Affiliations

• Center for RNA Biology
• Ohio State Biochemistry Program
• Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Program

Awards

• Doctor Honoris Causa, University of Turku-Finland
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology

Research Interests

We study RNA chain synthesis by multi-subunit RNA polymerases, focusing on enzymes from bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, and viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2. We use a combination of biochemical, biophysical, computational, and genetic approaches to elucidate the mechanism of catalysis, to understand how accessory protein factors modulate RNA polymerase progression through the transcription cycle, and to identify small molecules that can be developed into novel antibacterials and antivirals. We also investigate crosstalk between transcription and concurrent processes, such as translation, the nascent RNA folding, and DNA repair.

Recent Publications

Wang B, Svetlov D, Artsimovitch I (2021) NMPylation and de-NMPylation of SARS-CoV-2 nsp9 by the NiRAN domain. Nucleic Acids Res., doi: 10.1093/nar/gkab677.

Wang B, Svetlov V, Wolf YI, Koonin EV, Nudler E, Artsimovitch I (2021) Allosteric activation of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp by remdesivir triphosphate and other phosphorylated nucleotides. mBio., doi: 10.1128/mBio.01423-21.

Wang B, Artsimovitch I (2021) NusG, an ancient yet rapidly evolving transcription factor. Frontiers Microbiol., doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.619618.

Chatterjee S, Chauvier A, Dandpat SS, Artsimovitch I, Walter NG (2021) A translational riboswitch coordinates transcription-translation coupling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A., doi: 10.1073/pnas.2023426118.

Said N, Hilal T, Sunday ND, Khatri A, Bürger J, Mielke T, Loll B, Sen R, Belogurov GA, Artsimovitch I, Wahl MC (2021) Steps toward translocation-independent RNA polymerase inactivation by terminator ATPase ρ. Science, doi: 10.1126/science.abd1673.

Wang B, Artsimovitch I (2020) A growing gap between the RNAP and the lead ribosome. Trends Microbiol, doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.09.011.

Pei H-H, Hilal T, Chen Z, Huang Y-H, Said N, Gao Y, Loll B, Rappsilber Y, Belogurov GA, Artsimovitch I, Wahl MC (2020) The δ subunit and NTPase HelD institute a two-pronged mechanism for RNA polymerase recycling. Nat Commun., doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-20159-3.

Wang B, Gumerov VM, Andrianova EP, Zhulin IB, Artsimovitch I (2020) Origins and molecular evolution of the NusG paralog RfaH. mBio, 11: p. e02717-20.

Galaz-Davison P, Molina J, Silletti S, Komives E, Knauer SH, Artsimovitch I, Ramirez-Sarmiento C (2020) Differential local stability governs the metamorphic fold-switch of bacterial virulence factor RfaH. Biophys J, 118(1), 96-104.