L-arabinose operon messenger of Escherichia coli. Its inducibility and translation efficiency relative to lactose operon messenger

Cell-free translation reconstituted with purified components

We have developed a protein-synthesizing system reconstituted from recombinant tagged protein factors purified to homogeneity. The system was able to produce protein at a rate of about 160 microg/ml/h in a batch mode without the need for any supplementary apparatus. The protein products were easily purified within 1 h using affinity chromatography to remove the tagged protein factors. Moreover, omission of a release factor allowed efficient incorporation of an unnatural amino acid using suppressor transfer RNA (tRNA).

Characterization of the Escherichia coli araFGH and araJ promoters

The identities of two cloned, arabinose-inducible promoters were tested by hybridizing promoter DNA fragments with restriction digests of chromosomal DNA containing Mudlac phage inserted in either araFGH or in araE transport operons. One promoter, thought to be araE, is within 10(3) base-pairs of a Mudlac insertion in the araE gene. The second promoter was not found within several thousand base-pairs of either of the known transport genes. This promoter is now named araPJ (araJ). The DNA sequence of the fragment containing the araFGH promoter was determined. The start site of transcription in vivo was located to within +/- 1 base-pair (bp) by S1 nuclease mapping. DNase 1 footprinting revealed that, in comparison with the araBAD and araE promoters, the locations of the AraC and cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP) binding sites are reversed with CRP lying between AraC and RNA polymerase. The central location of the CRP binding site may explain why the araFGH promoter is more catabolite sensitive than the other ara promoters. AraC and CRP were both required for maximal transcription in vitro, although a low level of transcription was detected with CRP alone. S1 nuclease mapping of mRNA-DNA hybrids from the araJ promoter located the transcription start point to within #/- 3 bp, and demonstrates that the promoter is dependent upon AraC protein and CRP in vivo. DNase footprinting showed that the location of the AraC protein binding site on araJ is adjacent to the RNA polymerase site, as seen at the araBAD and araE promoters. Two CRP sites were observed; one is upstream from the AraC site and one is downstream from the transcription start site.

Transcriptional control in the L-arabinose operon of Escherichia coli B-r

The structural genes involved in l-arabinose metabolism are regulated by the protein product of the araC gene. This protein functions as both an activator and repressor of enzyme synthesis in this gene complex. Using lambdah80dara deoxyribonucleic acid in hybridization studies, we have shown that the ara operon, including structural genes araB, araA, and araD, is transcribed in the direction araB to araD and that initiation of transcription of these genes requires an active araC gene. The half-life of this message, approximately 3 min at 30 C, is the same in the presence or absence of the araC protein in the activator state. However, an unexplained 2-min lag in decay of ara messenger ribonucleic acid that does not occur in decay of lac messenger ribonucleic acid is observed. This lag period requires activated araC protein.