title: Catabolite activator protein: DNA binding and transcription activation.
abstract: Recently determined structures of the Escherichia coli catabolite activator protein (CAP) in complex with DNA, and in complex with the RNA polymerase alpha subunit C-terminal domain (alphaCTD) and DNA, have yielded insights into how CAP binds DNA and activates transcription. Comparison of multiple structures of CAP-DNA complexes has revealed the contributions of direct and indirect readout to DNA binding by CAP. The structure of the CAP-alphaCTD-DNA complex has provided the first structural description of interactions between a transcription activator and its functional target within the general transcription machinery. Using the structure of the CAP-alphaCTD-DNA complex, the structure of an RNA polymerase-DNA complex, and restraints from biophysical, biochemical and genetic experiments, it has been possible to construct detailed three-dimensional models of intact class I and class II transcription activation complexes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA. cathy.lawson@rutgers.edu
authors.forename: Catherine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Swigon
authors.forename: Katsuhiko S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Seth A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Darst
authors.forename: Helen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Ebright
mesh_terms: D002373:Cyclic AMP Receptor Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002373:Cyclic AMP Receptor Protein; D004247:DNA; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; C113275:RNA polymerase alpha subunit