| | Sergei Borukhov (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-04) |
 | | In bacteria, the catalytically active multisubunit core enzyme (subunit composition: a2bb'w with the total molecular mass of ~400 kDa) joins s factor to form the holoenzyme (a2bb'ws), which is capable of specific promoter recognition and efficient initiation of transcription. |
 | | The biochemical activities of this multifunctional enzyme include recognition and specific binding of promoter DNA, melting of the DNA double helix, binding of the nucleotide substrates and formation of the first phosphodiester bond, RNA chain extension and translocation along the DNA template, recognition of signals for pausing, RNA termination and antitermination. |
 | | The latest major advance was the high-resolution X-ray structures of bacterial holoenzyme from extreme thermophiles, Thermus thermophilus (Tth) and Thermus aquaticus (Taq), and the structure of Taq holoenzyme-promoter DNA complex. |
| www.downstate.edu /molecularbiology_genetics/s.borukhov.html (1052 words) |