TY - JOUR

T1 - Novel growth rate control of dam gene expression in Escherichia coli

AU - Rasmussen, Lene Juel

AU - Marinus, M. G.

AU - Lobner-Olesen, Anders

PY - 1994

Y1 - 1994

N2 - Transcription of the dam gene in Escherichia coli is growth rate regulated by a mechanism distinct from that used for ribosomal RNA gene promoters. Single-copy operon fusions to lacZ indicated that the major promoter, P2, is responsible for most or all of the growth rate dependence. Promoter P2 is a typical sigma 70 promoter with 18 bp spacing between the -10 and -35 hexamers. Primer extension analysis was used to show that there was no inhibition of transcription from promoter P2 in cells induced for the stringent response. Beta-galactosidase specific activity from a single-copy dam::lacZ fusion was unaffected by either excess rrnB RNA or the level of Fis protein. Thus growth rate control of dam gene expression differs from that of the rRNA and tRNA genes by its lack of response to stringent control, ribosomal feedback and enhanced transcription by Fis protein. We devised a procedure for selection of mutant cells in which dam gene expression was unregulated. One such mutant (cde-4), obtained by miniTn10 insertion, showed the same level of beta-galactosidase activity at all growth rates tested. In contrast, growth rate-dependent expression of the rrnB gene was unaffected by cde-4 confirming the different modes of regulation. The cde-4::miniTn10 insertion is located close to kilobase 670 on the physical map in or near the lipB gene.

AB - Transcription of the dam gene in Escherichia coli is growth rate regulated by a mechanism distinct from that used for ribosomal RNA gene promoters. Single-copy operon fusions to lacZ indicated that the major promoter, P2, is responsible for most or all of the growth rate dependence. Promoter P2 is a typical sigma 70 promoter with 18 bp spacing between the -10 and -35 hexamers. Primer extension analysis was used to show that there was no inhibition of transcription from promoter P2 in cells induced for the stringent response. Beta-galactosidase specific activity from a single-copy dam::lacZ fusion was unaffected by either excess rrnB RNA or the level of Fis protein. Thus growth rate control of dam gene expression differs from that of the rRNA and tRNA genes by its lack of response to stringent control, ribosomal feedback and enhanced transcription by Fis protein. We devised a procedure for selection of mutant cells in which dam gene expression was unregulated. One such mutant (cde-4), obtained by miniTn10 insertion, showed the same level of beta-galactosidase activity at all growth rates tested. In contrast, growth rate-dependent expression of the rrnB gene was unaffected by cde-4 confirming the different modes of regulation. The cde-4::miniTn10 insertion is located close to kilobase 670 on the physical map in or near the lipB gene.

KW - Base Sequence

KW - Carrier Proteins/genetics

KW - Cell Division/genetics

KW - Chromosome Mapping

KW - DNA, Bacterial/genetics

KW - Escherichia coli/enzymology

KW - Escherichia coli Proteins

KW - Factor For Inversion Stimulation Protein

KW - Feedback

KW - Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial

KW - Genes, Bacterial

KW - Integration Host Factors

KW - Methyltransferases/genetics

KW - Molecular Sequence Data

KW - Mutation

KW - Promoter Regions, Genetic

KW - Ribosomes/metabolism

KW - Site-Specific DNA-Methyltransferase (Adenine-Specific)

KW - Transcription, Genetic

U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1994.tb01050.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1994.tb01050.x

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 7934887

VL - 12

SP - 631

EP - 638

JO - Molecular Microbiology

JF - Molecular Microbiology

SN - 0950-382X

IS - 4

ER -