Regulatory interactions at the lac promoter.Activation of the transcription of genes is central to many processes of adaptation and differentiation in bacteria. Here, I review the molecular mechanisms by which transcription factors can activate the initiation of specific transcripts at bacterial promoters. The story is presented in the context of Marjory Stephenson's pioneering work on enzymatic adaptation in bacteria, and sets the different mechanisms in the greater context of how transcription regulatory mechanisms evolved.
Keywords: Bacterial transcription; DNA-dependent RNA polymerase; activators; promoters.