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Gearbox gene expression and growth rate

  • Special Topic Review: Control of Gene Expression Microorganisms. Edited by Miguel Vicente
  • Special Topic Review
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Abstract

Regulation of gene expression in prokaryotic cells usually takes place at the level of transcription initiation. Different forms of RNA polymerase recognizing specific promoters are engaged in the control of many prokaryotic regulons. This also seems to be the case for some Escherichia coli genes that are induced at low growth rates and by nutrient starvation. Their gene products are synthesized at levels inversely proportional to growth rate, and this mode of regulation has been termed gearbox gene expression. This kind of growth-rate modulation is exerted by specific transcriptional initiation signals, the gearbox promoters, and some of them depend on a putative new σ factor (RpoS). Gearbox promoters drive expression of morphogenetic and cell division genes at constant levels per cell and cycle to meet the demands of cell division and septum formation. A mechanism is proposed that could sense the growth rate of the cell to alter gene expression by the action of specific σ factors

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department de Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Universitat de Lleida, Rovira Roure, 44, 25006, Lleida, Spain

    M. Aldea

  2. Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Velázquez 144, 28006, Madrid, Spain

    T. Garrido

  3. Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular I, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    A. Tormo

Authors
  1. M. Aldea
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  2. T. Garrido
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  3. A. Tormo
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Aldea, M., Garrido, T. & Tormo, A. Gearbox gene expression and growth rate. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 9, 414–420 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00328029

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00328029

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