title: RNA polymerase fidelity and transcriptional proofreading.
abstract: Whereas mechanisms underlying the fidelity of DNA polymerases (DNAPs) have been investigated in detail, RNA polymerase (RNAP) fidelity mechanisms remained poorly understood. New functional and structural studies now suggest how RNAPs select the correct nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) substrate to prevent transcription errors, and how the enzymes detect and remove a misincorporated nucleotide during proofreading. Proofreading begins with fraying of the misincorporated nucleotide away from the DNA template, which pauses transcription. Subsequent backtracking of RNAP by one position enables nucleolytic cleavage of an RNA dinucleotide that contains the misincorporated nucleotide. Since cleavage occurs at the same active site that is used for polymerization, the RNAP proofreading mechanism differs from that used by DNAPs, which contain a distinct nuclease specific active site.
authors.affiliation: Gene Center Munich and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 25, 81377 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Jasmin F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sydow
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cramer
mesh_terms: D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000378:metabolism; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase