title: Activation of transcription initiation by Spx: formation of transcription complex and identification of a Cis-acting element required for transcriptional activation.
abstract: The Spx protein of Bacillus subtilis interacts with RNA polymerase (RNAP) to activate transcription initiation in response to thiol-oxidative stress. Protein-DNA cross-linking analysis of reactions containing RNAP, Spx and trxA (thioredoxin) or trxB (thioredoxin reductase) promoter DNA was undertaken to uncover the organization of the Spx-activated transcription initiation complex. Spx induced contact between the RNAP sigma(A) subunit and the -10 promoter sequence of trxA and B, and contact of the betabeta' subunits with core promoter DNA. No Spx-DNA contact was detected. Spx mutants, Spx(C10A) and Spx(G52R.), or RNAP alpha C-terminal domain mutants that impair productive Spx-RNAP interaction did not induce heightened sigma and betabeta' contact with the core promoter. Deletion analysis and the activity of hybrid promoter constructs having upstream trxB DNA fused at positions -31, -36 and -41 of the srf (surfactin synthetase) promoter indicated that a cis-acting site between -50 and -36 was required for Spx activity. Mutations at -43 and -44 of trxB abolished Spx-dependent transcription and Spx-induced cross-linking between the sigma subunit and the -10 region. These data are consistent with a model that Spx activation requires contact between the Spx/RNAP complex and upstream promoter DNA, which allows Spx-induced engagement of the sigma and large subunits with the core promoter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Biomolecular Systems, OGI School of Science and Engineering, Oregon Health and Science University, 20000 NW Walker Rd., Beaverton, OR 97006, USA. pzuber@ebs.ogi.edu
authors.forename: Dindo Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zuber
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D020218:Response Elements; D013880:Thioredoxin-Disulfide Reductase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D013880:Thioredoxin-Disulfide Reductase; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases