Structure-Activity Analysis of Microcin J25: Distinct Parts of the Threaded Lasso Molecule Are Responsible for Interaction with Bacterial RNA Polymerase

Abstract
Peptide microcin J25 (MccJ25) inhibits bacterial RNA polymerase. We show that thermolysin-cleaved MccJ25 and MccJ25 lacking amino acids 13 to 17 also inhibit transcription. Our data and structural analysis of intact and thermolysin-digested MccJ25 suggest that distinct regions of MccJ25 are involved in transcription inhibition and cell entry.