A universal transcription pause sequence is an element of initiation factor σ70-dependent pausing.
The Escherichia coli σ70 initiation factor is required for a post-initiation, promoter-proximal pause essential for regulation of lambdoid phage late gene expression; potentially, σ70 acts at other sites during transcription elongation as well. The pause is induced by σ70 binding to a repeat of the promoter -10 sequence. After σ70 binding, further RNA synthesis occurs as DNA is drawn (or 'scrunched') into the enzyme complex, presumably exactly as occurs during initial synthesis from the promoter; this synthesis then pauses at a defined site several nucleotides downstream from the active center position when σ70 first engages the -10 sequence repeat. We show that the actual pause site in the stabilized, scrunched complex is the 'elemental pause sequence' recognized from its frequent occurrence in the E. coli genome. σ70 binding and the elemental pause sequence together, but neither alone, produce a substantial transcription pause.
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Jeremy G
JG
Bird
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Eric J
EJ
Strobel
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA jwr7@cornell.edu.
Jeffrey W
JW
Roberts
D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000378:metabolism; D001482:Base Composition / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009692:Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes; D010448:Peptide Initiation Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D012808:Sigma Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D013698:Templates, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D004279:DNA, Viral; D009692:Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes; D010448:Peptide Initiation Factors; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012808:Sigma Factor