Transcription‐Termination Factor Rho from Bacillus subtilis

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Abstract
A protein was isolated from B. subtilis which has functions similar to that of transcription termination factor .rho. from Escherichia coli. The apparent MW of the B. subtilis .rho. factor is about 80,000-95,000 as estimated by a nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis method. It contains 2 subunits with a MW of 47,000, as determined by sodium dodecylsulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The .rho. factor shows poly(C)-dependent .beta.-.gamma. ATPase activity and depresses the activity of RNA synthesis from B. subtilis phage .vphi.29 DNA template with purified B. subtilis RNA polymerase holoenzyme. The specific activity of the poly(C)-dependent ATPase of the B. subtilis .rho. factor was significantly less than that of the E. coli .rho. factor. In the presence of .rho. factor fewer RNA transcripts were produced overall from the .vphi.29 template and smaller RNA transcripts with discrete sizes were made. The B. subtilis .rho. factor apparently can catalyze transcription termination at specific sites on .vphi.29 phage DNA in vitro.