title: Binding of the initiation factor sigma(70) to core RNA polymerase is a multistep process.
abstract: The interaction of RNA polymerase and its initiation factors is central to the process of transcription initiation. To dissect the role of this interface, we undertook the identification of the contact sites between RNA polymerase and sigma(70), the Escherichia coli initiation factor. We identified nine mutationally verified interaction sites between sigma(70) and specific domains of RNA polymerase and provide evidence that sigma(70) and RNA polymerase interact in at least a two-step process. We propose that a cycle of changes in the interface of sigma(70) with core RNA polymerase is associated with progression through the process of transcription initiation.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Stomatology and Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Markov
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: C Z
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Artsimovitch
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Geszvain
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Arthur
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Burgess
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Landick
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Severinov
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gross
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017354:Point Mutation; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012808:Sigma Factor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012808:Sigma Factor; C081775:RNA polymerase sigma 70; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases