Bacteria depend on transcription-translation coupling for genome integrity, termination of transcription and control of mRNA stability. Consequently, artificial disruption of transcription-translation coupling impairs the fitness of bacteria. Without coupling, genome integrity is compromised as stalled transcription complexes interfere with DNA replication and induce DNA breaks. Lack of coupling produces premature transcription termination, likely due to increased binding of termination factor Rho. Degradation of prokaryotic mRNAs is accelerated by loss of coupled translation due to increased availability of target sites of RNase E. It has also been suggested that coupling of transcription with translation is an important mechanism of preventing formation of deleterious R-loops. While transcription-translation coupling is likely prevalent across prokaryotic organisms, not all species are dependent on it. Unlike Escherichia coli, in Bacillus subtilis transcription significantly outpaces translation, and coupling consequently does not occur.
