A Structural Model of Transcription Elongation

作者：Nataliya Korzheva, Arkady A. MUSTAEV, Maxim V. Kozlov, Arun Malhotra, Vadim Nikiforov, Alex Goldfarb, Seth Andrew Darst · 发表于：Science · 年份：2000 · DOI：10.1126/science.289.5479.619 · 被引用次数：405 · 研究领域：RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms、Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology、Bacteriophages and microbial interactions

The path of the nucleic acids through a transcription elongation complex was tracked by mapping cross-links between bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) and transcript RNA or template DNA onto the x-ray crystal structure. In the resulting model, the downstream duplex DNA is nestled in a trough formed by the beta' subunit and enclosed on top by the beta subunit. In the RNAP channel, the RNA/DNA hybrid extends from the enzyme active site, along a region of the beta subunit harboring rifampicin resistance mutations, to the beta' subunit "rudder." The single-stranded RNA is then extruded through another channel formed by the beta-subunit flap domain. The model provides insight into the functional properties of the transcription complex.