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Translational coupling varying in efficiency between different pairs of genes in the central region of the atp operon of Escherichia coli
Author(s) -
Hellmuth K.,
Rex G.,
Surin B.,
Zinck R.,
McCarthy J. E. G.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1991.tb00754.x
Subject(s) - operon , biology , escherichia coli , lac operon , mutagenesis , gene , ribosome , fusion protein , plasmid , fusion gene , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , mutation , recombinant dna , rna
Summary A series of afp::lacZ fusions has been constructed for use in a study of translational coupling in the central region of the Escherichia coli atp operon. Five genes, atpE, atpF, atpH, atp A and atpG , were shown to be translationally coupled to various degrees of tightness. A new lac promoter vector, compatible with the afp::lacZ fusion vectors, was used to express individual atp genes in the same hosts as the fusion genes. The H + ‐ATPase subunits thus synthesized exercised no significant trans‐regulation on the expression of the atp::lacZ fusions, indicating that the coupling is primarily cis. The mechanism of this coupling was investigated using in vitro mutagenesis. At least in the case of the pair atpHA , coupling seems to involve facilitated binding of fresh ribosomes to the atpA translational initiation regions.