SPring-8, the large synchrotron radiation facility

Skip to content
» JAPANESE
Personal tools
 

Discovery of New Mechanism Inhibiting Bacterial Gene Expression - Pointed Transcription Factor Binds to RNA Polymerase to Stop Gene Expression (Press Release)

Release Date
02 Dec, 2010
  • BL41XU (Structural Biology I)

Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo
RIKEN

In gene expression in cells, RNA is synthesized by transcription of the base sequence of DNA, and then proteins are synthesized from the RNA sequence. This process is the central dogma or the central scheme supporting the life activities of almost all organisms. RNA polymerase (RNAP) is a giant protein that is responsible for RNA synthesis, which is the first step of the central dogma, and is indispensable for the life activities of all organisms. The research team succeeded for the first time in the world in determining the crystal structure of bacterial RNAP while it is bound to a protein that inhibits the functions of RNAP. Moreover, the team clarified the unique mechanism of inhibiting the functions of RNAP. It is hoped that this achievement will provide the foundation for the development of new antimicrobial agents based on a new mechanism of action.

This research achievement was published online in the British scientific journal Nature on 1 December 2010.

(Publication)
"Crystal Structure of bacterial RNA polymerase bound with a transcription inhibitor protein"
Shunsuke Tagami, Shun-ichi Sekine, Thirumananseri Kumarevel, Nobumasa Hino, Yuko Murayama, Syunsuke Kamegamori, Masaki Yamamoto, Kensaku Sakamoto & Shigeyuki Yokoyama
Nature 468, 978–982 (2010), published online 1 December 2010

《Figure》

Fig. 1 Transcription of DNA by RNAP
Fig. 1 Transcription of DNA by RNAP

Nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs) are the materials (substrates) used for RNA synthesis. RNAP catalyzes the synthesis of RNA having the same sequence as that of DNA by adding NTPs to RNA one by one.

Fig. 2 Crystal structure of complex of RNAP and Gre factor homologue (Gfh1)
Fig. 2 Crystal structure of complex of RNAP and Gre factor homologue (Gfh1)
Fig. 3 Mechanism of inhibiting RNAP by Gfh1
Fig. 3 Mechanism of inhibiting RNAP by Gfh1


For more information, please contact:
Prof. Shigeyuki Yokoyama
(The University of Tokyo and RIKEN)
E-mail: mail

or

Dr. Shun-ichi Sekine (The University of Tokyo)
E-mail: mail

Previous Article
Clarifying Rhythmic Structural Changes in Cyanobacterial Clock Protein (Press Release)
Current article
Discovery of New Mechanism Inhibiting Bacterial Gene Expression - Pointed Transcription Factor Binds to RNA Polymerase to Stop Gene Expression (Press Release)
Next Article
Better understand of NO-toxicity with synchrotron radiation (Press Release)