Analysis of the Bacillus subtilis S10 ribosomal protein gene cluster identifies two promoters that may be responsible for transcription of the entire 15-kilobase S10-spc-alpha cluster.
We have sequenced a previously uncharacterized region of the Bacillus subtilis S10 ribosomal protein gene cluster. The new segment includes genes for S10, L3, L4, L23, L2, S19, L22, S3, and part of L16. These B. subtilis genes map in the same order as the genes in the Escherichia coli S10 ribosomal protein operon. Two potential promoter sequences were identified, one approximately 200 bases and the other approximately 140 bases upstream of the S10 gene. The activities of the two promoters were demonstrated by primer extension analysis, in vitro transcription experiments, and in vivo promoter fusion plasmid studies. In agreement with previous reports, our Northern analysis of exponentially growing cells failed to identify terminators or other active promoters within the S10-spc-alpha region. Our observations suggest that the two S10 promoters reported here are responsible for transcribing a 15-kb-long transcript for all of the genes in the B. subtilis S10, spc, and alpha clusters.
Li
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Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore 21250, USA.
Lindahl
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Sha
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Zengel
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019677:Artificial Gene Fusion; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D007763:Lac Operon; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015394:Molecular Structure; D005810:Multigene Family; D009876:Operon; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal