Presteady State Kinetics of ATP Hydrolysis by Escherichia coli Rho Protein Monitors the Initiation Process

Escherichia coli transcription termination factor Rho catalyzes the unwinding of RNA/DNA duplex in reactions that are coupled to ATP binding and hydrolysis. We report here the kinetic mechanism of presteady state ATP binding and hydrolysis by the Rho-RNA complex. Presteady state chemical quenched-flow technique under multiple turnover condition was used to probe the kinetics of ATP binding and hydrolysis by the Rho-RNA complex. The quenched-flow presteady state kinetics of ATP hydrolysis studies show that three ATPs are bound to the Rho-RNA complex with a rate of $4.4\;{\times}\;10^5M^{-1}s^{-1}$, which are subsequently hydrolyzed at a rate of $88s^{-1}$ and released during the initiation process. Global fit of the presteady state ATP hydrolysis kinetic data suggests that a rapid-equilibrium binding of ATP to Rho-RNA complex occurs prior to the first turnover and the chemistry step is not reversible. The initial burst of three ATPs hydrolysis was proposed to be involved in the initialization step that accompanies proper complex formation of Rho-RNA. Based on these results a kinetic model for initiation process for Rho-RNA complex was proposed relating the mechanism of ATP binding and hydrolysis by Rho to the structural transitions of Rho-RNA complex to reach the steady state phase, which is implicated during translocation along the RNA.