Sulfolobus solfataricus: A model system to study control of gene expression in Archaea

TL;DRAbstract

Sulfolobus solfataricus is an archaeal organism, growing at pH 3 and 80°C. Archaea have a basal transcription apparatus resembling the eukaryotic one. In this thesis regulated transcription in archaea is studied. Little is known about this process in archea and due to the ease of cultivation Sulfolobus is an optimal system for its study. In Sulfolobus, two copies of TFB are present. TFB is a homolog of the eukaryotic transcription factor II B (TFIIB). The tbf-2 mRNA level varies depending on the conditions of growth (present in exponential phase, absent in stationary phase) and after heat shock (absent after heat shock). In contrast, the tfb-1 mRNA is always present. A method for the measurement of mRNA stability, employing actinomycin D, was developed. Using this method the half-lives of tfb-1 mRNA (>120 min) and tfb-2 mRNA (18 min) were determined. This method indicates that different mRNA stability has a role in the differential expression of tfb-1 and tfb-2. The regulation of genes

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