title: Σ(70)-dependent transcription pausing in Escherichia coli.
abstract: After promoter escape in Escherichia coli, the initiating σ(70) factor is retained by core RNA polymerase (RNAP) for at least tens of nucleotides. While it is bound, σ(70) can engage a repeat of a promoter DNA element located downstream of the promoter and thereby induce a transcription pause. The σ(70)-dependent promoter-proximal pause that occurs at all lambdoid phage late gene promoters is essential to regulation of the late gene operons. Several, and possibly many, E. coli promoters have associated σ(70)-dependent pauses. Clearly characterized σ(70)-dependent pauses occur within 25 nucleotides of the start site, but σ(70)-dependent pausing might occur farther downstream as well. In this review, we summarize evidence for σ(70)-dependent promoter-proximal and promoter-distal pausing, and we discuss its potential regulatory function and mechanistic basis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Perdue
authors.forename: Jeffrey W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012808:Sigma Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012808:Sigma Factor; C081775:RNA polymerase sigma 70; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases