Bacterial enhancer-binding proteins: unlocking sigma54-dependent gene transcription
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Applying an Inducible Expression System to Study Interference of Bacterial Virulence Factors with Intracellular Signaling
Published on: June 25, 2015
Mathieu Rappas1, Daniel Bose, Xiaodong Zhang
1Centre for Structural Biology, Division of Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
Abstract:
Bacterial transcription relies on the binding of dissociable sigma (sigma) factors to RNA polymerase (RNAP) for promoter specificity. The major variant sigma factor (sigma54) forms a stable closed complex with RNAP bound to DNA that rarely spontaneously isomerises to an open complex. ATP hydrolysis by bacterial enhancer-binding proteins is used to remodel the RNAP-sigma54-DNA closed complex. Recently, a wealth of structural information on bacterial enhancer-binding proteins has enabled unprecedented insights into their mechanism. These data provide a structural basis for nucleotide binding and hydrolysis, oligomerisation and the conversion of ATPase activity into remodelling events within the RNAP-sigma54 closed complex, and represent advances towards a complete understanding of the sigma54-dependent transcription activation mechanism.
Related Concept Videos
Bacterial Transcription
Transcription can be divided into three main stages, each involving distinct DNA sequences to guide the polymerase. These are:
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...
RNA Polymerase II Accessory Proteins
Stringent Response in E. coli
Coordination of Gene Expression Processes in Bacteria
Prokaryotic Transcriptional Activators and Repressors
Transcription of prokaryotic...

