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The torpedo effect in Bacillus subtilis : RN ase J1 resolves stalled transcription complexes
Author(s) -
Šiková Michaela,
Wiedermannová Jana,
Převorovský Martin,
Barvík Ivan,
Sudzinová Petra,
Kofroňová Olga,
Benada Oldřich,
Šanderová Hana,
Condon Ciarán,
Krásný Libor
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.15252/embj.2019102500
Subject(s) - biology , bacillus subtilis , transcription (linguistics) , bacillales , bacillaceae , transcription factor , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , genetics , gene , linguistics , philosophy
RN ase J1 is the major 5′‐to‐3′ bacterial exoribonuclease. We demonstrate that in its absence, RNA polymerases ( RNAP s) are redistributed on DNA , with increased RNAP occupancy on some genes without a parallel increase in transcriptional output. This suggests that some of these RNAP s represent stalled, non‐transcribing complexes. We show that RN ase J1 is able to resolve these stalled RNAP complexes by a “torpedo” mechanism, whereby RN ase J1 degrades the nascent RNA and causes the transcription complex to disassemble upon collision with RNAP . A heterologous enzyme, yeast Xrn1 (5′‐to‐3′ exonuclease), is less efficient than RN ase J1 in resolving stalled Bacillus subtilis RNAP , suggesting that the effect is RN ase‐specific. Our results thus reveal a novel general principle, whereby an RN ase can participate in genome‐wide surveillance of stalled RNAP complexes, preventing potentially deleterious transcription–replication collisions.