title: Transcription in Archaea: preparation of Methanocaldococcus jannaschii transcription machinery.
abstract: Archaeal RNA polymerase and general transcription factors are more closely related to those of eukaryotes than of bacteria. As such the study of transcription of archaea is important both in terms of examination of the evolution of the transcriptional machinery and as a simplified tool for eukaryotic transcription. In particular, the hyperthermophilic Methanocaldococcus jannaschii provides us with a fully recombinant RNA polymerase system allowing for much more detailed in vitro examination of the roles of different components during the transcription cycle than otherwise possible. The individual subunits of M. jannaschii enzyme are easily expressed and purified from heterologous expression systems. Forming functional RNA polymerase involves simply combining the different subunits under denaturing conditions and slowly removing the denaturant.
authors: Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Darwin Building, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK, k.smollett@ucl.ac.uk.
authors: Katherine
authors: K
authors: Smollett
authors: Fabian
authors: F
authors: Blombach
authors: Finn
authors: F
authors: Werner
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D063747:Methanocaldococcus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods*; D016622:Silver Staining; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases