title: Open complex DNA scrunching: A key to transcription start site selection and promoter escape.
abstract: Bacterial RNA polymerase-promoter open complexes can exist in a range of states in which the leading edge of the enzyme moves but the trailing edge does not, a phenomenon we refer to as "open complex scrunching." Here we describe how open complex scrunching can determine the position of the transcription start site for some promoters, modulate the level of expression, and potentially could be targeted by factors to regulate transcription. We suggest that open complex scrunching at the extraordinarily active ribosomal RNA promoters might have evolved to initiate transcription at an unusual position relative to the core promoter elements in order to maximize the rate of promoter escape.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.|Department of Genetics and Waksman Institute, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Jared T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Winkelman
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Gourse
mesh_terms: D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D024363:Transcription Initiation Site
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
keywords: RNA polymerase; promoter; promoter escape; scrunching; transcription initiation; transcription start site selection