Tarek Hilal

Jan 8, 2025 | nature.com | Daniela Gjorgjevikj |Naveen Kumar |Bing H. Wang |Tarek Hilal |Bernhard Loll |Irina Artsimovitch

AbstractMany bacteriophages modulate host transcription to favor expression of their own genomes. Phage satellite P4 polarity suppression protein, Psu, a building block of the viral capsid, inhibits hexameric transcription termination factor, ρ, by presently unknown mechanisms. Our cryogenic electron microscopy structures of ρ-Psu complexes show that Psu dimers clamp two inactive, open ρ rings and promote their expansion to higher-oligomeric states.