Yin, Hong, Wang, Michelle D., Svoboda, Karel, Landick, Robert, Block, Steven M., Gelles, Jeff (December 1995) Transcription against an applied force. Science, 270 (5242). pp. 1653-7. ISSN 0036-8075
Abstract
The force produced by a single molecule of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase during transcription was measured optically. Polymerase immobilized on a surface was used to transcribe a DNA template attached to a polystyrene bead 0.5 micrometer in diameter. The bead position was measured by interferometry while a force opposing translocation of the polymerase along the DNA was applied with an optical trap. At saturating nucleoside triphosphate concentrations, polymerase molecules stalled reversibly at a mean applied force estimated to be 14 piconewtons. This force is substantially larger than those measured for the cytoskeletal motors kinesin and myosin and exceeds mechanical loads that are estimated to oppose transcriptional elongation in vivo. The data are consistent with efficient conversion of the free energy liberated by RNA synthesis into mechanical work.
| Item Type: | Paper |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Biophysics DNA, Bacterial/genetics DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases/metabolism/*physiology Escherichia coli/*enzymology/genetics Interferometry Microspheres Nucleotides/metabolism Templates, Genetic Thermodynamics *Transcription, Genetic |
| Subjects: | bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > transcription bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > enzymes > RNA polymerase organism description > bacteria > escherichia coli |
| CSHL Authors: | |
| Communities: | CSHL labs > Svoboda lab |
| Depositing User: | Jessica Koos |
| Date: | 8 December 1995 |
| Date Deposited: | 31 Jul 2014 15:58 |
| Last Modified: | 31 Jul 2014 15:58 |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/30654 |
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