lies at the level of transcription.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Control of Expression of the l -Arabinose Operon in Temperature-Sensitive Mutants of Gene araC in Escherichia coli B/r

Irr

Englesberg

1971

J Bacteriol

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Expression of the l -arabinose operon in Escherichia coli B/r is dependent on the temperature of growth of the araC mutants reported in this paper. Analysis of these temperature-sensitive regulatory mutants indicates that both repressor and activator activities are thermolabile. The simplest model to explain the manner in which the operon is controlled is one suggesting that the regulatory gene, araC , codes for a protein which upon synthesis acts as a repressor molecule and prevents operon function. When inducer is added, the repressor undergoes a conformational shift and becomes an activator which switches on enzyme synthesis, provided the repressor concentration is reduced to a sufficiently low level in the cell. These data lend strong support to the model that both activities are the result of the same gene product.

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“…I separated the mixture of what I later called beta prime (β′, 155 kDa) and beta (β, 150 kDa) from alpha (α, 36 kDa) and from omega (ω, 10 kDa) using gel filtration in the presence of SDS. I then separated β′ from β by anion exchange chromatography on diethylaminoethyl cellulose in the presence of 8 M urea ( 17 ).…”

Section: Subunit Structure Of Rna Polymerase–mid-1967 To Early 1968mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…By dividing the amount of stain in a band by its molecular weight, I determined the relative number of copies of each subunit. All this allowed me to conclude that there are four different subunits in the PC (core) enzyme with the subunit composition of β′βα 2 ω and a molecular weight of ∼390 kDa ( 17 ). This result allowed me to proclaim victory (prematurely, it turns out) in my goal of determining the subunit structure and started me thinking about writing my thesis.…”

Section: Subunit Structure Of Rna Polymerase–mid-1967 To Early 1968mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…That summer, I accompanied my wife Ann when she attended the Animal Virus Course at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island. In addition to driving to the nearby town of Huntington to buy donuts for the course each morning, I worked on converting two of my thesis chapters, one focusing on the details of my E. coli RNA polymerase purifications ( 9 ) and the other on the separation and characterization of its subunits ( 17 ), into two articles that were published in the JBC in November 1969. I also started working on a review for Annual Reviews of Biochemistry on RNA Polymerase that I finished during my postdoctoral research in Geneva, Switzerland, in Alfred Tissieres’ lab ( 26 ).…”

Section: Impact Of Sigma Discovery and Aftermathmentioning

confidence: 99%

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What is in the black box? The discovery of the sigma factor and the subunit structure of E. coli RNA polymerase

Burgess

2021

Journal of Biological Chemistry

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Separation and Characterization of the Subunits of Ribonucleic Acid Polymerase

Cited by 500 publications

References 42 publications

Small things considered: the small accessory subunits of RNA polymerase in Gram-positive bacteria

Small things considered: the small accessory subunits of RNA polymerase in Gram-positive bacteria

Control of Expression of the l -Arabinose Operon in Temperature-Sensitive Mutants of Gene araC in Escherichia coli B/r

What is in the black box? The discovery of the sigma factor and the subunit structure of E. coli RNA polymerase

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