Reversible Stalling of Transcription Elongation Complexes by High Pressure

Reversible stalling of transcription elongation complexes by high pressure.

We have investigated the effect of high hydrostatic pressure on the stability of RNA polymerase molecules during transcription. RNA polymerase molecules participating in stalled or active ternary transcribing complexes do not dissociate from the template DNA and nascent RNA at pressures up to 180 MPa. A lower limit for the free energy of stabilization of an elongating ternary complex relative t...

Transcription factor E is a part of transcription elongation complexes.

A homologue of the N-terminal domain of the alpha subunit of the general eukaryotic transcription factor TFE is encoded in the genomes of all sequenced archaea, but the position of archaeal TFE in transcription complexes has not yet been defined. We show here that TFE binds nonspecifically to single-stranded DNA, and photochemical cross-linking revealed TFE binding to a preformed open transcrip...

Mechanisms of ribosome stalling by SecM at multiple elongation steps

Regulation of translating ribosomes is a major component of gene expression control network. In Escherichia coli, ribosome stalling by the C-terminal arrest sequence of SecM regulates the SecA-dependent secretion pathway. Previous studies reported many residues of SecM peptide and ribosome exit tunnel are critical for stalling. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is still not clear at t...

Elongation vs stalling: place your BET

Transcription regulation during stable elongation by a reversible halt of RNA polymerase II

Regulation of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) during transcription is essential for controlling gene expression. Here we report that the transcriptional activity of RNAPII at the Balbiani ring 2.1 gene could be halted during stable elongation in salivary gland cells of Chironomus tentans larvae for extended time periods in a regulated manner. The transcription halt was triggered by heat shock and af...