Multiple personalities of the RNA polymerase active centre.
Transcription in all living organisms is accomplished by highly conserved multi-subunit RNA polymerases (RNAPs). Our understanding of the functioning of the active centre of RNAPs has transformed recently with the finding that a conserved flexible domain near the active centre, the trigger loop (TL), participates directly in the catalysis of RNA synthesis and serves as a major determinant for fidelity of transcription. It also appears that the TL is involved in the unique ability of RNAPs to exchange catalytic activities of the active centre. In this phenomenon the TL is replaced by a transcription factor which changes the amino acid content and, as a result, the catalytic properties of the active centre. The existence of a number of transcription factors that act through substitution of the TL suggests that the RNAP has several different active centres to choose from in response to external or internal signals. A video of this Prize Lecture, presented at the Society for General Microbiology Annual Conference 2014, can be viewed via this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79Z7iXVEPo4.
Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Baddiley-Clark Building, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, UK.
Nikolay
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Zenkin
D002384:Catalysis; D020134:Catalytic Domain; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D021122:Protein Subunits; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D021122:Protein Subunits; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases