title: Cooperation between translating ribosomes and RNA polymerase in transcription elongation.
abstract: During transcription of protein-coding genes, bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) is closely followed by a ribosome that translates the newly synthesized transcript. Our in vivo measurements show that the overall elongation rate of transcription is tightly controlled by the rate of translation. Acceleration and deceleration of a ribosome result in corresponding changes in the speed of RNAP. Moreover, we found an inverse correlation between the number of rare codons in a gene, which delay ribosome progression, and the rate of transcription. The stimulating effect of a ribosome on RNAP is achieved by preventing its spontaneous backtracking, which enhances the pace and also facilitates readthrough of roadblocks in vivo. Such a cooperative mechanism ensures that the transcriptional yield is always adjusted to translational needs at different genes and under various growth conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Proshkin
authors.forename: A Rachid
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Rahmouni
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mironov
authors.forename: Evgeny
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nudler
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002701:Chloramphenicol / Q000494:pharmacology; D003062:Codon; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D007763:Lac Operon; D010441:Peptide Chain Elongation, Translational / Q000187:drug effects; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003062:Codon; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002701:Chloramphenicol; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D013307:Streptomycin