Bacterial RNA polymerase
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 8, 2026

Essential Components of Borreliella (Borrelia) burgdorferi In Vitro Transcription Assays
Published on: July 22, 2022
1The Rockefeller University, Box 224, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA. darst@rockefeller.edu
Abstract:
The recently determined crystal structure of a bacterial core RNA polymerase (RNAP) provides the first glimpse of this family of evolutionarily conserved cellular RNAPs. Using the structure as a framework, a consistent picture of protein-nucleic acid interactions in transcription complexes has been accumulated from cross-linking experiments. The molecule can be viewed as a molecular machine, with distinct structural features hypothesized to perform specific functions. Comparison with the alpha-carbon backbone of a eukaryotic RNAP reveals close structural similarity.
Related Concept Videos
Bacterial RNA Polymerase
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
Bacterial RNA Polymerase
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases
All three eukaryotic RNAPs require specific transcription factors, of which the...
Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases
All three eukaryotic RNAPs require specific transcription factors, of which the...
Bacterial Transcription
Transcription can be divided into three main stages, each involving distinct DNA sequences to guide the polymerase. These are:
Transcription Initiation
The promoters and enhancers and their accessory proteins allow tight regulation of...

