Escherichia coli rho factor induces release of yeast RNA polymerase II but not polymerase I or III

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1998 Apr 28;95(9):4900-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.95.9.4900.

Abstract

Purified RNA polymerase II (pol II) from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae pauses without releasing at many locations during in vitro transcription. Pausing can be induced by intrinsic DNA sequence as well as by specific DNA bound proteins such as the RNA pol I termination factor, Reb1p, or lac repressor. Addition of rho termination factor from E. coli induces RNA pol II to release at all of these pause sites. Rho-induced release of pol II requires both a rho binding site in the transcript upstream of the pause sites as well as hydrolysis of ATP. In contrast, rho factor has no effect on either pausing or release by RNA pol I or III. When combined with previous observations, these results suggest that RNA pol II may terminate by a mechanism closely related to the rho-dependent mechanism of prokaryotes. In contrast, pol I and III appear to utilize a mechanism more related to the rho-independent terminators of prokaryotes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Cell-Free System
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Kinetics
  • RNA Polymerase I / metabolism*
  • RNA Polymerase II / metabolism*
  • RNA Polymerase III / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism*
  • Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid
  • Rho Factor / metabolism*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / enzymology
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics*
  • Templates, Genetic
  • Terminator Regions, Genetic
  • Transcription, Genetic*

Substances

  • RNA, Messenger
  • Rho Factor
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • RNA Polymerase II
  • RNA Polymerase I
  • RNA Polymerase III