Differential mRNA stability controls relative gene expression within a polycistronic operon

The RIB element in the goaG-pspF intergenic region of Escherichia coli

The sequence (2,700 bp) between the aldH and pspF genes of Escherichia coli was determined. The pspF gene encodes a sigma54 transcriptional activator of the phage shock protein (psp) operon (pspA to pspE). Downstream of the pspF transcribed region are two open reading frames (ORFs), ordL and goaG, convergently oriented with respect to pspF. These two ORFs, together with the adjacent aldH gene, may constitute a novel operon (aldH-ordL-goaG). The goaG-pspF intergenic region contains a complex extragenic mosaic element, RIB. The structure of this RIB element, which belongs to the BIME-1 family, is Y(REP1) > 16 < Z1(REP2), where Y and Z1 are palindromic units and the central 16 bases contain an L motif with an ihf consensus sequence. DNA fragments containing the L motif of the psp RIB element effectively bind integration host factor (IHF), while the Y palindromic unit (REP1) of the same RIB element binds DNA gyrase weakly. Computer prediction of the pspF mRNA secondary structure suggested that the transcribed stem-loop structures formed by the 3'-flanking region of the pspF transcript containing the RIB element can stabilize and protect pspF mRNA. Analysis of pspF steady-state mRNA levels showed that transcripts with an intact RIB element are much more abundant than those truncated at the 3' end by deletion of either the entire RIB element or a single Z1 sequence (REP2). Thus, the pspF 3'-flanking region containing the RIB element has an important role in the stabilization of the pspF transcript.

Regulation of antioxidant enzyme expression by NGF

The rapid decreases in viability seen in H2O2-treated PC12 cells reflect enhanced susceptibility of neural cell types to oxidant injury. The dose-response relationship between NGF concentration and survival after H2O2 treatment resembles that for NGF effects on PC12 survival in serumless medium. Previously we have shown that NGF treatment enhances the activity of GSH-Px and catalase which catalyze the degradation of H2O2. Here in order to ascertain whether NGF stimulates transcription, affects mRNA stability, or acts post-transcriptionally, we measured catalase and GSH-Px mRNA half-lives. While both catalase and GSH-Px transcripts are stable with a relatively long half life and a gradual decay in mRNA levels, NGF had different effects on their stability. NGF had marked effects on catalase mRNA stability. The catalase gene has a 3' flanking region with T-rich clusters and CA repeats known to be susceptible to regulation by destabilization or ubiquination. NGF maintained catalase mRNA levels of actinomycin D (ACT-D) treated PC12 cells at twice that of cells exposed to ACT-D alone, delaying the rate of decay for catalase mRNA for 24 h. The NGF induction of GSH-Px and catalase mRNA was inhibited by cycloheximide (CHX) treatment with a slight decrease in their mRNA levels due to prolonged exposure to CHX. When the CHX treatment was delayed relative to the NGF treatment there was no effect on NGF effects on catalase and GSH-Px. The GSH-Px gene has conserved sequences in the open reading frame and 3' untranslated region which forms a stem-loop structure necessary for the incorporation of Se into this selenoprotein. While Se is important in stabilizing GSH-Px transcripts, it did not affect transcription rates or mRNA stability. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that NGF regulates catalase and GSH-Px expression via a primary effect on transcription factor pathways.

Bacterial interspersed mosaic elements (BIMEs) are a major source of sequence polymorphism in Escherichia coli intergenic regions including specific associations with a new insertion sequence

A significant fraction of Escherichia coli intergenic DNA sequences is composed of two families of repeated bacterial interspersed mosaic elements (BIME-1 and BIME-2). In this study, we determined the sequence organization of six intergenic regions in 51 E. coli and Shigella natural isolates. Each region contains a BIME in E. coli K-12. We found that multiple sequence variations are located within or near these BIMEs in the different bacteria. Events included excisions of a whole BIME-1, expansion/deletion within a BIME-2 and insertions of non-BIME sequences like the boxC repeat or a new IS element, named IS 1397. Remarkably, 14 out of IS 1397 integration sites correspond to a BIME sequence, strongly suggesting that this IS element is specifically associated with BIMEs, and thus inserts only in extragenic regions. Unlike BIMEs, IS 1397 is not detected in all E. coli isolates. Possible relationships between the presence of this IS element and the evolution of BIMEs are discussed.

Determinants for overproduction of the Pseudomonas oleovorans cytoplasmic membrane protein alkane hydroxylase in alk+ Escherichia coli W3110

The Pseudomonas oleovorans alkB gene is expressed in alk+ Escherichia coli W3110 to 10 to 15% of the total cell protein, which is exceptional for a (foreign) cytoplasmic membrane protein. In other E. coli recombinants such as alk+ HB101, AlkB constitutes 2 to 3% of the total protein. In this study, we have investigated which factors determine the expression level of alkB in alk+ W3110. In particular, we have investigated the role of AlkB-induced stimulation of phospholipid synthesis. Blocking phospholipid synthesis in alk+ W3110 did not specifically alter the expression of alkB, and we conclude that stimulation of phospholipid synthesis is not a prerequisite for high-level expression of the membrane protein. W3110 is able to produce exceptionally high levels of alkane monooxygenase, because the rate of alkB mRNA synthesis in W3110 is an order of magnitude higher than that in HB101. This may be due in part to the higher copy number of pGEc47 in W3110 in comparison with HB101.

Regulation of CO2 assimilation in Ralstonia eutropha: premature transcription termination within the cbb operon

In the facultatively chemoautotrophic bacterium Ralstonia eutropha (formerly Alcaligenes eutrophus), most genes required for CO2 assimilation via the Calvin cycle are organized within two highly homologous cbb operons located on the chromosome and on megaplasmid pHG1, respectively, of strain H16. These operons are subject to tight control exerted by a promoter upstream of the 5'-terminal cbbL gene that is regulated by the activator CbbR. The existence of subpromoters within the operons was now excluded, as determined with lacZ operon fusions to suitable cbb gene fragments in the promoter-probe vector pBK. Nevertheless, marked differential expression of the promoter-proximal ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase genes cbbLS and the remaining distal genes occurs within the operons. Computer analysis revealed a potential stem-loop structure immediately downstream of cbbS that was suspected to be involved in the differential gene expression. Nuclease S1 mapping identified a major 3' end and a minor 3' end of the relatively stable cbbLS partial transcript just downstream of this structure. Moreover, operon fusions containing progressively deleted stem-loop structures showed that the structure primarily caused transcriptional termination downstream of cbbS rather than increased the segmental stability of the cbbLS transcript. Premature transcription termination thus represents an important mechanism leading to differential gene expression within the cbb operons.

Increased stability of phage T7g10 mRNA is mediated by either a 5'- or a 3'-terminal stem-loop structure

The mRNA encoding the major capsid protein of phage T7 (T7g10) is highly expressed in Escherichia coli. In common with other highly expressed T7 genes, the 5' end of this mRNA contains a stem-loop structure, while transcription termination at the phage T7 T phi terminator generates a stable 3'-end stem-loop structure. We assessed the influence of these structures on the expression level of T7g10 and on the functional stability of the mRNA. Each one of the 5'- or 3'-hairpin structures was sufficient to increase the functional stability of the T7g10 mRNA more than twofold. A duplication of the 3' T phi-terminator slightly increased the mRNA stability further. Also, differences in the observed functional half-life could be correlated with the expression level of the T7g10 derivatives when these were partially induced. Our data suggest that mRNA stabilization by a 5' stem-loop structure can occur even in the absence of a stem-loop structure that protects RNA against 3' exonucleases.

Isolation of a mRNA instability sequence that is cis-dominant to the ompA stability determinant in Escherichia coli

Transcriptional fusions with ompA and bla have been used to identify a novel mRNA instability element. A 287-nucleotide (nt) sequence containing a repetitive extragenic palindrome (REP) from the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (cat) gene was inserted into the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of the ompA gene. In one orientation, the insert had no effect on the half-life of the ompA-cat chimeric transcript. In the other orientation, however, the sequence functioned as a destabilizing element and was dominant to the 5'-UTR ompA and REP stability elements. The orientation-dependent effect of the instability sequence suggests that sequence rather than structure alone is important to the function of the instability determinant. In addition, the instability sequence also destabilized an ompA-bla fusion construct when fused to its 3'-UTR region. A sensitive RNA ligation/PCR amplification technique was developed and used to analyze RNA decay intermediates. The results indicated that degradation of the chimeric transcript initiated within the 287-nt inserted sequence.

Gene organization and transcription of a late-expressed region of a Lactococcus lactis phage

The lactococcal phage bIL41 belongs to the small isometric-headed phages of the 936 quasi-species and is resistant to the abortive infection determined by abiB. A 10.2-kb segment from this phage, in which late transcription is initiated, has been sequenced. Thirteen open reading frames (ORFs) organized in one transcriptional unit have been identified. The location of two of them and the structural features of the proteins they code for are evocative of terminase subunits. Five other ORFs specify proteins which are highly homologous to structural proteins from the closely related phage F4-1. By comparing the phage bIL41 sequence with partial sequences available for four related phages, we were able to deduce a chimerical phage map covering the middle- and a large part of the late-expressed regions. Phages from this quasi-species differ by the insertion or deletion of either 1 to about 400 bp in noncoding regions or an entire ORF. Transcription was initiated 9 min after infection at a promoter with a -10 but no -35 consensus sequence. Synthesis of a phage activator protein was needed for initiation of transcription. A large 16-kb transcript covering all of the late-expressed region of the genome was synthesized. This transcript gave rise to smaller units. One of these units most probably resulted from a RNase E processing.

Degradation products of the cytochrome c3 mRNA are similar in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough and Escherichia coli

The transcription and mRNA degradation pattern of a cloned Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Dv) Hildenborough cytochrome c3-encoding gene (cyc) was analyzed in detail, both in Escherichia coli and its native species. Transcription in Dv seems to be controlled by the same promoter elements as in E. coli; the transcription start point (tsp) of this Dv gene has been mapped in both species and found to be identical. A major putative transcription terminator was mapped and it was found to be the same in both organisms. Furthermore, the intermediates in cyc mRNA degradation are similar in both bacterial species.

Effect of the pufQ-pufB intercistronic region on puf mRNA stability in Rhodobacter capsulatus

Differential expression of genes localized within the polycistronic puf operon of Rhodobacter capsulatus is partly due to altered stabilities of individual mRNA segments. We show that the 5' untranslated region (UTR) of pufB contributes to the unusual longevity of the 0.5 kb light-harvesting (LH) I specific pufBA mRNA and of the 2.7 kb pufBALMX mRNA. Three stem-loop structures have been identified within the pufQ-pufB intercistronic region by means of RNA secondary-structure analysis in vitro and in vivo. Deletion analysis of the pufB 5' UTR indicates that the complete set of secondary structures is required to maintain wild-type levels of pufBA mRNA stability. A phylogenetic comparison of pufB 5' UTRs of other photosynthetic bacteria reveals an evolutionary conservation of the base-pairing potential despite sequence divergence. Comparison of puf mRNA decay in Escherichia coli strains with or without endoribonuclease E (RNase E) activity suggests that the pufB 5' secondary structures protect the downstream mRNA segment against degradation by RNase E. Removal of the 117-nucleotide pufQ-pufB intercistronic region results in loss of stability for the pufBA and pufBALMX mRNAs with concomitant stabilization of the full-length puf primary transcript (QBALMX). We therefore conclude that the deleted sequence functions both as a stabilizing element for pufBALMX and pufBA segments and as a target site for initial rate-limiting decay of the unstable pufQBALMX mRNA.

A DEAD-box RNA helicase in the Escherichia coli RNA degradosome

The Escherichia coli RNA degradosome is a multi-enzyme complex that contains the exoribonuclease polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) and the endoribonuclease RNase E. Both enzymes are important in RNA processing and messenger RNA degradation. Here we report that enolase and RhlB are two other major components of the degradosome. Enolase is a glycolytic enzyme with an unknown role in RNA metabolism. RhlB is a member of the DEAD-box family of ATP-dependent RNA helicases, which are found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. We show that the degradosome has an ATP-dependent activity that aids the degradation of structured RNA by PNPase. Incubation of the degradosome with affinity-purified antibody against RhlB inhibited the ATP-stimulated RNA degradation. These results suggest that RhlB acts by unwinding RNA structures that impede the processive activity of PNPase. RhlB is thus an important enzyme in mRNA turnover.

Differential mRNA decay within the transfer operon of plasmid R1: identification and analysis of an intracistronic mRNA stabilizer

Processing of the transfer operon mRNA of the conjugative resistance plasmid R1-19 results in the accumulation of stable traA mRNAs. The stable traA transcripts found in vivo have identical 3' ends within downstream traL sequences, but vary at their 5' ends. The 3' ends determined coincide with the 3' base of a predicted large clover-leaf-like RNA secondary structure. Here we demonstrate that this putative RNA structure, although part of a coding sequences, stabilizes the upstream traA mRNA very efficiently. We also show that the 3' ends of the stable mRNAs are formed posttranscriptionally and not by transcription termination. Half-life determinations reveal the same half-lives of 13 +/- 2 min for the traA mRNAs transcribed from hybrid lac-traAL-cat test plasmids, the R1-19 plasmid, and the F plasmid. Protein expression experiments demonstrate that the processed stable traA mRNA is translationally active. Partial deletions of sequences corresponding to the predicted secondary structure within the traL coding region drastically reduce the chemical and functional half-life of the traA mRNA. The results presented here unambiguously demonstrate that the proposed secondary structure acts as an efficient intracistronic mRNA stabilizer.

RNase E can inhibit the decay of some degradation intermediates: degradation of Desulfovibrio vulgaris cytochrome c3 mRNA in E coli

In Escherichia coli, ribonuclease E (RNase E) is a key endonuclease in mRNA decay. We have analysed the role of E coli RNase E on the degradation of a heterologous cytochrome c3 (cyc) mRNA from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough. The decay of the cyc transcript in wild-type and mutant E coli cells was followed and the degradation intermediates analysed by Northern blotting and S1 protection analysis. The half-life of total cyc mRNA intermediates was increased in the RNase E mutant. A number of degradation intermediates were stabilised, and new species arose. However, some species decayed faster in the met5 mutant at the non-permissive temperature, suggesting that RNase E might inhibit their degradation. The results indicate that RNase E is involved in cyc mRNA degradation, and, interestingly, decay of certain intermediates could be reduced by this enzyme activity. This may suggest a functional interaction between RNase E and exonucleases, like polynucleotide phosphorylase.

Identification of Rhizobium-specific intergenic mosaic elements within an essential two-component regulatory system of Rhizobium species

Analysis of the DNA regions upstream of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase gene (pckA) in Rhizobium meliloti and Rhizobium sp. strain NGR234 identified an open reading frame which was highly homologous to the Agrobacterium tumefaciens chromosomal virulence gene product ChvI. A second gene product, 500 bp downstream of the chvI-like gene in R. meliloti, was homologous to the A. tumefaciens ChvG protein. The homology between the R. meliloti and A. tumefaciens genes was confirmed, because the R. meliloti chvI and chvG genes complemented A. tumefaciens chvI and chvG mutants for growth on complex media. We were unable to construct chvI or chvG insertion mutants of R. meliloti, whereas mutants carrying insertions outside of these genes were readily obtained. A 108-bp repeat element characterized by two large palindromes was identified in the chvI and chvG intergenic regions of both Rhizobium species. This element was duplicated in Rhizobium sp. strain NGR234. Another structurally similar element with a size of 109 bp was present in R. meliloti but not in Rhizobium sp. strain NGR234. These elements were named rhizobium-specific intergenic mosaic elements (RIMEs), because their distribution seems to be limited to members of the family Rhizobiaceae. A homology search in GenBank detected six more copies of the first element (RIME1), all in Rhizobium species, and three extra copies of the second element (RIME2), only in R. meliloti. Southern blot analysis with a probe specific to RIME1 showed the presence of several copies of the element in the genome of R. meliloti, Rhizobium sp. strain NGR234, Rhizobium leguminosarum, and Agrobacterium rhizogenes, but none was present in A. tumefaciens and Bradyrhizobium japonicum.

Translational coupling and limited degradation of a polycistronic messenger modulate differential gene expression in the parD stability system of plasmid R1

The parD stability system of plasmid R1 is an auto-regulated operon containing two genes, kis and kid, that code, respectively, for a killer protein (Kid) and for an antagonist of Kid action (Kis protein). A polycistronic transcript and a shorter mRNA, coding only for Kis and ending in a stem-loop sequence, have been identified as the main parD transcripts in cells carrying a derepressed parD operon. In this communication we show that both parD mRNAs have a half-life close to 1 min and are present in similar amounts. Using an assay based on cell-free extracts of Escherichia coli, we demonstrate that the short kis mRNA originates from limited degradation of the bicistronic parD transcript and that the stem-loop structure within the 5' end of the kid gene is specifically required for the formation of this short transcript. In vivo experiments show that synthesis of Kis is required for efficient synthesis of Kid. These data indicate that RNA processing and translational coupling are important mechanisms that modulate the differential expression of the two genes, kis and kid, in the bicistronic parD operon.

Heterologous expression as a tool for gene identification and analysis

These days, genome research mainly concerns the accumulation of sequence data and their theoretical interpretation based on analogies to known genes, proteins and structures. However, a final identification of gene function can only be verified by experimental data. One step in this process is the expression of the isolated gene in pro- and eukaryotes. In this article we will review some of the basic features of expression in Escherichia coli and mammalian cells that are relevant to the design of expression experiments. Emphasis is put on the first instance of attaining a high enough level of expression in order to be able to detect the cellular effects or to isolate the product of the transferred gene.

Cloning and sequencing of the nitrate transport system from the thermophilic, filamentous cyanobacterium Phormidium laminosum: comparative analysis with the homologous system from Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942

A genomic region from the filamentous, thermophilic non-N2-fixing cyanobacterium Phormidium laminosum was cloned and sequenced. It includes the nitrite reductase gene (nirA) and three other genes (nrtA, B and C) located downstream of nirA, which are related to the nitrate transport system on the basis of a comparison with the homologous system from Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942. No additional nitrate assimilation-related genes were identified in about 5 kb sequenced downstream of nrtC. All four genes are arranged as an operon with a promoter-like region upstream of the nirA gene. Transcripts of these nitrate assimilation genes accumulated after long periods of nitrogen starvation. This operon also contains inverted repeat sequences in the intercistronic regions which might be involved in mRNA processing or stability.

Degradation of Escherichia coli uncB mRNA by multiple endonucleolytic cleavages

The mechanism of segmental decay of the uncB sequence near the 5' end of the 7-kb Escherichia coli unc operon mRNA was investigated. Northern (RNA) blots of mRNA expressed from a plasmid carrying the uncBE portion of the operon revealed that the uncB message was rapidly degraded by multiple internal cleavages which resulted in the formation of at least five discrete species having a common 3' end. Turnover studies indicated that processing rapidly converted all species to the smallest. Identification of the 5' ends by primer extension analysis revealed that the cleavages were made either in the uncB coding region or in the intercistronic region between uncB and uncE, the latter being the most 3' cleavage. An rne mutant strain contained much higher levels of the uncBE message, implying that RNase E, the product of the rne gene, is essential for the normal degradation of uncB, and a number of the 5' ends were not detected in the rne mutant. The cleavage sites in chromosomally encoded unc mRNA were also identified by primer extension. These studies reveal that the segmental decay of the uncB region of unc mRNA occurs rapidly through a series of endonucleolytic cleavages. The rapid decay of uncB is expected to play a role in limiting expression of this gene relative to that of the other genes of the operon.

Isolation of the Helicobacter pylori recA gene and involvement of the recA region in resistance to low pH

To understand the potential roles of the important DNA repair protein RecA in Helicobacter pylori pathogenesis, we cloned the recA gene from H. pylori 84-183. Degenerate PCR primers based on conserved RecA protein regions were used to amplify a portion of H. pylori recA, which was used as a probe to isolate the full-length recA gene from H. pylori genomic libraries. The H. pylori recA gene encoded a protein of 347 amino acids with a molecular mass of 37.6 kDa. As expected, H. pylori RecA was highly similar to other RecA proteins and most closely resembled that of Campylobacter jejuni (75% identity). Immediately downstream of recA was an open reading frame whose predicted product showed 58% identity to the Bacillus subtilis enolase protein. recA and eno were disrupted in H. pylori 84-183 by insertion of antibiotic resistance genes. Reverse transcription-PCR demonstrated that recA and eno were cotranscribed and that insertion of the kanamycin resistance gene into recA had polar effects on expression of the downstream eno. The H. pylori recA mutants were severely impaired in their ability to survive treatment with UV light and methyl methanesulfonate and with the antimicrobial agents ciprofloxacin and metronidazole. The eno mutant had sensitivities to UV light and metronidazole intermediate to those of wild-type and recA strains, suggesting that truncation of the recA-eno transcript resulted in lowered recA expression. For survival at low pH, a recA mutant was approximately 10-fold more sensitive than strain 84-183, while the eno mutant demonstrated intermediate susceptibility. This difference occurred in the presence or absence of urea, implying the involvement of a gene in the recA region in an acid resistance mechanism distinct from that mediated by urease.

A point mutation in a murine immunoglobulin V-region strongly influences the antibody yield in Escherichia coli

Recombinant DNA technology has made it possible to produce specific Fab and scFv antibody (Ab) fragments in prokaryotic host cells. Using vectors designed for periplasmic expression of encoded Ab fragments, we have been studying how the sequence and genetic localization of the light chain (L-chain) variable region gene of a mouse Ab (CB-Nm.1) determined the level of Ab production. The variable region was shown to belong to the V kappa V family and contained a previously unreported Ile72. Nine different Ab constructions were tested in monocistronic (scFv) or dicistronic (Fab) operons for their ability to affect the synthesis level of the L-chain. When the gene coding for the L-chain was located downstream from the Fd fragment gene, the substitution of codons encoding Ile by a codon encoding Thr was found to be crucial for any expression of the L-chain fragment. This was, however, not accompanied by an increase in L-chain-specific mRNA, neither was there any change in the size of the mRNA. The fact that the unmutated L-chain protein was produced from cells transformed with certain other constructions indicated that the protein as such was not incompatible with the prokaryotic environment. Together, this suggested that the translation process was involved in the restricted production of the L-chain. Thus, surprisingly small substitutions significantly affected the expression level, a fact that will have important implications on the library size expressed in prokaryotic hosts, including phage-displayed Ab libraries.

Singular over-representation of an octameric palindrome, HIP1, in DNA from many cyanobacteria

An octameric palindrome (5'-GCGATCGC-3') is abundant in cyanobacterial sequences within databases (GenBank/EMBL) and was designated HIP1 (highly iterated palindrome). The frequency of occurrence of all 256 octameric palindromes has now been determined in sub-databases revealing large and unique over-representation of HIP1 in cyanobacterial entries. DNA sequences from other bacteria were searched for any over-represented octameric palindromes analogous to HIP1. Only two sequences were identified, in the genomes of a thermophile and halophilic archaebacteria, although these were less abundant than HIP1 in cyanobacteria and relate to codon usage. To test the proposed widespread distribution of HIP1 in DNA from the cyanobacterium Synechococcus PCC 6301, randomly selected genomic clones were partly sequenced. HIP1 constituted 2.5% of the novel sequences, equivalent to a site on average once every 320 nucleotides. An oligonucleotide including HIP1 was also tested in PCR. Multiple products were obtained using template DNA from cyanobacterial strains in which HIP1 is abundant in known sequences, and some strains generated characteristic HIP-PCR banding patterns. However, analysis of DNA from one strain (not previously represented in databases) by random sequencing, HIP-PCR and Pvul digestion, confirms that not all cyanobacterial genomes are rich in HIP1.

RNA degradation in Escherichia coli regulated by 3' adenylation and 5' phosphorylation

Although polyadenylation has commonly been regarded as a special feature of eukaryotic messenger RNA, there are many reports of polyA tails on bacterial RNA (for example, refs 3-8). In Escherichia coli, adenylation mediated by the pcnB gene greatly accelerates decay of RNA I, an antisense repressor of replication of ColE1 type plasmids that resembles highly structured transfer RNA but shows the rapid turnover characteristic of mRNA. Here we report that both 3' adenylation and 5' phosphorylation affect the rate of digestion of RNA I by the 3' exonuclease, polynucleotide phosphorylase; conversely, mutation of the polynucleotide phosphorylase-encoding pnp gene affects ribonuclease acting at the 5' end. Together these findings indicate that enzymes attacking RNA I at its separate termini can interact functionally. Additionally, our discovery that adenylation-mediated degradation by polynucleotide phosphorylase imparts an mRNA-like half-like to RNA I suggests a possible mechanism to account for the rapid decay of mRNA in E. coli.

The groESL operon of Agrobacterium tumefaciens: evidence for heat shock-dependent mRNA cleavage

The heat shock response of the groESL operon of Agrobacterium tumefaciens was studied at the RNA level. The operon was found to be activated under heat shock conditions and transcribed as a polycistronic mRNA that contains the groES and groEL genes. After activation, the polycistronic mRNA appeared to be cleaved between the groES and groEL genes and formed two monocistronic mRNAs. The groES cleavage product appeared to be unstable and subjected to degradation, while the groEL cleavage product appeared to be stable and became the major mRNA representing the groESL operon after long periods of growth at a high temperature. The polycistronic mRNA containing the groES and groEL genes was the major mRNA representing the groESL operon at a low temperature, and it reappeared when the cells were returned to the lower growth temperature after heat shock induction. These findings indicate that the cleavage event is part of the heat shock regulation of the groESL operon in A. tumefaciens.

Expression of antibiotic resistance genes in the integrated cassettes of integrons

Plasmids containing cloned integron fragments which differ only with respect to either the sequence of the promoter(s) or the number and order of inserted cassettes were used to examine the expression of resistance genes encoded in integron-associated gene cassettes. All transcripts detected commenced at the common promoter P(ant), and alterations in the sequence of P(ant) affected the level of resistance expressed by cassette genes. When both P(ant) and the secondary promoter P2 were present, transcription from both promoters was detected. When more than one cassette was present, the position of the cassette in the array influenced the level of antibiotic resistance expressed by the cassette gene. In all cases, the resistance level was highest when the gene was in the first cassette, i.e., closest to P(ant), and was reduced to different extents by the presence of individual upstream cassettes. In Northern (RNA) blots, multiple discrete transcripts originating at P(ant) were detected, and only the longer transcripts contained the distal genes. Together, these data suggest that premature transcription termination occurs within the cassettes. The most abundant transcripts appeared to contain one or more complete cassettes, and is possible that the 59-base elements found at the end of the cassettes (3' to the coding region) not only function as recombination sites but may also function as transcription terminators.

RNase E autoregulates its synthesis by controlling the degradation rate of its own mRNA in Escherichia coli: unusual sensitivity of the rne transcript to RNase E activity

RNase E is a key regulatory enzyme that appears to control the principal pathway for mRNA degradation in Escherichia coli. Here, we show that RNase E represses its own synthesis by reducing the cellular concentration of the rne (RNase E) gene transcript. Autoregulation is achieved by modulating the longevity of this 3.6-kb mRNA, whose half-life ranges from < 40 sec to > 8 min depending on the level of RNase E activity in the cell. Feedback regulation is mediated in cis by the 5'-terminal 0.44-kb segment of rne mRNA, which is sufficient to confer this property onto a heterologous transcript to which it is fused. Like the intact protein, an amino-terminal fragment of RNase E lacking 563 amino acid residues can act in trans to repress rne gene expression. Paradoxically, raising the rne gene copy number 21-fold in E. coli causes an unexpected reduction in the concentration of the full-length rne transcript, yet results in a small increase in RNase E protein production. These surprising phenomena are explained in terms of a model in which the degradation of this long and highly labile mRNA commences before elongation of the nascent transcript has been completed. In such circumstances, gene expression can be unusually sensitive to changes in mRNA stability.

The dipeptide permease of Escherichia coli closely resembles other bacterial transport systems and shows growth-phase-dependent expression

The dipeptide permease (Dpp) of Escherichia coli transports peptides consisting of two or three L-amino acids. The periplasmic dipeptide-binding protein (DBP), encoded by the dppA gene, also serves as a chemoreceptor. We sequenced the dpp locus, which comprises an operon of five genes, dppABCDE. Its organization is the same as the oligopeptide permease (opp) operon of Salmonella typhimurium and the spo0K operon of Bacillus subtilis. The dpp genes are also closely related to the hbpA gene, which encodes a haem-binding lipoprotein, and four other genes in an unlinked operon of unknown function in Haemophilus influenzae. Each Dpp protein has an Opp, Spo0K and H. influenzae homologue. Transcription of the dpp operon initiates 165 bases upstream of the predicted dppA start codon. The start site for transcription is preceded by potential -35 and -10 regions of a sigma 70 promoter. During exponential growth in Luria-Bertani (LB) broth, the level of dpp mRNA increases in two steps, one between A590 0.2 and 0.4 and one between A590 0.7 and 1.0. The 310 nucleotides between dppA and dppB include a RIP (repetitive IHF-binding palindromic) element, whose deletion from a multi-copy plasmid causes fivefold and 10-fold reductions in the levels of upstream and downstream dpp mRNA, respectively.

A protein complex mediating mRNA degradation in Escherichia coli

mRNA degradation in Escherichia coli is mediated by a combination of exo- and endoribonucleases. We present evidence for a multiprotein complex which includes at least two enzymes that play important roles in mRNA degradation: the exoribonuclease polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) and the endoribonuclease RNase E. An activity which impedes the processive activity of PNPase at stem-loop structures also appears to be associated with the complex. This complex is estimated to have a molecular mass of about 500 kDa and includes several additional polypeptides whose functions are unknown. The identification of a complex which includes several activities associated with mRNA degradation has implications for the mechanisms and co-ordinated control of mRNA degradation.

mRNA degradation in Escherichia coli: a novel factor which impedes the exoribonucleolytic activity of PNPase at stem-loop structures

Stem-loop structures can protect upstream mRNA from degradation by impeding the processive activities of 3'-5' exoribonucleases. The ability of such structures to impede exonuclease activity in vitro is insufficient to account for the stability they can confer on mRNA in vivo. In this study we identify a factor from Escherichia coli which specifically impedes the processive activity of the 3'-5' exonuclease PNPase at stem-loop structures in vitro. This factor can, potentially, reconcile the apparent discrepancy between the ability of 3' stem-loop structures to stabilize upstream mRNA in vitro and in vivo. Its mechanism of action, and possible role in regulating mRNA degradation, is discussed.

Control of mRNA processing and decay in prokaryotes

Post-transcriptional mechanisms operate in regulation of gene expression in bacteria, the amount of a given gene product being also dependent on the inactivation rate of its own message. Moreover, segmental differences in mRNA stability of polycistronic transcripts may be responsible for differential expression of genes clustered in operons. Given the absence of 5' to 3' exoribonucleolytic activities in prokaryotes, both endoribonucleases and 3' to 5' exoribonucleases are involved in chemical decay of mRNA. As the 3' to 5' exoribonucleolytic activities are readily blocked by stem-loop structures which are usual at the 3' ends of bacterial messages, the rate of decay is primarily determined by the rate of the first endonucleolytic cleavage within the transcripts, after which the resulting mRNA intermediates are degraded by the 3' to 5' exoribonucleases. Consequently, the stability of a given transcript is determined by the accessibility of suitable target sites to endonucleolytic activities. A considerable number of bacterial messages decay with a net 5' to 3' directionality. Two different alternative models have been proposed to explain such a finding, the first invoking the presence of functional coupling between degradation and the movement of the ribosomes along the transcripts, the second one implying the existence of a 5' to 3' processive '5' binding nuclease'. The different systems by which these two current models of mRNA decay have been tested will be presented with particular emphasis on polycistronic transcripts.

The ompA 5' untranslated region impedes a major pathway for mRNA degradation in Escherichia coli

The unusual longevity of the Escherichia coli ompA transcript is determined by its 5' untranslated region (UTR), which functions in vivo as an mRNA stabilizer. Here we show that this 5' UTR can prolong the lifetime in E. coli of a variety of heterologous mRNAs to which it is joined, either as a gene fusion or as an operon fusion. Statistical extrapolation suggests that it is quite likely that most E. coli mRNAs could be stabilized in this manner. We conclude that the ompA 5' UTR impedes a major pathway for mRNA degradation in E. coli and that stabilization by fusion to this UTR does not require translational readthrough of the heterologous mRNA segment by ribosomes that initiate translation at the ompA ribosome-binding site. Additional experiments indicate that the E. coli ribonuclease whose action is slowed by the ompA 5' UTR is not RNase III.

Structural and functional diversity among bacterial interspersed mosaic elements (BIMEs)

Palindromic units (PU or REP) were defined as 40-nucleotide DNA sequences which are highly repeated in the genome of several members of the Enterobacteriaceae. They were shown to be a constituent of the bacterial interspersed mosaic element (BIME), in which they are associated with other repetitive sequences. We report here that Escherichia coli PU sequences contain three motifs (Y, Z1 and Z2), leading to the definition of two BIME families. The BIME-1 family, highly conserved over 145 nucleotides, contains two PUs (motifs Y and Z1). The BIME-2 family contains a variable number of PUs (motifs Y and Z2). We present evidence, using band shift experiments, that each PU motif binds DNA gyrase with a different affinity. This suggests that the two families are functionally distinct.

Differential decay of RNA of the CFA/I fimbrial operon and control of relative gene expression

CFA/I fimbriae on human enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli are composed of the CfaB protein, the product of the second gene of the CFA/I operon. We show here that CfaB is expressed at a higher level than other proteins of the CFA/I operon. mRNA encoding the CfaB protein is much more abundant than mRNA encoding CfaA, the first protein, together with CfaB or mRNA encoding CfaA only. Only one promoter, upstream of cfaA, is present. These data indicate that a primary transcript containing cfaA and cfaB is processed into a cfaA-specific mRNA and a cfaB-specific mRNA. The cfaA mRNA is unstable, while the cfaB mRNA is stable and therefore accumulates in CFA/I-producing E. coli. The cfaB mRNA is probably stabilized by a stem-loop structure downstream of the cfaB gene. No distinct mRNA fragments could be detected encoding the other two proteins, CfaC and CfaE, of the CFA/I operon. These results indicate that cfaC- and cfaE-specific mRNAs degrade very rapidly and/or are produced in small amounts.

Identification, molecular cloning and characterization of the gene encoding the chi subunit of DNA polymerase III holoenzyme of Escherichia coli

We have identified a previously reported open reading frame (ORF13) that maps between pepA and valS at 96.6 centisomes of the Escherichia coli genome as the structural gene for the chi subunit of DNA polymerase III holoenzyme. This conclusion is supported by a perfect match of the amino-terminal 24 residues of chi with the DNA sequence of ORF13 and a demonstration that ORF13 directs expression of a protein that co-migrates with authentic chi on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. ORF13, designated holC, was isolated from the E. coli chromosome and inserted into a tac promoter-based expression plasmid to direct production of the chi subunit to 5-7% of the total soluble protein. The 3' end of holC was sequenced to resolve discrepancies between two published versions.

Integration host factor binds to a unique class of complex repetitive extragenic DNA sequences in Escherichia coli

Interspersed repeated DNA sequences are characteristic features of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. REP sequences are defined as conserved repetitive extragenic palindromic sequences and are found in Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and other closely related enteric bacteria. These REP sequences may participate in the folding of the bacterial chromosome. In this work we describe a unique class of 28 conserved complex REP clusters, about 100bp long, in which two inverted REPs are separated by a singular integration host factor (IHF) recognition sequence. We term these sequences RIP (for repetitive IHF-binding palindromic) elements and demonstrate that IHF binds to them specifically. It is estimated that there are about 70 RIP elements in E. coli. Our analysis shows that the RIP elements are evenly distributed around the bacterial chromosome. The possible function of the RIP element is discussed.

Sequencing and characterization of a gene cluster encoding the enzymes for L-rhamnose metabolism in Escherichia coli

The sequencing of the EcoRI-HindIII fragment complementing mutations in the structural genes of the L-rhamnose regulon of Escherichia coli has permitted identification of the open reading frames corresponding to rhaB, rhaA, and rhaD. The deduced amino acid sequences gave a 425-amino-acid polypeptide corresponding to rhamnulose kinase for rhaB, a 400-amino-acid polypeptide corresponding to rhamnose isomerase for rhaA, and a 274-amino-acid polypeptide corresponding to rhamnulose-1-phosphate aldolase for rhaD. Transcriptional fusions of the three putative promoter regions to lacZ showed that only the rhaB leader region acted as a promoter, as indicated by the high beta-galactosidase activity induced by rhamnose, while no significant activity from the rhaA and rhaD constructions was detected. The rhaB transcription start site was mapped to -24 relative to the start of translation. Mutations in the catabolic genes were used to show that L-rhamnose may directly induce rhaBAD transcription.

An accessory gene, lipB, required for the production of active Pseudomonas glumae lipase

Pseudomonas glumae PG1 is able to secrete lipase into the extracellular medium. The lipase is produced as a precursor protein, with an N-terminal signal sequence. A second open reading frame (ORF) was found immediately downstream of the lipase structural gene, lipA, a situation found for the lipases of some other Pseudomonas species. Inactivation of this ORF resulted in a lipase-negative phenotype, indicating its importance in the production of active extracellular lipase. The ORF, lipB, potentially encodes a protein of 353-amino-acid residues, having a hydrophobic N-terminal (amino acids 1 to 90) and a hydrophilic C-terminal part. As a first step in determining the role of LipB, its subcellular location was determined. The protein was found to fractionate with the inner membranes. The expression of fusions of lipB fragments with phoA revealed an N(in)-C(out) topology for the LipB protein, which was confirmed by protease accessibility studies on EDTA-permeabilized cells and on inverted inner membrane vesicles. These and other results indicate that most of the LipB polypeptide is located in the periplasm and anchored to the inner membrane by an N-terminal transmembrane helix, located between amino acids 19 and 40.

