title: Characterization of the Leptospira interrogans S10-spc-alpha operon.
abstract: A ribosomal protein gene cluster from the spirochaete Leptospira interrogans was characterized. This locus is homologous to the Escherichia coli S10, spc, and alpha operons. Analysis of L. interrogans RNA showed that the ribosomal protein genes within this cluster are co-transcribed, thus forming an operon. Two transcription initiation sites were mapped by primer extension, upstream of fus, the first gene in this cluster, and sequences from this region provided promoter activity in E. coli. Transcription terminates near a predicted stem-loop structure following rplQ, the last gene in the cluster. These data suggest that two promoters upstream of fus direct transcription of this 17.5-kb ribosomal protein gene cluster. Comparison of the L. interrogans S10-spc-alpha cluster to homologous loci from Borrelia burgdorferi and Treponema pallidum provided evidence that this region of the genome underwent several rearrangements during spirochaete evolution.
authors.affiliation: Zoonotic Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 70, 2300 Dayton Road, Ames, IA 50010, USA. rzuerner@nadc.ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Zuerner
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hartskeerl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van de Kemp
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Bal
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D009876:Operon / Q000235:genetics*; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins