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Dual role of the σ factor in primer RNA synthesis by bacterial RNA polymerase
Author(s) -
Esyunina Daria,
Pupov Danil,
Kulbachinskiy Andrey
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1002/1873-3468.13312
Subject(s) - primase , rna , biology , rna polymerase , rna dependent rna polymerase , polymerase , dna , primer (cosmetics) , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , gene , reverse transcriptase , organic chemistry
Bacterial RNA polymerase ( RNAP ) serves as a primase during replication of single‐stranded plasmids and filamentous phages. Primer RNA (pr RNA ) synthesis from the origin regions of these replicons depends on the σ factor that normally participates in promoter recognition. However, it was proposed that σ may not be required for origin recognition but is rather involved in RNA extension by RNAP . Here, by analyzing the natural replication origin of bacteriophage M13 and synthetic ss DNA templates, we show that interactions of σ with promoter‐like motifs stabilize priming complexes and can control pr RNA synthesis by trapping RNAP on the template. Thus, the σ factor is involved in both DNA recognition and RNA priming, unifying its functions in transcription initiation from double‐ and single‐stranded templates.