Structural visualization of transcription activated by a multidrug-sensing MerR family regulator.

ABSTRACT: Bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) holoenzyme initiates transcription by recognizing the conserved -35 and -10 promoter elements that are optimally separated by a 17-bp spacer. The MerR family of transcriptional regulators activate suboptimal 19-20 bp spacer promoters in response to myriad cellular signals, ranging from heavy metals to drug-like compounds. The regulation of transcription by MerR family regulators is not fully understood. Here we report one crystal structure of a multidrug-sensing MerR family regulator EcmrR and nine cryo-electron microscopy structures that capture the EcmrR-dependent transcription process from promoter opening to initial transcription to RNA elongation. These structures reveal that EcmrR is a dual ligand-binding factor that reshapes the suboptimal 19-bp space

SUBMITTER: Yang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8113463 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature