Biomaterial Database

Formation of a RNA polymerase sub-assembly composed of subunit alpha from Escherichia coli and of subunit beta from Micrococcus luteus. 1977

U I Lill, and G R Hartmann

Functionally equivalent subunits of RNA polymerase from Micrococcus luteus and Escherichia coli differ from each other in many molecular and antigenic properties. In spite of these differences, subunit alpha from E. coli and subunit beta from M. luteus form a complex alpha2beta, when incubated together. This complex binds rifampicin tightly, which the isolated subunits do not. The hybrid complex is very similar in its properties to the complex alpha2beta formed only from E. coli or M. luteus subunits. Since the sub-assembly alpha2beta from E. coli is reported to be an obligatory intermediate in the assembly process of complete RNA polymerase, the newly described hybrid sub-assembly may function similarly as an intermediate in the formation of the hybrid form of RNA polymerase described earlier.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008837	Micrococcus	A genus of gram-positive, spherical bacteria found in soils and fresh water, and frequently on the skin of man and other animals.
D008970	Molecular Weight	The sum of the weight of all the atoms in a molecule.	Molecular Weights,Weight, Molecular,Weights, Molecular
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
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
D046911	Macromolecular Substances	Compounds and molecular complexes that consist of very large numbers of atoms and are generally over 500 kDa in size. In biological systems macromolecular substances usually can be visualized using ELECTRON MICROSCOPY and are distinguished from ORGANELLES by the lack of a membrane structure.	Macromolecular Complexes,Macromolecular Compounds,Macromolecular Compounds and Complexes,Complexes, Macromolecular,Compounds, Macromolecular,Substances, Macromolecular