title: Repression of RNA polymerase by the archaeo-viral regulator ORF145/RIP.
abstract: Little is known about how archaeal viruses perturb the transcription machinery of their hosts. Here we provide the first example of an archaeo-viral transcription factor that directly targets the host RNA polymerase (RNAP) and efficiently represses its activity. ORF145 from the temperate Acidianus two-tailed virus (ATV) forms a high-affinity complex with RNAP by binding inside the DNA-binding channel where it locks the flexible RNAP clamp in one position. This counteracts the formation of transcription pre-initiation complexes in vitro and represses abortive and productive transcription initiation, as well as elongation. Both host and viral promoters are subjected to ORF145 repression. Thus, ORF145 has the properties of a global transcription repressor and its overexpression is toxic for Sulfolobus. On the basis of its properties, we have re-named ORF145 RNAP Inhibitory Protein (RIP).
authors.affiliation: Division of Biosciences, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sheppard
authors.affiliation: Division of Biosciences, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Blombach
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belsom
authors.affiliation: Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie-NanoBioSciences, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Strasse 10, Braunschweig 38106, Germany.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.affiliation: Division of Biosciences, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Daviter
authors.affiliation: Division of Biosciences, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smollett
authors.affiliation: Division of Biosciences, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mahieu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2200, Denmark.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erdmann
authors.affiliation: Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie-NanoBioSciences, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Strasse 10, Braunschweig 38106, Germany.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tinnefeld
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK-2200, Denmark.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garrett
authors.affiliation: Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie-NanoBioSciences, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Strasse 10, Braunschweig 38106, Germany.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grohmann
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK.|Department of Bioanalytics, Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin 13355, Germany.
authors.forename: Juri
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5999-1310
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rappsilber
authors.affiliation: Division of Biosciences, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Finn
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Werner
mesh_terms: D041541:Acidianus / Q000378:metabolism*; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D016944:Sulfolobus; D061785:Transcription Initiation, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases