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） |
《Figure》
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.
For more information, please contact: Dr. Shun-ichi Sekine (The University of Tokyo) |
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