title: New Insights into the Functions of Transcription Factors that Bind the RNA Polymerase Secondary Channel.
abstract: Transcription elongation is regulated at several different levels, including control by various accessory transcription elongation factors. A distinct group of these factors interacts with the RNA polymerase secondary channel, an opening at the enzyme surface that leads to its active center. Despite investigation for several years, the activities and in vivo roles of some of these factors remain obscure. Here, we review the recent progress in understanding the functions of the secondary channel binding factors in bacteria. In particular, we highlight the surprising role of global regulator DksA in fidelity of RNA synthesis and the resolution of RNA polymerase traffic jams by the Gre factor. These findings indicate a potential link between transcription fidelity and collisions of the transcription and replication machineries.
authors.affiliation: Center for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Baddiley-Clark Building, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, UK. n.zenkin@ncl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Nikolay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zenkin
authors.affiliation: Center for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Baddiley-Clark Building, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, UK. y.yuzenkova@ncl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Yulia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuzenkova
mesh_terms: D001667:Binding, Competitive; D004261:DNA Replication; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
keywords: DksA; Gre; RNA polymerase; secondary channel; transcription factors; transcription fidelity; transcription processivity; transcription-replication conflicts