Structural organization of the RNA polymerase-promoter open complex

The RNA polymerase (RNAP)-promoter open complex and its structure and organization are discussed. Systematic site-specific protein-DNA photocrosslinking has been used to find out about interactions between bacterial RNAP and promoter DNA in the RNAP-promoter open complex that functions as a catalyst. More than 100 defined crosslinks between individual assessments of RNAP subunits and individual phosphates of promoter DNA have been mapped.