Exploring of an impact of lysine acetylation in RNA polymerase on transcription

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14685
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied microbiology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Kosono Saori 東京大学, 生物生産工学研究センター, 特任准教授 (90321760)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小倉 光雄 東海大学, 海洋研究所, 教授 (80204163)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): YOSHIKAWA Hirofumi 東京農業大学, 応用生物科学部, 教授 (50175676)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: リジンアセチル化 / RNAポリメラーゼ / ECFシグマ因子 / 転写 / Bacillus subtilis

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A possible impact of lysine acetylation in RNA polymerase (RNAP) on transcription was explored. ECF-type SigX-dependent transcription is induced by glucose in Bacillus subtilis. We found that addition of glucose increased lysine acetylation in RNAP and its holoenzyme formation with SigX. Scanning mutagenesis found that acetylation mimic (KQ) mutation of an acetylation site in the beta subunit enhanced glucose induction (GI) of SigX-dependent transcription. Non-acetylation mimic (KR) mutation of the same lysine residue did not affect GI, suggesting that acetylation at the lysine residue was likely involved in GI. This research raised a possibility that lysine acetylation may impact on transcription via modulating holoenzyme formation of RNAP with specific sigma factors.

Free Research Field

応用微生物学、微生物遺伝学