Structural highlights
Function[RPOA_ECOLI] DNA-dependent RNA polymerase catalyzes the transcription of DNA into RNA using the four ribonucleoside triphosphates as substrates. This subunit plays an important role in subunit assembly since its dimerization is the first step in the sequential assembly of subunits to form the holoenzyme.[HAMAP-Rule:MF_00059] Evolutionary Conservation Check, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf. Publication Abstract from PubMedThe 2.5 angstrom resolution x-ray crystal structure of the Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (RNAP) alpha subunit amino-terminal domain (alphaNTD), which is necessary and sufficient to dimerize and assemble the other RNAP subunits into a transcriptionally active enzyme and contains all of the sequence elements conserved among eukaryotic alpha homologs, has been determined. The alphaNTD monomer comprises two distinct, flexibly linked domains, only one of which participates in the dimer interface. In the alphaNTD dimer, a pair of helices from one monomer interact with the cognate helices of the other to form an extensive hydrophobic core. All of the determinants for interactions with the other RNAP subunits lie on one face of the alphaNTD dimer. Sequence alignments, combined with secondary-structure predictions, support proposals that a heterodimer of the eukaryotic RNAP subunits related to Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rpb3 and Rpb11 plays the role of the alphaNTD dimer in prokaryotic RNAP. Structure of the Escherichia coli RNA polymerase alpha subunit amino-terminal domain.,Zhang G, Darst SA Science. 1998 Jul 10;281(5374):262-6. PMID:9657722[1] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. References | ||||||||||||||||||
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