Search

Abstract: ppGpp, an alarmone for stringent response, plays an important role in the reprogramming of the transcription complex at the time of stress. In Escherichia coli, ppGpp mediates its action by binding to at least two different sites on RNA polymerase (RNAP). One of the sites to which ppGpp binds to RNAP is at the β′‐ω interface; however, the underlying molecular mechanism and the physiological relevance of ppGpp binding to this site remain unclear. In this study, we have performed UV cross‐linking experiments using 32P azido‐labeled ppGpp to probe its association with RNAP in the absence and presence of ω, and observed weaker binding of ppGpp to the RNAP without ω. Furthermore, we followed the binding kinetics of ppGpp to RNAP with and without ω by isothermal titration calorimetry and found it to be concurrent with the cross‐linking results. Native ω is intrinsically disordered, and we have used a previously characterized structured mutant of ω, which affects the plasticity of the active site of RNAP. Results show that the flexibility conferred by the unstructured ω is a prerequisite for ppGpp binding to RNAP. We have analyzed the stress‐associated phenotypes in an E. coli strain devoid of ω (∆rpoZ). ppGpp levels in ∆rpoZ strain were found to be similar to that of the wild‐type strain. Interestingly, when the ∆rpoZ strain of E. coli was transferred after nutritional stress to an enriched media, the recovery of growth was compromised. We have identified a new phenotype of ∆rpoZ strain corresponding to defect in biofilm formation in minimal media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single zinc finger domain containing proteins are very few in number. Of numerous zinc finger proteins in eukaryotes, only three of them like GAGA, Superman and DNA binding by one finger (Dof) have single zinc finger domain. Although few zinc finger proteins have been described in eubacteria, no protein with single C4 zinc finger has been described in details in anyone of them. In this article, we are describing two novel C-terminal C4 zinc finger proteins-Msmeg_0118 and Msmeg_3613 from Mycobacterium smegmatis. We have named these proteins as Mszfp1 (Mycobacterial Single Zinc Finger Protein 1) and Mszfp2 (Mycobacterial Single Zinc Finger Protein 2). Both the proteins are expressed constitutively, can bind to DNA and regulate transcription. It appears that Mszfp1 and Mszfp2 may activate transcription by interacting with RNA polymerase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent R-loops lead to replicative stress due to RNA polymerase stalling and DNA damage. RNase H enzymes facilitate the organisms to survive in the hostile condition by removing these R-loops. MS_RHII-RSD was previously identified to be the second (p)ppGpp synthetase in Mycobacterium smegmatis. The unique presence of an additional RNase HII domain raises an important question regarding the significance of this bifunctional protein. In this report, we demonstrate its ability to hydrolyze R-loops in Escherichia coli exposed to UV stress. MS_RHII-RSD gene expression was upregulated under UV stress, and this gene deleted strain showed increased R-loop accumulation as compared to the wild type. The domains in isolation are known to be inactive, and the full length protein is required for its function. Domain interdependence studies using active site mutants reveal the necessity of a hexamer form with high alpha helical content. In previous studies, bacterial RNase type HI has been mainly implicated in R-loop hydrolysis, but in this study, the RNase HII domain containing protein showed the activity. The prospective of this differential RNase HII activity is discussed. This is the first report to implicate a (p)ppGpp synthetase protein in R-loop-induced stress response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(p)ppGpp, a secondary messenger, is induced under stress and shows pleiotropic response. It binds to RNA polymerase and regulates transcription in Escherichia coli. More than 25 years have passed since the first discovery was made on the direct interaction of ppGpp with E. coli RNA polymerase. Several lines of evidence suggest different modes of ppGpp binding to the enzyme. Earlier cross-linking experiments suggested that the β-subunit of RNA polymerase is the preferred site for ppGpp, whereas recent crystallographic studies pinpoint the interface of β'/ω-subunits as the site of action. With an aim to validate the binding domain and to follow whether tetra- and pentaphosphate guanosines have different location on RNA polymerase, this work was initiated. RNA polymerase was photo-labeled with 8-azido-ppGpp/8-azido-pppGpp, and the product was digested with trypsin and subjected to mass spectrometry analysis. We observed three new peptides in the trypsin digest of the RNA polymerase labeled with 8-azido-ppGpp, of which two peptides correspond to the same pocket on β'-subunit as predicted by X-ray structural analysis, whereas the third peptide was mapped on the β-subunit. In the case of 8-azido-pppGpp-labeled RNA polymerase, we have found only one cross-linked peptide from the β'-subunit. However, we were unable to identify any binding site of pppGpp on the β-subunit. Interestingly, we observed that pppGpp at high concentration competes out ppGpp bound to RNA polymerase more efficiently, whereas ppGpp cannot titrate out pppGpp. The competition between tetraphosphate guanosine and pentaphosphate guanosine for E. coli RNA polymerase was followed by gel-based assay as well as by a new method known as DRaCALA assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The role of RbpA in the backdrop of M. smegmatis showed that it rescues mycobacterial RNA polymerase from rifampicin-mediated inhibition (Dey et al., 2010; Dey et al., 2011). Paget and co-workers (Paget et al., 2001; Newell et al., 2006) have revealed that RbpA homologs occur exclusively in actinobacteria. Newell et al. (2006) showed that MtbRbpA, when complemented in a ∆rbpA mutant of S. coelicolor, showed a low recovery of MIC (from 0.75 to 2μg/ml) as compared to complementation by native RbpA of S. coelicolor (MIC increases from 0.75 to 11μg/ml). Our studies on MsRbpA show that it is a differential marker for M. smegmatis RNA polymerase as compared to E. coli RNA polymerase at IC50 levels of rifampicin. A recent sequence-based analysis by Lane and Darst (2010) has shown that RNA polymerases from Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria have had a divergent evolution. E. coli is a representative of Proteobacteria and M. smegmatis is an Actinobacterium. RbpA has an exclusive occurrence in Actinobacteria. Since protein–protein interactions might not be conserved across different species, therefore, the probable reason for the indifference of MsRbpA toward E. coli RNA polymerase could be the lineage-specific differences between actinobacterial and proteobacterial RNA polymerases. These observations led us to ask the question as to whether the evolution of RbpA in Actinobacteria followed the same route as that of RNA polymerase subunits from actinobacterial species. We show that the exclusivity of RbpA in Actinobacteria and the unique evolution of RNA polymerase in this phylum share a co-evolutionary link. We have addressed this issue by a blending of experimental and bioinformatics based approaches. They comprise of induction of bacterial cultures coupled to rifampicin-tolerance, transcription assays and statistical comparison of phylogenetic trees for different pairs of proteins in actinobacteria. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Escherichia coliRNA polymerase is a multi-subunit enzyme containing α2ββ′ωσ, which transcribes DNA template to intermediate RNA product in a sequence specific manner. Although most of the subunits are essential for its function, the smallest subunit ω (average molecular mass ∼ 10,105 Da) can be deleted without affecting bacterial growth. Creating a mutant of the ω subunit can aid in improving the understanding of its role. Sequencing of rpoZgene that codes for ω subunit from a mutant variant suggested a substitution mutation at position 60 of the protein: asparagine (N) → aspartic acid (D). This mutation was verified at the protein level by following a typical mass spectrometry (MS) based bottom-up proteomic approach. Characterization of in-gel trypsin digested samples by reverse phase liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to electrospray ionization (ESI)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) enabled in ascertaining this mutation. Electron transfer dissociation (ETD) of triply charged [(M + 3H)3+] tryptic peptides (residues [53–67]), EIEEGLINNQILDVR from wild-type and EIEEGLIDNQILDVR from mutant, facilitated in unambiguously determining the site of mutation at residue 60. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During active growth of Escherichia coli, majority of the transcriptional activity is carried out by the housekeeping sigma factor (σ70), whose association with core RNAP is generally favoured because of its higher intracellular level and higher affinity to core RNAP. In order to facilitate transcription by alternative sigma factors during nutrient starvation, the bacterial cell uses multiple strategies by which the transcriptional ability of σ70 is diminished in a reversible manner. The facilitators of shifting the balance in favour of alternative sigma factors happen to be as diverse as a small molecule (p)ppGpp (represents ppGpp or pppGpp), proteins (DksA, Rsd) and a species of RNA (6S RNA). Although 6S RNA and (p)ppGpp were known in literature for a long time, their role in transcriptional switching has been understood only in recent years. With the elucidation of function of DksA, a new dimension has been added to the phenomenon of stringent response. As the final outcome of actions of (p)ppGpp, DksA, 6S RNA and Rsd is similar, there is a need to analyse these mechanisms in a collective manner. We review the recent trends in understanding the regulation of σ70 by (p)ppGpp, DksA, Rsd and 6S RNA and present a case for evolving a unified model of RNAP redistribution during starvation by modulation of σ70 activity in E. coli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Rapid emergence of multi-drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis has necessitated the development of newer candidate drugs which can selectively inhibit the growth of the organism. Among the best targets available today, transcription machinery is, by far, the most important one and the antibiotic rifampicin binds to a specific site on the enzyme RNA polymerase. However, it is not very effective towards the stationary phase of the organism or the persistors. In order to address this problem, we report here a protocol for generating an affinity tagged RNA polymerase, which can be purified easily from different phases of growth of the organism. It allows exploring RNAP associated proteins, which may confer resistance to rifampicin, using the approach of functional proteomics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mycobacterium smegmatis is known to form biofilms and many cell surface molecules like core glycopeptidolipids and short-chain mycolates appear to play important role in the process. However, the involvement of the cell surface molecules in mycobacteria towards complete maturation of biofilms is still not clear. This work demonstrates the importance of the glycopeptidolipid species with hydroxylated alkyl chain and the epoxylated mycolic acids, during the process of biofilm development. In our previous study, we reported the impairment of biofilm formation in rpoZ-deleted M. smegmatis, where rpoZ codes for the ω subunit of RNA polymerase (R. Mathew, R. Mukherjee, R. Balachandar, D. Chatterji, Microbiology 152 (2006) 1741). Here we report the occurrence of planktonic growth in a mc2155 strain which is devoid of rpoZ gene. This strain is deficient in selective incorporation of the hydroxylated glycopeptidolipids and the epoxy mycolates to their respective locations in the cell wall. Hence it forms a mutant biofilm defective in maturation, wherein the cells undertake various alternative metabolic pathways to survive in an environment where oxygen, the terminal electron acceptor, is limiting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The rpoZ gene for the omega subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase constitutes single operon with the spoT gene, which is responsible for the maintenance of stringent response under nutrient starvation conditions. To identify the physiological role of the omega subunit, we compared the gene expression profile of wild-type Escherichia coli with that of an rpoZ deleted strain by microarray analysis using an E. coli DNA chip. Here we report on a set of genes which show changes in expression profile following the removal of rpoZ. We have seen that relA, which is responsible for the synthesis of the stringent factor ppGpp and many ribosomal proteins, exhibited noticeable changes in mRNA levels and were therefore further analyzed for their expression using a GFP/RFP two-fluorescent protein promoter assay vector. In the absence of rpoZ, the promoter for the relA gene was severely impaired, but the promoters from the ribosomal protein genes were not affected as much. Taking these results together we propose that the omega subunit is involved in regulation of the relA gene, but induction of the stringently controlled genes in the absence of rpoZ is, at least in part, attributable to a decrease in ppGpp level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Omega (ω) is the smallest subunit of bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP). Although identified early in RNAP research, its function remained ambiguous and shrouded by controversy for a considerable period. It has subsequently been shown that the protein has a structural role in maintenance of the conformation of the largest subunit, β′, and recruitment of β′ to the enzyme assembly. Conservation of this function across all forms of life indicates the importance of its role. Several recent observations have suggested additional functional roles for this protein and have settled some long-standing controversies surrounding it. In this context, revisiting the ω subunit story is especially interesting; here, we review the progress of ω research since its discovery and highlight the importance of these recent observations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The ω subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase, consisting of 90 amino acids, is present in stoichiometric amounts per molecule of core RNA polymerase (α2ββ′). The presence of ω is necessary to restore denatured RNA polymerase in vitro to its fully functional form, and, in an ω-less strain of E. coli, GroEL appears to substitute for ω in the maturation of RNA polymerase. The X-ray structure of Thermus aquaticus core RNA polymerase suggests that two regions of ω latch on to β′ at its N-terminus and C-terminus. We show here that ω binds only the intact β′ subunit and not the β′ N-terminal domain or β′ C-terminal domain, implying that ω binding requires both these regions of β′. We further show that ω can prevent the aggregation of β′ during its renaturation in vitro and that a V8-protease-resistant 52-amino-acid-long N-terminal domain of ω is sufficient for binding and renaturation of β′. CD and functional assays show that this N-terminal fragment retains the structure of native ω and is able to enhance the reconstitution of core RNA polymerase. Reconstitution of core RNA polymerase from its individual subunits proceeds according to the steps α + α → α2 + β → α2β + β′ → α2ββ′. It is shown here that ω participates during the last stage of enzyme assembly when β′ associates with the α2β subassembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the involvement of GroEl in the activation of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. Function of protein; Copurification of the polypeptide with RNA polymerase; Interaction with unstable protein-folding intermediate.

We have purified DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II from Candida albicans, a human pathogenic yeast. The enzyme consists of 9 polypeptides that are unique to C. albicans, their mobility on SDS-PAGE being different from the mobility of the corresponding subunits of RNA polymerase II from Saccharomyces cerevisiae or C. utilis. In the present study we also demonstrate that RNA pol II from C. albican and C. utilis are metalloproteins containing 5 mol of zinc per mole of enzyme. Although prolonged dialysis in 10 or 20 mM EDTA failed to remove Zn(II) from the C. albicans enzyme, in the C. utilis enzyme 3 Zn(II) ions could be removed and then reconstituted in the presence of excess Zn(II). o-Phenanthroline (5 mM) removed Zn(II) from C. albicans enzyme irreversibly in a time-dependent fashion with concomitant loss of enzyme activity. Circular dichroism studies revealed structural changes on removal of zinc, thus suggesting a role for Zn in maintenance of structural stability. Further, we demonstrate that the largest subunit of the C. utilis enzyme and the 3 large subunits of the C. albicans enzyme can bind radioactive zinc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escherichia coli RNA polymerase has two sites, the i and i + 1, for the binding of the first two substrates. The i site is template- and Mg2+-independent and purine-nucleotide-specific, whereas the i + 1 site is template- and Mg2+-dependent and shows no nucleotide preference. The specificity of the i site for purine nucleotides is well in accord with the fact that most promoters initiate with a purine nucleotide. But there are a few promoters that initiate with a pyrimidine nucleotide. Dinucleotide synthesis at these promoters is completely inhibited by rifampicin. Earlier studies have failed to identify an i site for pyrimidine nucleotides. In this paper, using a fluorescent analog of UTP, namely uridine 5'-[γ-(5-sulfonic acid)naphthylamidate]-triphosphate, abbreviated as UTP[AmNS], we are able to show its binding to RNA polymerase, with a Kd of 0.8 μM, in the absence of Mg2+ and template. This suggests the presence of an i pyrimidine nucleotide site. The fact that UTP-[AmNS] is capable of initiating RNA synthesis from the i site is further evidenced by the abortive transcription analyses at the lac promoter. Fluorescence titration studies performed in the presence and absence of purine initiator molecules indicate that this site is different from the i purine site. Scatchard analysis of the above data indicates the presence of a single binding site for UTP[AmNS] in the absence of Mg2+. Moreover UTP[AmNS] binds to the core enzyme with a Kd of 3.0 μM implying that, unlike the i purine nucleotide site, the sigma protein confers a tighter binding of UTP-[AmNS] to the low-Kd site. Forster's energy transfer measurements using UTP[AmNS] as the donor and rifampicin as the acceptor have been used for estimation of the distance of the i pyrimidine nucleotide site from the rifampicin site. From these measurements, we infer that there is no direct interference of rifampicin with the first [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly purified Escherichia coli RNA polymerase contains a small subunit termed ω that has a molecular mass of 10 105 Da and is comprised of 91 amino acids. To elucidate the function of ω, whose role is as yet undefined, the subunit was purified to over 95% purity from an overproducing strain [BL21 (pGP1-2, pE3C-2)]. Purified ω was then reconstituted with RNA polymerase isolated from an ω-less mutant. Externally added ω inhibited promoter-specific transcriptional activity at all promoters tested. Renaturation of fully denatured ω-less RNA polymerase in the presence of excess ω yielded maximum recovery of activity suggesting a structural rather than functional role for ω. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundInhibition of transcription of rRNA in Escherichia coli upon amino acid starvation is thought to be due to the binding of ppGpp to RNA polymerase. However, the nature of this interaction still remains obscure. ResultsHere, the azido-derivative of ppGpp was synthesized from azido-GDP and [γ-32P]ATP by way of the phosphate transfer reaction of the RelA enzyme. The product was subsequently characterized by one and two-dimensional chromatography. The resulting compound [32P]azido-ppGpp, where the azido group is attached to the base moiety, was purified to homogeneity and was photo-crosslinked to Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. SDS-PAGE analysis of the azido-ppGpp-bound enzyme, tryptic digestion and Western blot analysis suggested that azido-ppGpp binds to the β-subunit of RNA polymerase. ConclusionIt was observed that both the N-terminal and C-terminal domains of the β-subunit were labelled with azido-ppGpp in the native enzyme. However, under denaturing conditions only the C-terminal part from amino acid residue 802 to residue 1211/1216/1223 was predominantly crosslinked to azido-ppGpp. The excess of unlabelled ppGpp competes with azido-ppGpp for binding to the enzyme. azido-ppGpp inhibits single-round transcription at the stringent promoter like rrnBP1. In addition, ribosomal protein genes were also found to be inhibited by N3ppGpp. On the other hand, transcription at the lac UV5 promoter remained unaffected upon the addition of azido-ppGpp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On amino acid starvation, Escherichia coli cells exhibit an adaptive facility termed the stringent response. This is characterized by the production of high levels of a regulatory nucleotide, ppGpp, and concomitant curtailment in rRNA synthesis. Various studies reported earlier indicated that RNA polymerase is the site of action of ppGpp although a direct demonstration of the interaction of ppGpp with E. coli RNA polymerase is still lacking. Here we report the labelling of PpGpp with a fluorescent probe, 1-aminonapthalene-5- sulphonate (AmMS), at the terminal phosphates. AmNS-ppGpp responded much like a ppGpp molecule in an in vitro total transcription assay at selective promoters. Fluorescence titralion of the tryptophan emission of RNA polymerase by AmNS-ppGpp indicated a unique binding site in the absence of template DNA. Competition experiments showed that unlabelled ppGpp binds to the enzyme at the same site. Sigma factor seems to have no effect on this binding. The titration profile is also characterized by a single slope in the Scatchard analysis. The presence of GTP or GDP does not influence the binding of AmNS-ppGpp with RNA polymerase. Forster's distance measurement was carried out which placed AmNS-ppGpp 27Å away from the rifampicin-binding domain of RNA polymerase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA supercoiling is known to influence the pattern of gene expression in prokaryotes. Thus the mechanism of transcription initiation and the topological state of the template are intimately related. Using in vitro reconstituted transcription assays, composed of purified RNA polymerase and promoters in their natural topological state, we have conducted a detailed study of transcription initiation from T7 early promoters including the following steps: the formation of ternary complexes, acquisition of rifampicin resistance, release of sigma factor and the capacity for RNA chain elongation in complexes. We determined the order of these events and the length of the transcripts when each step occurred during initiation of transcription on supercoiled templates. The length of the transcripts varied in a promoter-specific manner. Analysis of abortive products formed during the initiation showed that stronger promoters go to the elongation mode at transcript lengths shorter than that required for weaker promoters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) is a multi-subunit protein complex (α2ββ'ω σ) containing the smallest subunit, ω. Although identified early in RNAP research, its function remained ambiguous and shrouded with controversy for a