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Characterization of mutations that lie in the promoter-regulatory region for glnA, the structural gene encoding glutamine synthetase

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Summary

In enteric bacteria products of nitrogen regulatory genes ntrA, ntrB and ntrC are known to regulate transcription both positively and negatively at glnA, the structural gene encoding glutamine synthetase [L-glutamate: ammonia-ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.1.2]. We have characterized two types of cis-acting mutations in the glnA promoter-regulatory region. One type, which we have called promoter Up [glnAp (Up)], elevates transcription of glnA to high levels without need for ntr-mediated activation but leaves expression sensitive to ntr-mediated repression. The other type renders glnA transcription insensitive to repression but leaves it normally responsive to activation. Properties of the two types of promoter-regulatory mutations suggest that sites for ntr-mediated activation of glnA transcription are functionally distinct from sites for ntr-mediated repression.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bacteriology, University of California, Davis, 95616, Davis, California, USA

    Linda McCarter, Krystyna Krajewska-Grynkiewicz, Dzung Trinh, Grace Wei & Sydney Kustu

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  1. Linda McCarter
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  2. Krystyna Krajewska-Grynkiewicz
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  3. Dzung Trinh
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  4. Grace Wei
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  5. Sydney Kustu
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Communicated by M.M. Green

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McCarter, L., Krajewska-Grynkiewicz, K., Trinh, D. et al. Characterization of mutations that lie in the promoter-regulatory region for glnA, the structural gene encoding glutamine synthetase. Mol Gen Genet 197, 150–160 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00327936

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00327936

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