RNA polymerase

Parent categories	3. Information processing 3.2. RNA synthesis and degradation 3.2.1. Transcription
Neighbouring categories	Sigma factors
Related categories	protein-protein interactions transcription
Overview on the categories (Excel file) All genes and their categories (Excel file)

Components of the RNA polymerase

Core subunits

• RpoA: alpha subunit
• RpoB: beta subunit
• RpoC: beta' subunit

• The stoichiometry of the enzyme is RpoA(2)-RpoB-RpoC

Sigma factors

• In addition to the housekeeping sigma factor, SigA, there are several other sigma factors with different promoter recognition specifiity that are active under specific conditions (such as stress or sporulation)

Small accessory subunits

• RpoE: delta subunit
• YloH: omega subunit

Other temporary components

• NusA: essential elongation factor
• Spx: transcription regulator, interacts with RpoA
• MgsR: transcription regulator orthologous to Spx, interacts with RpoA

References

Reviews

Finn Werner, Dina Grohmann
Evolution of multisubunit RNA polymerases in the three domains of life.
Nat Rev Microbiol: 2011, 9(2);85-98
[PubMed:21233849] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Vladimir Svetlov, Evgeny Nudler
Macromolecular micromovements: how RNA polymerase translocates.
Curr Opin Struct Biol: 2009, 19(6);701-7
[PubMed:19889534] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Evgeny Nudler
RNA polymerase active center: the molecular engine of transcription.
Annu Rev Biochem: 2009, 78;335-61
[PubMed:19489723] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

P J Lewis, G P Doherty, J Clarke
Transcription factor dynamics.
Microbiology (Reading): 2008, 154(Pt 7);1837-1844
[PubMed:18599813] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Kristina M Herbert, William J Greenleaf, Steven M Block
Single-molecule studies of RNA polymerase: motoring along.
Annu Rev Biochem: 2008, 77;149-76
[PubMed:18410247] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Sergei Borukhov, Evgeny Nudler
RNA polymerase: the vehicle of transcription.
Trends Microbiol: 2008, 16(3);126-34
[PubMed:18280161] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

W G Haldenwang
The sigma factors of Bacillus subtilis.
Microbiol Rev: 1995, 59(1);1-30
[PubMed:7708009] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

The structure of RNA polymerase

Elecia B Johnston, Peter J Lewis, Renate Griffith
The interaction of Bacillus subtilis sigmaA with RNA polymerase.
Protein Sci: 2009, 18(11);2287-97
[PubMed:19735077] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Sergei Borukhov, Evgeny Nudler
RNA polymerase holoenzyme: structure, function and biological implications.
Curr Opin Microbiol: 2003, 6(2);93-100
[PubMed:12732296] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Katsuhiko S Murakami, Seth A Darst
Bacterial RNA polymerases: the wholo story.
Curr Opin Struct Biol: 2003, 13(1);31-9
[PubMed:12581657] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

S A Darst
Bacterial RNA polymerase.
Curr Opin Struct Biol: 2001, 11(2);155-62
[PubMed:11297923] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Important original publications: PubMed

Houra Merrikh, Cristina Machón, William H Grainger, Alan D Grossman, Panos Soultanas
Co-directional replication-transcription conflicts lead to replication restart.
Nature: 2011, 470(7335);554-7
[PubMed:21350489] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)