title: The Escherichia coli Mu/D108 phage ner homologue gene (nlp) is transcribed and evolutionarily conserved among the Enterobacteriaceae.
abstract: The Escherichia coli nlp gene is highly homologous to the regulatory ner genes of transposable coliphages, Mu and D108. It was discovered, via its action when overexpressed, as a positive activator of mal gene expression in a cya- crp*1 strain. Chromosomal disruption of the nlp gene by insertion of a promoterless luxAB reporter gene revealed that nlp is nonessential for E. coli viability. Light measurements from the resulting nlp::luxAB transcriptional fusion, plus RNA dot blot analysis, suggest that nlp is transcribed. Southern-blot analyses of DNAs from several bacterial species were performed and indicate that nlp is evolutionarily conserved, but only among closely related Enterobacteriaceae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Autexier
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: DuBow
mesh_terms: D010583:Bacteriophage mu / Q000235:genetics*; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D005285:Fermentation; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005809:Genes, Regulator / Q000235:genetics*; D005814:Genes, Viral; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; C016649:phage repressor proteins