title: Homologous RNA polymerase binding to Escherichia coli DNA: a study of the distribution of stable binding sites.
abstract: The number and the distribution of the sites of Escherichia coli DNA that form stable complexes with the homologous RNA polymerase (class A sites according to Hinkle and Chamberlin [3]) have been investigated. Almost all the DNA can bind RNA polymerase, even when fragmented at short (undergenic) size; this general non-promoter-specific binding is highly labile and is not temperature-dependent. The range of RNA polymerase/DNA ratios that give rise to the stable temperature-dependent complexes was examined. The amount and the distribution of class A complexes were studied analysing the dissociation of complexes formed by RNA polymerase on DNA fragments of various length. The E. coli genome appears to form 3.8 X 10(3) stable complexes; the majority of these complexes shows a short-range distribution (800-1200 base pairs). The rest is more widely spaced (1200-6000 base pairs).
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005796:Genes; D007700:Kinetics; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases