RNAP Laboratory, Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Division of Biosciences, Darwin Building, Gower Street, London WC1E6BT, UK.
Res Microbiol. 2011 Jan;162(1):10-8. doi: 10.1016/j.resmic.2010.09.002. Epub 2010 Sep 21.
RNA polymerases (RNAPs) from the three domains of life, Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya, are evolutionarily related and thus have common structural and functional features. Despite the radically different morphology of Archaea and Eukarya, their RNAP subunit composition and utilisation of basal transcription factors are almost identical. This review focuses on the multiple functions of the most prominent feature that differentiates these enzymes from the bacterial RNAP--a stalk-like protrusion, which consists of the heterodimeric F/E subcomplex. F/E is highly versatile, it facilitates DNA strand-separation during transcription initiation, increases processivity during the elongation phase of transcription and ensures efficient transcription termination.
RNA 聚合酶（RNAPs）来自生命的三个领域：细菌、古菌和真核生物，它们在进化上是相关的，因此具有共同的结构和功能特征。尽管古菌和真核生物的形态截然不同，但它们的 RNAP 亚基组成和基本转录因子的利用几乎是相同的。这篇综述的重点是区分这些酶与细菌 RNAP 的最显著特征的多种功能——一个类似于茎的突起，由异二聚体 F/E 亚基组成。F/E 具有高度的多功能性，它有助于转录起始时 DNA 链的分离，增加转录延伸阶段的进程性，并确保有效的转录终止。
