Structural Basis of Template Strand Deoxyuridine Promoter Recognition by a Viral RNA Polymerase

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2022 Jun 20

PMID 35725571

Authors

Alec Fraser

Maria L Sokolova

Arina V Drobysheva

Julia V Gordeeva

Sergei Borukhov

John Jumper

Konstantin V Severinov

Petr G Leiman

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Recognition of promoters in bacterial RNA polymerases (RNAPs) is controlled by sigma subunits. The key sequence motif recognized by the sigma, the -10 promoter element, is located in the non-template strand of the double-stranded DNA molecule ~10 nucleotides upstream of the transcription start site. Here, we explain the mechanism by which the phage AR9 non-virion RNAP (nvRNAP), a bacterial RNAP homolog, recognizes the -10 element of its deoxyuridine-containing promoter in the template strand. The AR9 sigma-like subunit, the nvRNAP enzyme core, and the template strand together form two nucleotide base-accepting pockets whose shapes dictate the requirement for the conserved deoxyuridines. A single amino acid substitution in the AR9 sigma-like subunit allows one of these pockets to accept a thymine thus expanding the promoter consensus. Our work demonstrates the extent to which viruses can evolve host-derived multisubunit enzymes to make transcription of their own genes independent of the host.

Citing Articles

Tail-tape-fused virion and non-virion RNA polymerases of a thermophilic virus with an extremely long tail.

Chaban A, Minakhin L, Goldobina E, Bae B, Hao Y, Borukhov S Nat Commun. 2024; 15(1):317.

PMID: 38182597 PMC: 10770324. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44630-z.

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