title: A non-essential domain of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase required for the action of the termination factor Alc.
abstract: An evolutionarily nonconserved region of approximately 250 amino acids can be deleted from the amino-terminal part of the beta subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase without effect on the enzyme's basic function. The non-essential segment is located between two highly conserved motifs and is flanked by sequences participating in the rifampicin-binding site. The results define the second non-essential domain in the beta subunit, in addition to the more distal dispensable segment identified previously. The Alc protein of bacteriophage T4 participates in the host transcription shutoff after infection by causing premature termination of transcription on E. coli DNA. Point mutations which prevent Alc action in vivo change amino acids in the non-essential NH2-terminal domain of the beta subunit. These point mutations as well as deletions which remove the non-essential region also prevent Alc action. Thus, in the RNA polymerase molecule, the proximal non-essential domain of beta may function as an acceptor of Alc or other regulatory factors.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Severinov
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kashlev
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Severinova
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bass
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McWilliams
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kutter
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nikiforov
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goldfarb
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D017354:Point Mutation; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D013728:Terminator Regions, Genetic; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C083729:Alc protein, Enterobacteria phage T4; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014764:Viral Proteins; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases