Effect of Rifampicin on Expression of LacZ Fused to Promoters or Terminators of the E.coli RpoBC Operon

Overview

Journal Nucleic Acids Res

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Biochemistry

Date 1982 Nov 25

PMID 6296776

Citations 9

Authors

K M Howe

A J Newman

I Garner

A Wallis

R S Hayward

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The genes encoding the beta and beta' subunits of RNA polymerase in E.coli lie downstream of at least two ribosomal protein genes in a single unit of transcription. Treatment of E.coli with rifampicin, under conditions producing partial inhibition of general RNA synthesis, can strongly stimulate transcription of the polymerase genes, while activating the neighbouring ribosomal genes only slightly. We have investigated the mechanism of this effect by fusing strong promoters, a weak internal promoter, and an attenuator of the polymerase operon to the lacZ gene, in derivatives of plasmid pMC81. Studies of these fusions confirm our conclusion, based on similar fusions to galK, that rifampicin can foster readthrough of transcriptional terminators. They also suggest the existence of extra terminators and anti-termination elements in the above transcription unit.

Citing Articles

What the Hel: recent advances in understanding rifampicin resistance in bacteria.

Sudzinova P, Sanderova H, Koval T, Skalova T, Borah N, Hnilicova J FEMS Microbiol Rev. 2022; 47(6).

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Evidence for rifampicin-promoted readthrough of a fully rho-dependent transcriptional terminator.

Cromie K, Hayward R Mol Gen Genet. 1984; 193(3):532-4.

PMID: 6423935 DOI: 10.1007/BF00382095.

Evidence for antitermination in Escherichia coli RRNA transcription.

Aksoy S, Squires C, Squires C J Bacteriol. 1984; 159(1):260-4.

PMID: 6330033 PMC: 215622. DOI: 10.1128/jb.159.1.260-264.1984.

Relative activities of the transcriptional regulatory sites in the rplKAJLrpoBC gene cluster of Escherichia coli.

Ralling G, Linn T J Bacteriol. 1984; 158(1):279-85.

PMID: 6325390 PMC: 215409. DOI: 10.1128/jb.158.1.279-285.1984.

Direct evidence for autogenous regulation of the Escherichia coli genes rpoBC in vivo.

Meek D, Hayward R Mol Gen Genet. 1986; 202(3):500-8.

PMID: 3520240 DOI: 10.1007/BF00333284.

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