A NusE:NusG complex links transcription and translation

Bacterial NusG is a highly conserved transcription factor that is required for most Rho activity in vivo. We show by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy that Escherichia coli NusG carboxyl-terminal domain forms a complex alternatively with Rho or with transcription factor NusE, a protein identical to 30S ribosomal protein S10. Because NusG amino-terminal domain contacts RNA polymerase and the NusG carboxy-terminal domain interaction site of NusE is accessible in the ribosomal 30S subunit, NusG may act as a link between transcription and translation. Uncoupling of transcription and translation at the ends of bacterial operons enables transcription termination by Rho factor, and competition between ribosomal NusE and Rho for NusG helps to explain why Rho cannot terminate translated transcripts.