Open AccessHomologous RNA Polymerase binding to Escherichia coli DNA
Author(s) -
PEDONE Francesco,
BALLARIO Paola,
MAURO Ernesto
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1978.tb12394.x
Subject(s) - polymerase , rna polymerase , base pair , dna , microbiology and biotechnology , rna polymerase i , escherichia coli , biology , rna , dna polymerase , chemistry , rna dependent rna polymerase , genetics , gene
The number and the distribution of the sites of Escherichia coli DNA that from stable complexes with the homologous RNA polymerase (class A sites according to Hinkle and Chamberlin [3]) have been investigated. Almost all the DNA can bind RNA polymerase, even when fragmented at short (undergenic) size; this general non‐promoter‐specific binding is highly labile and is not temperature‐dependent. The range of RNA polymerase DNA ratios that give rise to the stable temperature‐dependent complexes was examined. The amount and the distribution of class A complexes were studied analysing the dissociation of complexes formed by RNA polymerase on DNA fragments of various length. The E. coli genome appears to form 3.8 × 10 3 stable complexes; the majority of these complexes shows a short‐range distribution (800–1200 base pairs). The rest is more widely spaced (1200–6000 base pairs).