Terminator Still Moving Forward: Expanding Roles for Rho Factor

Rho factor is a molecular motor that translocates along nascent RNA and acts on the transcription elongation complex to promote termination. Besides contributing to transcriptional punctuation of the bacterial genome, Rho can act intragenically under conditions that perturb coupling of translation and transcription. Recent advances have shed new light onto several aspects of Rho function, including the translocation mechanism, the avoidance of potential conflicts between DNA replication and transcription, suppression of pervasive antisense transcription and recruitment in riboswitch and small RNA-dependent regulation. Altogether, these findings further highlight the relevance of Rho factor, both as a multi-task housekeeper and gene regulator.