Genetic studies on the β subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase

Abstract
Summary The assembly of RNA polymerase was studied in Escherichia coli mutants encoding large N-terminal amber fragments of the β subunit. Whereas the removal of up to 20% of the carboxy-terminus does not prevent the formation of premature core enzyme, the amber fragments seem to interfere with holoenzyme production. These studies permit, therefore, the localization of a region on the β polypeptide involved in sigma binding.