Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of Thermus thermophilus transcription elongation complex bound to Gfh1

Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun. 2010 Jan 1;66(Pt 1):64-8. doi: 10.1107/S1744309109049215. Epub 2009 Dec 25.

Abstract

RNA polymerase (RNAP) elongates RNA by iterative nucleotide-addition cycles (NAC). A specific structural state (or states) of RNAP may be the target of transcription elongation factors. Gfh1, a Thermus thermophilus Gre-family protein, inhibits NAC. To elucidate which RNAP structural state Gfh1 associates with, the T. thermophilus RNAP elongation complex (EC) was cocrystallized with Gfh1. Of the 70 DNA/RNA scaffolds tested, two (for EC1 and EC2) were successfully crystallized. In the presence of Gfh1, EC1 and EC2 yielded crystals belonging to space group P2(1) with similar unit-cell parameters (crystals 1 and 2, respectively). X-ray diffraction data sets were obtained at 3.6 and 3.8 A resolution, respectively.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Crystallization
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / chemistry*
  • Thermus thermophilus / chemistry
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors / chemistry*

Substances

  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases