Sequence-dependent upstream DNA-RNA polymerase interactions in the open complex with lambdaPR and lambdaPRM promoters and implications for the mechanism of promoter interference.

ABSTRACT: Upstream interactions of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (RNAP) in an open promoter complex (RPo) formed at the P(R) and P(RM) promoters of bacteriophage lambda have been studied by atomic force microscopy. We demonstrate that the previously described 30-nm DNA compaction observed upon RPo formation at P(R) [Rivetti, C., Guthold, M. & Bustamante, C. (1999). Wrapping of DNA around the E. coli RNA polymerase open promoter complex. EMBO J., 18, 4464-4475.] is a consequence of the specific interaction of the RNAP with two AT-rich sequence determinants positioned from -36 to -59 and from -80 to -100. Likewise, RPos formed at P(RM) showed a specific contact between RNAP and the upstream DNA sequence. We further demonstrate that this interaction, which results in DNA wrapping against the polymera

SUBMITTER: Mangiarotti L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4565456 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature