Promoter recognition and transcription initiation in E. coli

Analysis of stability maps of sequences harbouring E. coli RNA polymerase promoters shows a characteristic splitting in homostable domains, despite the heterogeneity of the sequences. Correlation of stability maps with results from static approaches giving the contact points of the enzyme on promoters and functional studies employing abortive initiation assay allow us to propose a general mechanism for recognition of promoters and transcription start.