Affiliations

• Center for RNA Biology
• Infectious Diseases Institute
• Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Program

Awards

• Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor, The Ohio State University
• Doctor Honoris Causa, University of Turku-Finland
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology

Curriculum Vitae

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.

Selected Recent Publications

Tabilo-Agurto C, Reyes J, Artsimovitch I*, Ramírez-Sarmiento CA* (2025) Computational and experimental assessment of key interdomain residues controlling the fold-switch of RfaH. Protein Sci. 34, e70202. doi.org/10.1002/pro.70202

Wang B, Said N, Finazzo M, Hilal T, Wahl MC*, Artsimovitch I* (2025) Nucleotide-induced hyper-oligomerization inactivates transcription termination factor ρ.  Nat Commun. 16, 1653. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-56824-8.

Said N, Finazzo M, Hilal T, Wang B, Selinger TL, Gjorgjevikj D, Artsimovitch I*, Wahl MC* (2024) Sm-like protein Rof inhibits transcription termination factor ρ by binding site obstruction and conformational insulation. Nat Commun, 15,  3186.

Zuber P, Said N, Hilal T, Wang B, Loll B, González-Higueras J, Ramirez-Sarmiento C, Belogurov GA, Artsimovitch I*, Wahl MC*, Knauer S* (2024) Concerted transformation of a hyper-paused transcription complex and its reinforcing protein. Nat Commun, 15, 3040.

Porter LL*, Artsimovitch I* and Ramírez-Sarmiento CA* (2024) Metamorphic proteins and how to find them. Curr Opin Struct Biol, 86, 102807.

Molina AJ, Galaz-Davison P, Komives EA, Artsimovitch I*, Ramírez-Sarmiento CA* (2022) Dynamic couplings upon binding of RfaH to transcription elongation complexes. Nucleic Acids Res. 50, 6384-97.

Mittermeier M, Wang B, Said N, Gjorgjevikj D, Wahl MC, Artsimovitch I* (2022) A non-native C-terminal extension of the β’ subunit compromises RNA polymerase and Rho functions. Mol Microbiol. 117, 871-85. 

Wang B, Svetlov D, Artsimovitch I* (2021) NMPylation and de-NMPylation of SARS-CoV-2 nsp9 by the NiRAN domain; Nucleic Acids Res. 49, 8822-8835.

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. 12, e0142321.

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. 371, eabd1673. 

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. 11, 6418. 

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