The role of mRNA degradation in the regulated expression of bacterial photosynthesis genes

Regulation of gene expression in bacteria, as in eukaryotic cells, is often achieved by variation of mRNA levels. Since the steady state levels of mRNA depend on both the rate of synthesis and the rate of decay, both mechanisms are important for gene regulation. After considerable effort undertaken over many years to understand the regulation of transcription, mRNA degradation has recently gained increasing attention as an important step in the regulation of some bacterial genes, and many investigations have addressed the mechanisms involved in mRNA decay. The puf mRNA of Rhodobacter capsulatus encoding pigment binding proteins has become a model system to study decay of a polycistronic mRNA and the role of mRNA degradation in gene expression. Individual segments of the polycistronic puf mRNA display extremely different half-lives. These differences in stability of mRNA segments are involved in the differential expression of puf encoded genes and consequently contribute to the stoichiometry of light-harvesting I and reaction centre complexes that results in optimal growth. In addition, control of mRNA stability is involved in the oxygen-dependent regulation of photosynthesis genes. High oxygen tension results in decreased stability of the reaction-centre specific puf mRNA segment, most likely by affecting the rate of endonucleolytic cleavage within the reaction centre coding region. The results obtained from studying puf mRNA degradation in R. capsulatus and Escherichia coli suggest that a specific distribution of decay promoting and decay impeding mRNA elements along the polycistronic mRNA is responsible for the different half-lives of individual puf segments.

Direct evidence for selective modulation of psbA, rpoA, rbcL and 16S RNA stability during barley chloroplast development

The turnover of RNAs encoded by seven different barley chloroplast genes was analyzed after treatment of barley shoots with tagetitoxin, a selective inhibitor of chloroplast transcription. Changes in RNA stability were examined during chloroplast development using basal and apical leaf sections of 4.5-day-old dark-grown seedlings and apical leaf sections of 4.0-day-old dark-grown seedlings which had been illuminated for 12 h. Of the RNAs examined, a 2.6 kb unspliced precursor of tRNA(lys) exhibited the shortest half-life, which was estimated to be 3 h. The 16S rRNA and psbA mRNA had the longest estimated half-lives, which were greater than 40 h. Among mRNAs, half-lives were estimated to range from 6 h for psaA mRNA, to over 40 h for psbA mRNA. Therefore, barley chloroplast mRNAs have long half-lives relative to bacterial mRNAs. The stability of atpB mRNA and the unspliced precursor of tRNA-lys was not altered during chloroplast development, while the stability of psaA mRNA decreased 2-fold. In contrast, the stability of the 16S rRNA and mRNAs for rpoA, psbA and rbcL increased during chloroplast development. The stability of 16S rRNA increased markedly during chloroplast development in the dark and this increase was maintained in illuminated seedlings. The stability of rbcL mRNA increased 2.5-fold during chloroplast development in the dark, and then decreased 2-fold in chloroplasts of light-grown plants. The initial increase in rpoA and psbA mRNA stability was also light-independent, with total increases in stability of at least 5-fold. In the case of rpoA, the stability of 2 of the 13 polycistronic rpoA transcripts that were detected in dark-grown plants was selectively increased during chloroplast development. In conclusion, the stability of some transcripts is selectively increased and further modulated during chloroplast development in barley. We propose that the selective stabilization of chloroplast mRNA, which occurred independent of light, is an indication that non-light regulated developmental signals are involved in barley chloroplast mRNA stability.

Mutational analysis of segmental stabilization of transcripts from the Zymomonas mobilis gap-pgk operon

In Zymomonas mobilis, the genes encoding glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and phosphoglycerate kinase are transcribed together from the gap-pgk operon. However, higher levels of the former enzyme are present in the cytoplasm because of increased stability of a 5' segment containing the gap coding region. This segment is bounded by an upstream untranslated region which can be folded into many stem-loop structures and a prominent intercistronic stem-loop. Mutations eliminating a proposed stem-loop in the untranslated region or the intercistronic stem-loop resulted in a decrease in the stability and pool size of the 5' gap segment. Site-specific mutations in the unpaired regions of both of these stems also altered the message pools. Elimination of the intercistronic stem appeared to reduce the endonucleolytic cleavage within the pgk coding region, increasing the stability and abundance of the full-length message. DNA encoding the prominent stem-loop at the 3' end of the message was shown to be a transcriptional terminator both in Z. mobilis and in Escherichia coli. This third stem-loop region (part of the transcriptional terminator) was required to stabilize the full-length gap-pgk message.

DNA sequence and transcriptional analysis of the tblA gene required for tabtoxin biosynthesis by Pseudomonas syringae

The tblA gene of Pseudomonas syringae is required for tabtoxin biosynthesis and is under the control of a regulatory gene, lemA. We have determined the nucleotide sequence of the tblA gene and identified the 5' end of the tblA gene transcript. The sequence of the tblA gene was identified to that of the recently reported open reading frame 1 gene of the tabA region of the BR2 chromosome. The open reading frame of the tblA gene potentially encodes a protein of 231 amino acids. mRNA from the tblA gene was detected at all phases of cells grown in minimal medium. This result is correlated with the constitutive production of tabtoxinine-beta-lactam (the biologically active part of the toxin) by P. syringae BR2R in minimal medium, as quantitated by a phenylisothiocyanate derivatization method.

The rate of decay of Rhodobacter capsulatus-specific puf mRNA segments is differentially affected by RNase E activity in Escherichia coli

In Rhodobacter capsulatus the puf operon encodes proteins of the photosynthetic apparatus. The polycistronic puf mRNA is comprised of segments that show differential stability. Here, we show that the rate of decay of the 2.7-kb pufBALMX mRNA species in Escherichia coli depends on the activity of ribonuclease E (RNase E), whereas the degradation of the 0.5-kb pufBA mRNA segment is not affected by a mutation in the rne gene. The RNase E-promoted decay of the pufLMX mRNA depends on the presence of a 1.4-kb pufLM mRNA segment, in which rate-limiting endonucleolytic cleavage was postulated to occur in R. capsulatus. The insertion of 185 bp of this 1.4-kb segment into pufB results in an RNase E-dependent decay of the modified pufBA mRNA segment in E. coli. Our findings suggest that in R. capsulatus an RNase E-like activity is responsible for the rate-limiting endonucleolytic cleavage occurring within the pufLM mRNA segment, whereas the 0.5-kb pufBA mRNA segment is degraded by a different RNase E-independent decay mechanism.

Transcriptional analysis of the fix ABCXORF1 region of Azorhizobium caulinodans suggests post-transcriptional processing of the fix ABCXORF1 mRNA

We report here the transcriptional analysis of the fixABCXORF1 region of Azorhizobium caulinodans. This led to the identification of a 0.9 kb transcript covering fixX and ORF1, which was synthesized only under conditions of nitrogen fixation. The 5' end of this transcript was mapped by primer extension and S1 nuclease protection analyses and shown to be located 70 +/- 1 nucleotides upstream of the fixX start codon. By means of transcriptional fixX- and ORF1-lacZ fusions, it was shown that fixX and ORF1 were most probably transcribed from the fixA promoter and that expression of fixX and ORF1 was dependent on NifA activation. This suggests that the 0.9 kb mRNA results from post-transcriptional processing of a large mRNA covering fixA,B,C,X and ORF1. In addition, ORF1 mutants were constructed and were shown not to be impaired in nitrogenase activity.

Production of mature bovine pancreatic ribonuclease in Escherichia coli

The coding sequence for the bovine pancreatic ribonuclease (RNase) precursor has been cloned and produced in Escherichia coli using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. A PCR amplification has been carried out utilizing as template the recombinant plasmid, pQR138, which contains the coding sequence for the RNase precursor, and primers that allow for the addition of new sequences at the 5' and 3' ends of the coding sequence. The resultant fragment contains two coding sequences, one for a hexapeptide and the other for pre-RNase. This fragment has been cloned into the expression vector, pKK223.3, under the control of the tac promoter, to form a two-cistron vector. Upon induction with IPTG, E. coli cells harboring this construct generate a bicistronic mRNA which upon translation produces a hexapeptide and pre-RNase. The RNase precursor is efficiently translocated into the periplasmic space of E. coli. Upon translocation, the signal sequence is removed generating mature RNase. Formation of the disulfide bridges in RNase is facilitated by the oxidative environment of the periplasm and a fully active protein is obtained. RNase produced in E. coli has been purified to homogeneity by cation-exchange chromatography, and the removal of the signal sequence has been verified by N-terminal sequencing. The total process from inoculation of media to obtaining pure and fully active recombinant RNase is achieved in 48 h.

Overproduction of a human snRNP-associated Sm-D autoantigen in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

To conduct functional and autoimmunity studies, we overproduced human Sm-D1 (hSm-D1), a small nuclear ribonucleoprotein 'core' protein and autoantigen, in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Optimal expression in these organisms was achieved by designing vectors that synthesized abundant hSm-D1 mRNA under the control of the strong, regulatable promoters: T7 phi 10 (E. coli) and GAL1 (yeast). In addition, efficient translation initiation of the hSm-D1 coding sequence was effected in E. coli by utilizing a two-cistron approach; for expression in yeast, we created a 5' untranslated leader whose sequence was based on the consensus of highly expressed genes in S. cerevisiae. The hSm-D1 protein accumulated at high levels in both bacteria and yeast, representing, respectively, approx. 10% and 7% of the total protein. However, in comparison with the authentic protein, the recombinant hSm-D1 displayed different immunoreactive determinants as assessed by Western blot. We thus conclude that certain hSm-D1 immunologic properties are most likely dependent on posttranslational modifications that take place in the cells of higher eukaryotes.

NosR, a membrane-bound regulatory component necessary for expression of nitrous oxide reductase in denitrifying Pseudomonas stutzeri

The regulatory element NosR was identified within the nos region of the denitrification gene cluster of Pseudomonas stutzeri ZoBell (ATCC 14405) and characterized. It is essential for expression of the N2O reductase encoded by nosZ immediately downstream of nosR. The nosR region was initially identified by Tn5 mutagenesis (W. G. Zumft, K. Döhler, and H. Körner, J. Bacteriol. 163:918-924, 1985). It consists of a single open reading frame of 2,172 nucleotides and has the coding capacity for an 81.9-kDa protein. The codon usage for nosR, with its high G + C content of 62.4 mol% and a preference for G or C at the third position, is characteristic for a Pseudomonas gene. Hydropathy analysis classified NosR as an integral membrane protein with at least seven membrane-spanning segments. No similarity to known bacterial regulator proteins was found in a data bank search. However, the C terminus of NosR shows sequence similarity to the cysteine clusters of several 2[4Fe-4S] bacterial ferrodoxins. A monocistronic mRNA for nosZ which allowed us to monitor NosR function was identified. Complementation of Nos- mutant MK418 (nosR::Tn5) with the nosR gene supplied in trans restored nosZ transcription and expression of a catalytically active N2O reductase. In addition to evidence of the requirement for NosR, indirect evidence for involvement of the transcriptional regulator Fnr is presented.

A highly conserved repeated DNA element located in the chromosome of Streptococcus pneumoniae

We report the discovery of a group of highly conserved DNA sequences located, in those cases studied, within intergenic regions of the chromosome of the Gram positive Streptococcus pneumoniae. The S. pneumoniae genome contains about 25 of these elements called BOX. From 5' to 3', BOX elements are composed of three subunits (boxA, boxB, and boxC) which are 59, 45 and 50 nucleotides long, respectively. BOX elements containing one, two and four copies of boxB have been observed; boxB alone was also detected in one instance. These elements are unrelated to the two most thoroughly documented families of repetitive DNA sequences present in the genomes of enterobacteria. BOX sequences have the potential to form stable stem-loop structures and one of these, at least, is transcribed. Most of these elements are located in the immediate vicinity of genes whose product has been implicated at some stage in the process of genetic transformation or in virulence of S. pneumoniae. This location raises the intriguing possibility that BOX sequences are regulatory elements shared by several coordinately controlled genes, including competence-specific and virulence-related genes.

RNase E-dependent cleavages in the 5' and 3' regions of the Escherichia coli unc mRNA

The endonucleolytic processing of the unc mRNA encoding the eight subunits of the Escherichia coli F1F0-ATPase was studied. Northern (RNA) blots of mRNA expressed from a plasmid which contained the 3'-terminal portion of the operon including the uncDC sequences revealed, in addition to the expected 2-kb mRNA, a 0.5-kb RNA species which hybridized to an uncC antisense RNA probe. An uncD antisense RNA probe hybridized to only the 2-kb mRNA, implying that the upstream 1.5-kb fragment is rapidly degraded. The 5' end of the 0.5-kb fragment was determined by primer extension analysis to be 11 bases into the coding region of the uncC gene. In RNase E-deficient strains, the amount of the 0.5-kb product was strongly reduced while the levels of the precursor uncDC transcript remained high. Similar RNase E-dependent processing was found in the chromosomally encoded unc mRNA. As this RNase E-dependent cleavage directly inactivates uncC and appears to leave uncD susceptible to degradation, it seems unlikely to play a role in differential expression of the gene products but may be an important event in unc mRNA degradation. RNase E mutants also showed altered processing of the chromosomally encoded unc mRNA in the uncB region near the 5' end. The expected full-length (7-kb) transcript was recognized when RNA from the RNase E-deficient strain was subjected to Northern blot analysis with uncB- and uncC-specific probes. RNA from strains with functional RNase E lacked the 7-kb transcript but had a 6.2-kb mRNA detectable with the uncC but not the uncB probe. RNase E is therefore implicated in multiple cleavages of the unc mRNA.