J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 261, Issue 21, 9732-9738, Jul, 1986
Characterization of the nucleotide requirement for elimination of the rate-limiting step in 5 S RNA gene transcription
JJ Bieker and RG Roeder
We previously demonstrated that the rate-limiting step in 5 S RNA
transcription involves the ordered assembly of a preinitiation complex on
the 5 S gene that requires magnesium and ATP for its formation and contains
stoichiometric amounts of transcription factors IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC and
RNA polymerase III. In this paper, we have characterized the nucleotide
requirement in a number of ways by taking advantage of our ability to
monitor each step in this ordered assembly of transcription components and
by direct isolation of transcription complexes. By kinetic analyses, we
demonstrate that the lag in transcription can be eliminated by the presence
of any nucleoside triphosphate and does not require an energy-yielding
event and that the nucleotide is required stoichiometrically. By
competition analysis of factor IIIB interaction, we demonstrate that a
complete stable complex (which includes factors IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC) can
form on the 5 S gene in the absence of nucleotide. Finally, by direct
isolation of functional transcription complexes via gel filtration, we
demonstrate that RNA polymerase III can also associate with the DNA
template in the absence of nucleotide. Thus, the nucleotide requirement for
elimination of the rate-limiting step is uncoupled from the actual binding
of the transcription components. Further analyses indicate that, consistent
with its stoichiometric requirement, the nucleotide can be found associated
with the isolated complexes. These results raise the interesting
possibility that the nucleotide interaction may be activating the
transcription complex via induction of a conformational change in one of
the factors or by a general rearrangement of the transcriptional complex on
the 5 S gene.