considerable period. It was shown before that the protein has a structural role in maintaining the conformation of the largest subunit, β', and its recruitment in the enzyme assembly. Despite evolutionary conservation of ω and its role in the assembly of RNAP, E. coli mutants lacking rpoZ (codes for ω) are viable due to the association of the global chaperone protein GroEL with RNAP. To get a better insight into the structure and functional role of ω during transcription, several dominant lethal mutants of ω were isolated. The mutants showed higher binding affinity compared to that of native ω to the α2ββ' subassembly. We observed that the interaction between α2ββ' and these lethal mutants is driven by mostly favorable enthalpy and a small but unfavorable negative entropy term. However, during the isolation of these mutants we isolated a silent mutant serendipitously, which showed a lethal phenotype. Silent mutant of a given protein is defined as a protein having the same sequence of amino acids as that of wild type but having mutation in the gene with alteration in base sequence from more frequent code to less frequent one due to codon degeneracy. Eventually, many silent mutants were generated to understand the role of rare codons at various positions in rpoZ. We observed that the dominant lethal mutants of ω having either point mutation or silent in nature are more structured in comparison to the native ω. However, the silent code's position in the reading frame of rpoZ plays a role in the structural alteration of the translated protein. This structural alteration in ω makes it more rigid, which affects the plasticity of the interacting domain formed by ω and α2ββ'. Here, we attempted to describe how the conformational flexibility of the ω helps in maintaining the plasticity of the active site of RNA polymerase. The dominant lethal mutant of ω has a suppressor mapped near the catalytic center of the β' subunit, and it is the same for both types of mutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-sigma factors Escherichia coli Rsd and bacteriophage T4 AsiA bind to the essential housekeeping sigma factor, σ70, of E. coli. Though both factors are known to interact with the C-terminal region of σ70, the physiological consequences of these interactions are very different. This study was undertaken for the purpose of deciphering the mechanisms by which E. coli Rsd and bacteriophage T4 AsiA inhibit or modulate the activity of E. coli RNA polymerase, which leads to the inhibition of E. coli cell growth to different amounts. It was found that AsiA is the more potent inhibitor of in vivo transcription and thus causes higher inhibition of E. coli cell growth. Measurements of affinity constants by surface plasmon resonance experiments showed that Rsd and AsiA bind to σ70 with similar affinity. Data obtained from in vivo and in vitro binding experiments clearly demonstrated that the major difference between AsiA and Rsd is the ability of AsiA to form a stable ternary complex with RNA polymerase. The binding patterns of AsiA and Rsd with σ70 studied by using the yeast two-hybrid system revealed that region 4 of σ70 is involved in binding to both of these anti-sigma factors; however, Rsd interacts with other regions of σ70 as well. Taken together, these results suggest that the higher inhibition of E. coli growth by AsiA expression is probably due to the ability of the AsiA protein to trap the holoenzyme RNA polymerase rather than its higher binding affinity to σ70. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the study which examines the role and function of an RNA polymerase interacting protein called MsRbpA which is derived from Mycobacterium smegmatis in phenotypic tolerance to rifampicin. It notes that rifampicin is leading the standard chemotherapeutic for active tuberculosis which inhibit the transcription activity of prokaryotic RNA polymerase. It implies that M. smegmatis interacts with RNA polymerase and increases the refampicin tolerance levels.

A deletion mutation in the gene rpoZ of Mycobacterium smegmatis causes reduced growth rate and a change in colony morphology. During purification of RNA polymerase from the mutant strain, the β′ subunit undergoes fragmentation but the fragments remain associated with the enzyme and maintain it in an active state until the whole destabilized assembly breaks down in the final step of purification. Complementation of the mutant strain with an integrated copy of the wild-type rpoZ brings back the wild-type colony morphology and improves the growth rate and activity of the enzyme, and the integrity of the β′ subunit remains unaffected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widely conserved subunit encoded by rpoZ is the smallest subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (RNAP) but is dispensable for bacterial growth. Function of is known to be substituted by GroEL in ω-null strain, which thus does not exhibit a discernable phenotype. In this work, we report isolation of variants whose expression in vivo leads to a dominant lethal phenotype. Studies show that in contrast to ω, which is largely unstructured, ω mutants display substantial acquisition of secondary structure. By detailed study with one of the mutants, ω6 bearing N60D substitution, the mechanism of lethality has been deciphered. Biochemical analysis reveals that ω6 binds to β' subunit in vitro with greater affinity than that of ω. The reconstituted RNAP holoenzyme in the presence of ω6 in vitro is defective in transcription initiation. Formation of a faulty RNAP in the presence of mutant ω results in death of the cell. Furthermore, lethality of ω6 is relieved in cells expressing the rpoC2112 allele encoding β'2112, a variant β' bearing Y457S substitution, immediately adjacent to the β' catalytic center. Our results suggest that the enhanced ω6-β' interaction may perturb the plasticity of the RNAP active center, implicating a role for and its flexible state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The survival of a bacterium with a depleted oxygen or nutrient supply is important for its long-term persistence inside the host under stressful conditions. We studied a gene, dps, from Mycobacterium smegmatis, encoding a protein, Dps (for DNA binding protein from starved cells), which is overexpressed under oxidative and nutritional stresses and provides bimodal protection to the bacterial DNA. Characterization of the dps promoter in vivo is therefore important. We cloned a 1-kb putative promoter region of the dps gene of M. smegmatis in an Escherichia coli-Mycobacterium shuttle vector, pSD5B, immediately upstream of the lacZ gene. Promoter activities were assayed in vivo both in solid medium and in liquid cultures by quantitative ²-galactosidase activity measurements. To characterize the minimal promoter region, a 200-bp fragment from the whole 1-kb sequence was further cloned in the same vector, and in a similar way, ²-galactosidase activity was quantitated. Primer extension analysis was performed to determine the +1 transcription start site of the gene. Point mutations were inserted in the putative promoter sequences in the -10 and -20 regions, and the promoter sequence was confirmed. The promoter was not recognized by purified M. smegmatis core RNA polymerase reconstituted with purified Mycobacterium tuberculosis σA or σB during multiple- and single-round in vitro transcription assays. Promoter-specific in vivo pull-down assays with an immobilized 1-kb DNA fragment containing the dps promoter established that extracellular function sigma factors were associated with this starvation-inducible promoter. Single-round transcription at the dps promoter further supported the idea that only core RNA polymerase reconstituted with σF or σH can generate proper transcripts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article studies the effects of the deletion of the rpoZ gene, encoding the ω subunit of RNA polymerase by researchers from Bangalore, India. The researchers elucidates that the mutant mycobacterium has pleiotropic phenotypes including reduced sliding motility and defective biofilm formation.

Abstract: The recognition of DNA is the first and most important condition for biological applications, including transcription and translation regulators and DNA sensors. For this purpose, we have developed few systems where we were able to immobilize long double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) successfully to the surfaces of different solid substrates. To achieve this, we have chosen polystyrene beads and standard Langmuir–Blodgett monolayer of Zn-arachidate. In the first attempt, variant of T7 DNA containing one strong promoter A1 for Escherichia coli RNA polymerase was immobilised on uniform polystyrene microspheres (0.31 μm diameter) by covalent grafting. In the latter case, Zn(II) is bound to arachidic acid through charge neutralization. Since tetrahedral Zn(II) participates in DNA recognition through coordination, we have been able to layer DNA over the Zn-arachidate monolayer. The successful immobilization of DNAs on these different substrates was visualized under fluorescence microscope. These immobilized DNAs were used as a template to study in vitro transcription reaction and thus we introduce a new strategy for the study of transcription in heterogeneous phase. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The design and synthesis of agents that can abstract zinc from their [CCXX] (C=cysteine; X=cysteine/histidine) boxes by thiol–disulfide exchange-having as control, the redox parities of the core sulfur ligands of the reagent and the enzyme, has been illustrated, and their efficiency demonstrated by monitoring the inhibition of the transcription of calf thymus DNA by E. coli RNA polymerase, which harbors two zinc atoms in their [CCXX] boxes of which one is exchangeable. Maximum inhibition possible with removal of the exchangeable zinc was seen with redox–sulfanilamide–glutamate composite. In sharp contrast, normal chelating agents (EDTA, phenanthroline) even in a thousand fold excess showed only marginal inhibition, thus supporting an exchange mechanism for the metal removal. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]