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Abstract
The process of transcription termination is essential to proper expression of bacterial
genes and, in many cases, to the regulation of bacterial gene expression. Two types
of bacterial transcriptional terminators are known to control gene expression. Intrinsic
terminators dissociate transcription complexes without the assistance of auxiliary
factors. Rho-dependent terminators are sites of dissociation mediated by an RNA helicase
called Rho. Despite decades of study, the molecular mechanisms of both intrinsic and
Rho-dependent termination remain uncertain in key details. Most knowledge is based
on the study of a small number of model terminators. The extent of sequence diversity
among functional terminators and the extent of mechanistic variation as a function
of sequence diversity are largely unknown. In this review, we consider the current
state of knowledge about bacterial termination mechanisms and the relationship between
terminator sequence and steps in the termination mechanism.
Published by Elsevier Ltd.