The RpoN-box motif of the RNA polymerase sigma factor sigma N plays a role in promoter recognition

• Published in: Molecular microbiology Vol. 22; no. 5; p. 1045
• Main Authors: Taylor, M, Butler, R, Chambers, S, Casimiro, M, Badii, F, Merrick, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.12.1996
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; DNA-Binding Proteins; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases - genetics; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases - metabolism; Molecular Sequence Data; Mutagenesis; Phenotype; Promoter Regions, Genetic; RNA Polymerase Sigma 54; Sigma Factor - genetics; Sigma Factor - metabolism
• ISSN: 0950-382X
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2958.1996.01547.x

The RNA polymerase sigma factor sigma N (sigma 54) is characterized by the presence, near the C-terminal end of the protein, of a highly conserved sequence of 10 amino acids (ARRTVAKYRE) that has been termed the RpoN box. In order to examine the function of this motif, which is predicted to adopt an alpha-helical structure, we have isolated a number of mutations that alter residues within the box and examined the properties of the sigma N derivatives encoded by them. Certain mutations that alter charged and potentially exposed residues within the motif result in transcriptionally inactive proteins with impaired promoter recognition but no impairment in core RNA polymerase binding. We therefore suggest that the RpoN box could play a direct or indirect role in recognition of the -24, -12 promoter consensus that is characteristic of sigma N-dependent genes.