title: Multiple promoters are responsible for transcription of the glpEGR operon of Escherichia coli K-12.
abstract: The transcriptional organization of the glpEGR genes of Escherichia coli was studied. Besides a promoter located upstream of the glpE start codon, three internal glpGR promoters were identified that express glpG and/or glpR (glp repressor). One promoter was located just upstream of the glpG start codon and two others (separated by several hundred base pairs) were located within glpG upstream of the glpR start codon. The transcriptional start points of these promoters were identified by primer extension analysis. The strengths of the individual promoters were compared by analysis of their expression when fused to a pormoter-probe vector. Analysis of the transcriptional expression of the glpEGR sequence with different combinations of the glpEGR promoters revealed no internal transcriptional terminators within the entire operon. Thus, the glpEGR genes are co-transcribed and form a single complex operon. The presence of multiple promoters may provide for differential expression of glpE, glpG and glpR. Potential regulation of the operon promoters by GlpR, catabolite repression, anaerobiosis or by FIS was studied. The glpE promoter was apparently controlled by the cAMP-CRP complex, but none of the promoters was responsive to specific repression by GlpR, to anaerobiosis or to FIS. Specific repression exerted by GlpR was characterized in vivo using glpD-lacZ and glpK-lacZ fusions. The degree of repression was correlated with the level of GlpR expression, and was inefficient when the glpD-encoded glycerol-P dehydrogenase was absent, presumably due to accumulation of the inducer, glycerol-P. This is in contrast to the previous conclusion that gpsA-encoded glycerol-P synthase tightly controls the cellular level of glycerol-P by end product inhibition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061-0308, USA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Larson
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018387:Codon, Initiator; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D010450:Endopeptidases; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009876:Operon / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D018085:Regulon; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018387:Codon, Initiator; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C102897:GlpE protein, E coli; C102898:GlpG protein, E coli; C101651:GlpR protein, E coli; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase; D010450:Endopeptidases