Characterization of HelD, an interacting partner of RNA polymerase from Bacillus subtilis

• Published in: Nucleic acids research Vol. 42; no. 8; pp. 5151 - 5163
• Main Authors: Wiedermannová, Jana, Sudzinová, Petra, Kovaľ, Tomáš, Rabatinová, Alžbeta, Šanderová, Hana, Ramaniuk, Olga, Rittich, Šimon, Dohnálek, Jan, Fu, Zhihui, Halada, Petr, Lewis, Peter, Krásný, Libor
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01.04.2014
• Subjects: Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism; Bacillus subtilis; Bacillus subtilis - enzymology; Bacillus subtilis - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - isolation & purification; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; DNA - metabolism; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases - chemistry; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases - isolation & purification; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases - metabolism; Nucleic Acid Enzymes; Phenotype; Transcription Elongation, Genetic; Transcription, Genetic
• ISSN: 0305-1048; 1362-4962
• DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku113

Bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) is an essential multisubunit protein complex required for gene expression. Here, we characterize YvgS (HelD) from Bacillus subtilis, a novel binding partner of RNAP. We show that HelD interacts with RNAP-core between the secondary channel of RNAP and the alpha subunits. Importantly, we demonstrate that HelD stimulates transcription in an ATP-dependent manner by enhancing transcriptional cycling and elongation. We demonstrate that the stimulatory effect of HelD can be amplified by a small subunit of RNAP, delta. In vivo, HelD is not essential but it is required for timely adaptations of the cell to changing environment. In summary, this study establishes HelD as a valid component of the bacterial transcription machinery.