- Title
- ε, a new subunit of RNA polymerase found in gram-positive bacteria
- Creator
- Keller, Andrew N.; Yang, Xiao; Wiedermannová, Jana; Delumeau, Olivier; Krásný, Libor; Lewis, Peter J.
- Relation
- Journal of Bacteriology Vol. 196, Issue 20, p. 3622-3632
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JB.02020-14
- Publisher
- American Society for Microbiology
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2014
- Description
- RNA polymerase in bacteria is a multisubunit protein complex that is essential for gene expression. We have identified a new subunit of RNA polymerase present in the high-A+T Firmicutes phylum of Gram-positive bacteria and have named it ε. Previously ε had been identified as a small protein (ω1) that copurified with RNA polymerase. We have solved the structure of ε by X-ray crystallography and show that it is not an ω subunit. Rather, ε bears remarkable similarity to the Gp2 family of phage proteins involved in the inhibition of host cell transcription following infection. Deletion of ε shows no phenotype and has no effect on the transcriptional profile of the cell. Determination of the location of ε within the assembly of RNA polymerase core by single-particle analysis suggests that it binds toward the downstream side of the DNA binding cleft. Due to the structural similarity of ε with Gp2 and the fact they bind similar regions of RNA polymerase, we hypothesize that ε may serve a role in protection from phage infection.
- Subject
- RNA polymerase; gram-positive bacteria; Gp2; DNA binding cleft
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1304097
- Identifier
- uon:20794
- Identifier
- ISSN:1098-5530
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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