Skip to main content

Monitoring RNA Unwinding by the Transcription Termination Factor Rho from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

  • Protocol
  • First Online:
RNA Remodeling Proteins

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1259))

Abstract

Transcription termination factor Rho is a ring-shaped, homo-hexamieric RNA translocase that dissociates transcription elongation complexes and transcriptional RNA–DNA duplexes (R-loops) in bacteria. The molecular mechanisms underlying these biological functions have been essentially studied with Rho enzymes from Escherichia coli or close Gram-negative relatives. However, phylo-divergent Rho factors may have distinct properties. Here, we describe methods for the preparation and in vitro characterization (ATPase and helicase activities) of the Rho factor from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a specimen with uncharacteristic molecular and enzymatic features. These methods set the stage for future studies aimed at better defining the diversity of enzymatic properties of Rho across the bacterial kingdom.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Protocol
USD 49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Roberts JW (1969) Termination factor for RNA synthesis. Nature 224:1168–1174

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Boudvillain M, Figueroa-Bossi N, Bossi L (2013) Terminator still moving forward: expanding roles for Rho factor. Curr Opin Microbiol 16:118–124

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Peters JM, Vangeloff AD, Landick R (2011) Bacterial transcription terminators: the RNA 3′-end chronicles. J Mol Biol 412:793–813. doi:10.1016/j.jmb.2011.03.036

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. D’Heygere F, Rabhi M, Boudvillain M (2013) Phyletic distribution and conservation of the bacterial transcription termination factor Rho. Microbiology 159:1423–1436. doi:10.1099/mic.0.067462-0

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Boudvillain M, Nollmann M, Margeat E (2010) Keeping up to speed with the transcription termination factor Rho motor. Transcription 1:70–75. doi:10.4161/trns.1.2.12232

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Skordalakes E, Berger JM (2003) Structure of the Rho transcription terminator: mechanism of mRNA recognition and helicase loading. Cell 114:135–146

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Thomsen ND, Berger JM (2009) Running in reverse: the structural basis for translocation polarity in hexameric helicases. Cell 139:523–534. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2009.08.043

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Kalarickal NC, Ranjan A, Kalyani BS et al (2010) A bacterial transcription terminator with inefficient molecular motor action but with a robust transcription termination function. J Mol Biol 395:966–982

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Nowatzke WL, Richardson JP (1996) Characterization of an unusual Rho factor from the high G + C gram-positive bacterium Micrococcus luteus. J Biol Chem 271:742–747

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Nowatzke WL, Burns CM, Richardson JP (1997) Function of the novel subdomain in the RNA binding domain of transcription termination factor Rho from micrococcus luteus. J Biol Chem 272:2207–2211

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Boudvillain M, Walmacq C, Schwartz A, Jacquinot F (2010) Simple enzymatic assays for the in vitro motor activity of transcription termination factor Rho from Escherichia coli. Methods Mol Biol 587:137–154. doi:10.1007/978-1-60327-355-8_10

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Studier FW (2005) Protein production by auto-induction in high density shaking cultures. Protein Expr Purif 41:207–234

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Liu F, Putnam A, Jankowsky E (2008) ATP hydrolysis is required for DEAD-box protein recycling but not for duplex unwinding. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 105:20209–20214. doi:10.1073/pnas.0811115106

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Miwa Y, Horiguchi T, Shigesada K (1995) Structural and functional dissections of transcription termination factor rho by random mutagenesis. J Mol Biol 254:815–837

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Xu Y, Kohn H, Widger WR (2002) Mutations in the rho transcription termination factor that affect RNA tracking. J Biol Chem 277:30023–30030

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Rabhi M, Rahmouni AR, Boudvillain M (2010) Transcription termination factor Rho: a ring-shaped RNA helicase from bacteria. In: Jankowsky E (ed) RNA helicases, vol 19. RSC Publishing, Cambridge, UK, pp 243–271

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  17. Fiorini F, Boudvillain M, Le Hir H (2013) Tight intramolecular regulation of the human Upf1 helicase by its N- and C-terminal domains. Nucleic Acids Res 41:2404–2415. doi:10.1093/nar/gks1320

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Bradley MJ, De La Cruz EM (2012) Analyzing ATP utilization by DEAD-Box RNA helicases using kinetic and equilibrium methods. Methods Enzymol 511:29–63. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-396546-2.00002-4

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Rabhi M, Gocheva V, Jacquinot F et al (2011) Mutagenesis-based evidence for an asymmetric configuration of the ring-shaped transcription termination factor Rho. J Mol Biol 405:497–518. doi:10.1016/j.jmb.2010.11.006

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Cummins LL, Owens SR, Risen LM et al (1995) Characterization of fully 2′-modified oligoribonucleotide hetero- and homoduplex hybridization and nuclease sensitivity. Nucleic Acids Res 23:2019–2024

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Walmacq C, Rahmouni AR, Boudvillain M (2004) Influence of substrate composition on the helicase activity of transcription termination factor Rho: reduced processivity of Rho hexamers during unwinding of RNA-DNA hybrid regions. J Mol Biol 342:403–420. doi:10.1016/j.jmb.2004.07.026

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Geiselmann J, Yager T, Gill S et al (1992) Physical properties of the Escherichia coli transcription termination factor rho. 1. Association states and geometry of the rho hexamer. Biochemistry 31:111–121

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Kao C, Rudisser S, Zheng M (2001) A simple and efficient method to transcribe RNAs with reduced 3′ heterogeneity. Methods 23:201–205

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a joint Ph.D. scholarship from the University of Orléans and Région Centre to F.d.H and by CNRS core funding to M.B.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marc Boudvillain .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this protocol

Cite this protocol

D’Heygère, F., Schwartz, A., Coste, F., Castaing, B., Boudvillain, M. (2015). Monitoring RNA Unwinding by the Transcription Termination Factor Rho from Mycobacterium tuberculosis . In: Boudvillain, M. (eds) RNA Remodeling Proteins. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1259. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2214-7_18

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2214-7_18

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-2213-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-2214-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics