title: Structure of an archaeal RNA polymerase.
abstract: Related multisubunit RNA polymerases (RNAPs) carry out gene transcription in all kingdoms of life. Since structural information is limited to bacterial and eukaryotic RNAPs, we determined the cryo-electron microscopic structure of the RNAP from the thermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus at 13 A resolution. Comparison with eukaryotic RNAP II reveals a conserved architecture, no homologues for subunits Rpb8 and Rpb9, and significant deviation in the polymerase foot, jaws, pore, and protrusion. The structural organization of the archaeal RNA polymerase serves as a reference for future structure-function analysis of the transcription mechanism and allows for evolutionary comparisons.
authors.affiliation: Gene Center Munich and Center for integrated Protein Science CiPS(M), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 25, 81377 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Anselm G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Kusser
authors.forename: Michela G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bertero
authors.forename: Souad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naji
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thomm
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beckmann
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cramer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019843:Archaeal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D001665:Binding Sites; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000737:chemistry; D020027:Pyrococcus furiosus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D019843:Archaeal Proteins; D021122:Protein Subunits; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases