Advisor(s)
David Schneider
Committee Member(s)
Christian Faul
David Schneider
Lalita Shevde-Samant
Natalia Kedishvili
Robert Van Waardenburg
School
Joint Health Sciences (Interdisciplinary)
Document Type
Dissertation
Department (new version)
Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
Date of Award
9-9-2024
Abstract
RNA polymerases perform the essential function of RNA synthesis from a DNA template. This process, known as transcription, is critical for all living species and a key point for regulation of gene expression. The function of RNA polymerases allow species from all domains of life to not only survive, but also respond to environmental changes such as heat and nutrient deprivation. In biological taxonomy, the highest classification is domain. The three domains are Eukarya, Bacteria, and Archaea. The domain Eukarya contains all eukaryotic organisms, ranging from yeast, to plants, to metazoans. Bacteria and Archaea are both prokaryotic domains, the species of these do not contain a membrane bound nucleus. Bacteria are considered the most ubiquitous organisms on the Earth. Archaea are considered the most ancient prokaryotes and are often found in environments too extreme for other species to survive. The central dogma of molecular biology defines the flow of biological information from DNA to RNA to proteins, in the processes of transcription and translation, respectively. Synthesis of RNA has long been appreciated as an essential regulation point of gene expression, prompting extensive evaluation of how this process is accomplished. Transcription occurs in three phases: initiation, elongation, and termination. Each phase contains multitudes of steps and transacting factors, the most critical of which is the RNA polymerase. In eukaryotic cells, there are at least three nuclear DNA-dependent RNA polymerases, known as Pols. In prokaryotic cells, there is a single RNA polymerase known as RNAP. The evolutionary benefit of expressing more than one RNA polymerase is not well understood, but the hypothesis is that eukaryotic Pols evolved from a common ancestral enzyme, most similar to archaeal RNAPs. The work presented here elucidates the unique enzymatic properties of RNA polymerases from each of the three domains of life. We found that there are both conserved and divergent characteristics of these enzymes, despite the shared function of RNA synthesis.
ProQuest ID
Recommended Citation
Cooper, Stephanie Lois, "Biochemical Characterization Of Rna Polymerases Across The Domains Of Life" (2024). All ETDs from UAB. 7583.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/7583
