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Promoter search and strength of a promoter: two important means for regulation of gene expression inEscherichia coli

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Abstract

Search for a promoter element by RNA polymerase from the extremely large DNA base sequence is thought to be the slowest and rate-determining for the regulation of transcription process. Few direct experiments we described here which have tried to follow the mechanistic implications of this promoter search. However, once the promoter is located, transcription complex, constituting mainly the RNA polymerase molecule and few transcription factors has to unidirectionally clear the promoter and elongate the RNA chain through a series of steps which altogether define the initiation of transcription process. Thus, it appears that the promoter sequence acts as a trap for RNA polymerase associated with a large binding constant, although to clear the promoter and to elongate the transcript such energy barrier has to be overcome. Topological state of the DNA, particularly in the neighbourhood of the promoter plays an important role in the energetics of the whole process

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, 500 007, Hyderabad, India

    Rakesh K. Mishra & Dipankar Chatterji

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  1. Rakesh K. Mishra
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  2. Dipankar Chatterji
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Based on the lecture given at the Symposium on “Regulation of Gene Expression” held in Bangalore on January 20–21, 1992.

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Mishra, R.K., Chatterji, D. Promoter search and strength of a promoter: two important means for regulation of gene expression inEscherichia coli . J Biosci 18, 1–11 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02703033

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02703033

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