title: Identification of a conserved archaeal RNA polymerase subunit contacted by the basal transcription factor TFB.
abstract: Archaea possess two general transcription factors that are required to recruit RNA polymerase (RNAP) to promoters in vitro. These are TBP, the TATA-box-binding protein and TFB, the archaeal homologue of TFIIB. Thus, the archaeal and eucaryal transcription machineries are fundamentally related. In both RNAP II and archaeal transcription systems, direct contacts between TFB/TFIIB and the RNAP have been demonstrated to mediate recruitment of the polymerase to the promoter. However the subunit(s) directly contacted by these factors has not been identified. Using systematic yeast two-hybrid and biochemical analyses we have identified an interaction between the N-terminal domain of TFB and an evolutionarily conserved subunit of the RNA polymerase, RpoK. Intriguingly, homologues of RpoK are found in all three nuclear RNA polymerases (Rpb6) and also in the bacterial RNA polymerase (omega-subunit).
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research Campaign Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Magill
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Bell
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001105:Archaea / Q000201:enzymology*; D019843:Archaeal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D017354:Point Mutation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D035581:Transcription Factor TFIIB; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: D019843:Archaeal Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D035581:Transcription Factor TFIIB; D014157:Transcription Factors; C106466:transcription factor B, Archaea; C444653:RpoK protein, Sulfolobus solfataricus; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases