A bacterial enhancer functions to tether a transcriptional activator near a promoter

A Wedel; D S Weiss; D Popham; P Dröge; S Kustu

doi:10.1126/science.1970441

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A bacterial enhancer functions to tether a transcriptional activator near a promoter

Journal article

Peer reviewed

A bacterial enhancer functions to tether a transcriptional activator near a promoter

A Wedel, D S Weiss, D Popham, P Dröge and S Kustu

Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science), Vol.248(4954), pp.486-490

04/27/1990

DOI: 10.1126/science.1970441

PMID: 1970441

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Abstract

The nitrogen regulatory protein NtrC of enteric bacteria activates transcription of the glnA gene by catalyzing isomerization of closed complexes between RNA polymerase and the glnA promoter to open complexes. NtrC binds to sites upstream of glnA that have properties of eukaryotic transcriptional enhancers. NtrC-binding sites were found to facilitate open complex formation when these sites and the glnA promoter were located on different rings of a singly linked catenane, but not when the two rings were decatenated. The results provide evidence that NtrC contacts RNA polymerase-promoter complexes in a process mediated by formation of a DNA loop. NtrC-binding sites serve to tether NtrC near the glnA promoter, thereby increasing the frequency of collisions between NtrC and polymerase-promoter complexes.

Promoter Regions, Genetic

DNA, Bacterial - metabolism

Trans-Activators

Transposases

Templates, Genetic

DNA Transposable Elements

DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism

PII Nitrogen Regulatory Proteins

Enhancer Elements, Genetic

Plasmids

Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase - genetics

Bacterial Proteins - metabolism

Transcription, Genetic

Transcription Factors

Nucleotidyltransferases - metabolism

DNA, Superhelical - metabolism

DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases - metabolism

Binding Sites

Details

Title: Subtitle: A bacterial enhancer functions to tether a transcriptional activator near a promoter
Creators: A Wedel - Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Berkeley 94720
D S Weiss
D Popham
P Dröge
S Kustu
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science), Vol.248(4954), pp.486-490
DOI: 10.1126/science.1970441
PMID: 1970441
NLM abbreviation: Science
ISSN: 0036-8075
eISSN: 1095-9203
Publisher: United States
Grant note: GM 38361 / NIGMS NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 04/27/1990
Academic Unit: Microbiology and Immunology
Record Identifier: 9984001109502771

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