• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.224-230
• /
• 2006

Escherichia coli transcription termination factor Rho catalyzes the unwinding of RNA/DNA duplex in reactions that are coupled to ATP binding and hydrolysis. We report here the kinetic mechanism of presteady state ATP binding and hydrolysis by the Rho-RNA complex. Presteady state chemical quenched-flow technique under multiple turnover condition was used to probe the kinetics of ATP binding and hydrolysis by the Rho-RNA complex. The quenched-flow presteady state kinetics of ATP hydrolysis studies show that three ATPs are bound to the Rho-RNA complex with a rate of $4.4\;{\times}\;10^5M^{-1}s^{-1}$, which are subsequently hydrolyzed at a rate of $88s^{-1}$ and released during the initiation process. Global fit of the presteady state ATP hydrolysis kinetic data suggests that a rapid-equilibrium binding of ATP to Rho-RNA complex occurs prior to the first turnover and the chemistry step is not reversible. The initial burst of three ATPs hydrolysis was proposed to be involved in the initialization step that accompanies proper complex formation of Rho-RNA. Based on these results a kinetic model for initiation process for Rho-RNA complex was proposed relating the mechanism of ATP binding and hydrolysis by Rho to the structural transitions of Rho-RNA complex to reach the steady state phase, which is implicated during translocation along the RNA.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.23-34
• /
• 2004

Escherichia coli transcription termination factor Rho catalyzes the unwinding of RNA/DNA duplex in reactions that are coupled to ATP binding and hydrolysis. Fluorescence stopped-flow methods using ATP and the fluorescent 2'(3')-O-( N-methylanthraniloyl) derivatives (mant-derivatives) of ATP and ADP were used to probe the kinetics of nucleotide binding to and dissociation from the Rho-RNA complex. Presteady state nucleotide binding kinetics provides evidence for the presence of negative cooperativity in nucleotide binding among the multiple nucleotide binding sites on Rho hexamer. The binding of the first nucleotide to the Rho-RNA complex occurs at a bimolecular rate of 3.6${\times}$10$\^$6/ M$\^$-1/ sec$\^$-1/ whereas the second nucleotide binds at a slower rate of 4.7${\times}$10$\^$5/ M$\^$-1/ sec$\^$-1/ at 18$^{\circ}C$, RNA complexed with Rho affects the kinetics of nucleotide interaction with the active sites through conformational changes to the Rho hexamer, allowing the incoming nucleotide to be more accessible to the sites. Adenine nucleotide binding and dissociation is more favorable when RNA is bound to Rho, whereas ATP binding and dissociation step in the absence of RNA occurs significantly slower, at a rate ∼70- and ∼40-fold slower than those observed with the Rho-RNA complex, respectively.