Structure of a transcribing T7 RNA polymerase initiation complex

The structure of a T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP) initiation complex captured transcribing a trinucleotide of RNA from a 17-base pair promoter DNA containing a 5-nucleotide single-strand template extension was determined at a resolution of 2.4 angstroms. Binding of the upstream duplex portion of the promoter occurs in the same manner as that in the open promoter complex, but the single-stranded template is repositioned to place the +4 base at the catalytic active site. Thus, synthesis of RNA in the initiation phase leads to accumulation or "scrunching" of the template in the enclosed active site pocket of T7 RNAP. Only three base pairs of heteroduplex are formed before the RNA peels off the template.     

Abortive initiation and productive initiation by RNA polymerase involve DNA scrunching

Using single-molecule DNA nanomanipulation, we show that abortive initiation involves DNA "scrunching"--in which RNA polymerase (RNAP) remains stationary and unwinds and pulls downstream DNA into itself--and that scrunching requires RNA synthesis and depends on RNA length. We show further that promoter escape involves scrunching, and that scrunching occurs in most or all instances of promoter escape. Our results support the existence of an obligatory stressed intermediate, with approximately one turn of additional DNA unwinding, in escape and are consistent with the proposal that stress in this intermediate provides the driving force to break RNAP-promoter and RNAP-initiation-factor interactions in escape.     

稳定表达T_7RNA聚合酶的猪睾丸细胞系的建立

根据GenBank中登录的T7RNA聚合酶基因参考序列,设计合成了1对特异性引物扩增对T7RNA聚合酶基因进行扩增,将测序正确的T7RNA聚合酶基因和真核表达载体pIRES2-EGFP双酶切后进行连接构建pIRES2-EGFP-T7RNA RNA质粒。再将构建正确的pIRES2-EGFP-T7RNA质粒经用脂质体法转染猪睾丸细胞,通过G418筛选和单细胞克隆化,同时构建pET-32a-RED原核表达质粒载体,用其检测T7启动子控制下的红色荧光蛋白的表达。结果表明,建立的ST/T7RNA细胞系经20次传代仍然能稳定表达T7RNA聚合酶。结果显示,成功建立能稳定表达T7RNA聚合酶的猪睾丸细胞系,为猪瘟病毒反向遗传操作平台奠定了基础。     

Uninterrupted MCM2-7 function required for DNA replication fork progression

Little is known about the DNA helicases required for the elongation phase of eukaryotic chromosome replication. Minichromosome maintenance (MCM) protein complexes have DNA helicase activity but have only been functionally implicated in initiating DNA replication. Using an improved method for constructing conditional degron mutants, we show that depletion of MCMs after initiation irreversibly blocks the progression of replication forks in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Like the Escherichia coli dnaB and SV40 T antigen helicases, therefore, the MCM complex is loaded at origins before initiation and is essential for elongation. Restricting MCM loading to the G(1) phase ensures that initiation and elongation occur just once per cell cycle.     

Structural basis of transcription: separation of RNA from DNA by RNA polymerase II

The structure of an RNA polymerase II-transcribing complex has been determined in the posttranslocation state, with a vacancy at the growing end of the RNA-DNA hybrid helix. At the opposite end of the hybrid helix, the RNA separates from the template DNA. This separation of nucleic acid strands is brought about by interaction with a set of proteins loops in a strand/loop network. Formation of the network must occur in the transition from abortive initiation to promoter escape.     

Multienzyme systems of DNA replication

Replication is accomplished by multienzyme systems whose operations are usefully considered in respect to three stages of the process: initiation, elongation, anid termination. 1) Initiation entails synthesis of a short RNA fragment that serves as primer for the elongation step of DNA synthesis. This stage, probed by SS phage DNA templates, reveals three distinctive and highly specific systems in E. coli. The Ml3 DNA utilizes RNA polymerase in a manner that may reflect how plasmid elements are replicated in the cell. The ?X174 DNA does not rely on RNA-polymerase, but requires instead five distinctive proteins which may belong to an apparatus for initiating a host chromosome replication cycle at the origin. The G4 DNA, also independent of RNA polymerase, needs simply the dnaG protein for its distinctive initiation and may thus resemble the system that initiates the replication fragments at the nascent growing fork. In each case it is essential that in vitro the DNA-unwinding protein coat the viral DNA and influence its structure. 2) Elongation is achieved in every case by the multisubunit, holoenzyme form of DNA polymerase III. Copolymerase III, which is an enzyme subunit, and adenosine triphosphate are required to form a proper complex with the primer template but appear dispensable for the ensuing chain growth by DNA polymerase (33). 3) Termination requires excision of the RNA priming fragment, filling of gaps and sealing of interruptions to produce a covalently intact phosphodiester backbone. DNA polymerase I has the capacity for excision and gapfilling and DNA ligase is required for sealing. What once appeared to be a simple DNA polymerase-mediated conversion of a single-strand to a duplex circle (34) is now seen as a complex series of events in which diverse multienzyme systems function. Annoyance with the difficulties in resolving and reconstituting these systems is tempered by the conviction that these are the very systems used ,by the cell in replicating its chromosome and extrachromosomal elements. Thus, understanding of the regulation of replication events in the cell, their localization at membrane surfaces and integration with cell division, and their coordination with phage DNA maturation and particle assembly will all be advanced by knowledge of the components of the replicative machinery.     

具有绿色荧光标记的表达T7 RNA聚合酶的稳定细胞系的建立

[目的]建立具有绿色荧光标记的表达T7RNA聚合酶的稳定细胞系。[方法]从BL21（DE3）大肠杆菌中克隆出T7RNAP基因,定向克隆进质粒FG12后,构建了表达T7RNA聚合酶基因（T7）的Lenti-virus重组质粒FG12-T7RNAP。用此重组质粒转染293T细胞,WB可检测出瞬时表达的T7RNAP蛋白;利用辅助质粒对表达T7的非复制型Lenti-virus病毒进行体外包装,所获得的非复制型Lenti-virus病毒感染BHK-21细胞,利用GFP通过流式细胞分选仪筛选表达T7的细胞系,并利用WB检测基因的表达。[结果]通过WB检测出不同代次的阳性细胞中均能稳定表达目的基因T7RNA聚合酶。[结论]T7RNA聚合酶能顺利在真核细胞内表达,并在此基础上建立的稳定细胞系为RNA病毒体内拯救技术平台的建立奠定了基础。