Biomaterial Database

ppGpp: magic beyond RNA polymerase. 2012

Zachary D Dalebroux, and Michele S Swanson

Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Health Sciences Building K116, 1959 NE Pacific St., Box 357710, Seattle, Washington 98195-7710, USA.

During stress, bacteria undergo extensive physiological transformations, many of which are coordinated by ppGpp. Although ppGpp is best known for enhancing cellular resilience by redirecting the RNA polymerase (RNAP) to certain genes, it also acts as a signal in many other cellular processes in bacteria. After a brief overview of ppGpp biosynthesis and its impact on promoter selection by RNAP, we discuss how bacteria exploit ppGpp to modulate the synthesis, stability or activity of proteins or regulatory RNAs that are crucial in challenging environments, using mechanisms beyond the direct regulation of RNAP activity.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D004777	Environment	The external elements and conditions which surround, influence, and affect the life and development of an organism or population.	Environmental Impact,Environmental Impacts,Impact, Environmental,Impacts, Environmental,Environments
D006159	Guanosine Tetraphosphate	Guanosine 5'-diphosphate 2'(3')-diphosphate. A guanine nucleotide containing four phosphate groups. Two phosphate groups are esterified to the sugar moiety in the 5' position and the other two in the 2' or 3' position. This nucleotide serves as a messenger to turn off the synthesis of ribosomal RNA when amino acids are not available for protein synthesis. Synonym: magic spot I.	Alarmone ppGpp,Bacterial Magic Spot ppGpp,Guanosine 5'-(trihydrogen diphosphate), mono(trihydrogen diphosphate) (ester),Guanosine 5'-diphosphate 2'(3')-diphosphate,ppGpp,Guanosine 3'-Diphosphate 5'-Diphosphate,Guanosine 5'-Diphosphate 3'-Diphosphate,3'-Diphosphate 5'-Diphosphate, Guanosine,5'-Diphosphate 3'-Diphosphate, Guanosine,Guanosine 3' Diphosphate 5' Diphosphate,Guanosine 5' Diphosphate 3' Diphosphate,Tetraphosphate, Guanosine,ppGpp, Alarmone
D012321	DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases	Enzymes that catalyze DNA template-directed extension of the 3'-end of an RNA strand one nucleotide at a time. They can initiate a chain de novo. In eukaryotes, three forms of the enzyme have been distinguished on the basis of sensitivity to alpha-amanitin, and the type of RNA synthesized. (From Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992).	DNA-Dependent RNA Polymerases,RNA Polymerases,Transcriptases,DNA-Directed RNA Polymerase,RNA Polymerase,Transcriptase,DNA Dependent RNA Polymerases,DNA Directed RNA Polymerase,DNA Directed RNA Polymerases,Polymerase, DNA-Directed RNA,Polymerase, RNA,Polymerases, DNA-Dependent RNA,Polymerases, DNA-Directed RNA,Polymerases, RNA,RNA Polymerase, DNA-Directed,RNA Polymerases, DNA-Dependent,RNA Polymerases, DNA-Directed
D012808	Sigma Factor	A protein which is a subunit of RNA polymerase. It effects initiation of specific RNA chains from DNA.	Sigma Element,Sigma Initiation Factor,Sigma Subunit,Minor Sigma Factor,RNA Polymerase Sigma Factor H,Factor, Sigma,Factor, Sigma Initiation,Initiation Factor, Sigma,Sigma Factor, Minor,Subunit, Sigma
D015964	Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial	Any of the processes by which cytoplasmic or intercellular factors influence the differential control of gene action in bacteria.	Bacterial Gene Expression Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression, Bacterial,Regulation, Gene Expression, Bacterial
D018407	Bacterial Physiological Phenomena	Physiological processes and properties of BACTERIA.	Bacterial Physiology,Bacterial Processes,Bacterial Physiological Concepts,Bacterial Physiological Phenomenon,Bacterial Process,Physiology, Bacterial,Bacterial Physiological Concept,Concept, Bacterial Physiological,Concepts, Bacterial Physiological,Phenomena, Bacterial Physiological,Phenomenon, Bacterial Physiological,Process, Bacterial,Processes, Bacterial