Active center rearrangement in RNA polymerase initiation complex

• Published in: The Journal of biological chemistry Vol. 268; no. 26; pp. 19185 - 19187
• Main Authors: MUSTAEV, A, KASHLEV, M, ZAYCHIKOV, E, GRACHEV, M, GOLDFARB, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 15-09-1993
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Base Sequence; Binding Sites; Biological and medical sciences; Conserved Sequence; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases - genetics; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases - metabolism; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - enzymology; Escherichia coli - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Rearrangement; Genes, Bacterial; Histidine; Macromolecular Substances; Models, Structural; Molecular and cellular biology; Molecular genetics; Molecular Sequence Data; Promoter Regions, Genetic; RNA, Bacterial - biosynthesis; Transcription. Transcription factor. Splicing. Rna processing; Nucleotidyltransferases; Radiolabelling; Enzyme; Gel electrophoresis; Transferases; Active site; Nucleotide; Binding site; Transcription initiation; DNA-directed RNA polymerase; Conformation
• ISSN: 0021-9258; 1083-351X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0021-9258(19)36495-6

His1237 in the beta subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase marks the "5' face" of the active center since it can be cross-linked
to the gamma-phosphate of the priming substrate. It is demonstrated that RNA chains up to 9 nucleotides in length can be synthesized
using His1237-cross-linked nucleotide as a primer. Thus, a substantial mass of RNA can be accommodated in the active center
between His1237 and the site of catalysis that remains juxtaposed to the growing 3' end. The apparent "filling" of the active
center with RNA precedes promoter clearance and suggests a mechanism of coupling between catalysis and saltatory translocation
of RNA polymerase.