Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Multivalent regulation of the nusA operon of Escherichia coli

  • Published:
Molecular and General Genetics MGG Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The rate of synthesis and intracellular content of the NusA protein, a transcription termination factor, were determined for wild-type and nusA and/or nusB mutants of Escherichia coli. Both the rate and content of NusA in wild-type strains were similar to that of the RNA polymerase σ subunit, a transcription initiation factor, on a molar basis, and about 30%–40% the levels of RNA polymerase ββ′ subunits. At the stationary phase of cell growth, the values increased in parallel for both transcription factors up to approximately the level of the ββ′ subunits. In nus mutants, the rate of synthesis and the content of the σ subunit were significantly increased. These observations together suggest that the two transcription factors are coordinately regulated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Clarke L, Carbon J (1976) A colony bank containing synthetic Col E1 hybrid plasmids representative of the entire Escherichia coli genome. Cell 9:91–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Clewell DB (1972) Nature of Col E1 plasmid replication in Escherichia coli in the presence of chloramphenicol. J Bacteriol 110:667–670

    Google Scholar 

  • Enami M, Ishihama A (1982) Biosynthesis of RNA polymerase in Escherichia coli, XII. Noncoordinate synthesis of core enzyme subunits after supression of cell growth. Mol Gen Genet 185:373–378

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedman DI (1971) A bacterial mutant affecting lambda development. In: Hershey AD (eds) The bacteriophage lambda. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York, p 737

    Google Scholar 

  • Fukuda R, Iwakura Y, Ishihama A (1974) Heterogeneity of RNA polymerase in Escherichia coli, I. A new holoenzyme containing a new sigma factor. J Mol Biol 83:353–367

    Google Scholar 

  • Glass RE, Jones ST, Ishihama A (1986) Genetic studies on the β subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase, VII. RNA polymerase is a target for ppGpp. Mol Gen Genet 203:265–268

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenblatt J, Li J (1981a) The nusA gene protein of Escherichia coli: Its identification and demonstration that it interacts with the gene N transcription anti-termination protein of bacteriophage lambda. J Mol Biol 147:11–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenblatt J, Li J (1981b) Interaction of the sigma factor and the nusA gene protein of Eschericia coli with RNA polymerase in the initiation-termination cycle of transcription. Cell 24:421–428

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenblatt J, Li J, Adhya S, Friedman DI, Baron LS, Redfield B, Kung H, Weissbach H (1980) Evidence that the L factor required for DNA-dependent in vitro synthesis of β-galactosidase is the Escherichia coli nusA gene protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 77:1991–1994

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenblatt J, McLimont M, Hanley S (1981) Termination of transcription by nusA gene protein of Escherichia coli. Nature 292:215–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen UM, McClure WR (1980) Role of the σ subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase in initiation, II. Release of σ from ternary complexes. J Biol Chem 255:9564–9570

    Google Scholar 

  • Imamoto F, Nakamura Y (1986) Escherichia coli proteins involved in regulation of transcription termination: Function, structure, and expression of the nusA and nusB genes. In: Ozeki H, Osawa S, Uchida H, Shimura Y, Ishihama A (eds) Genetic Systems. New York: Jpn Sci Soc Press/Elsevier, p 175–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Ishihama A (1981) Subunit assembly of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. Adv Biophys 14:1–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Ishihama A (1986) Transcription signals and factors in Escherichia coli. In: Ozeki H, Osawa S, Uchida H, Shimura Y, Ishihama A (eds) Genetic Systems. New York: Jpn Sci Soc Press/Elsevier, p 163–173

    Google Scholar 

  • Ishihama A, Fukuda R (1980) Autogenous and post-transcriptional regulation of RNA polymerase synthesis. Mol Cell Biochem 31:177–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Ishihama A, Fukuda R, Kawakami K, Kajitani M, Enami M (1980) Transcriptional apparatus of Escherichia coli: Assembly of RNA polymerase and interplay with transcription factors. In: Osawa S, Ozeki H, Uchida H, Yura T (eds) Genetics and evolution of RNA polymerase, tRNA and ribosomes. Elsevier-North Holland, Amsterdam, p 105–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Ishii S, Ihara M, Maekawa T, Nakamura Y, Uchida H, Imamoto F (1984a) The nucleotide sequence of the cloned nusA gene and its flanking region of Escherichia coli. Nucleic Acids Res 12:3333–3342

    Google Scholar 

  • Ishii S, Kuroki K, Imamoto F (1984b) F-Met transfer RNA gene in the leader region of the nusA operon in Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 81:409–413

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwakura Y, Ito K, Ishihama A (1974) Biosynthesis of RNA polymerase in Escherichia coli. I. Control of RNA polymerase content at various growth rates. Mol Gen Genet 133:1–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Kassavatis K, Chamberlin M (1981) Pausing and termination of transcription within the early region of bacteriophage T7 DNA in vitro. J Biol Chem 256:2777–2786

    Google Scholar 

  • Kajitani M, Ishihama A (1983a) Determination of the promoter strength in the mixed transcritpion system: Promoters of lactose, tryptophan and ribosomal protein L10 operons from Escherichia coli. Nucleic Acids Res 11:671–687

    Google Scholar 

  • Kajitani M, Ishihama A (1983b) Determination of the promoter strength in the mixed transcription system: Promoters of ribosomal RNA, ribosomal protein S1 and recA operons from Escherichia coli. Nucleic Acids Res 11:3873–3888

    Google Scholar 

  • Kajitani M, Ishihama A (1985) Promoter selectivity of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase: Differential stringent control of the multiple promoters from ribosomal RNA and protein operons. J Biol Chem 259:1951–1957

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawakami K, Saitoh T, Ishihama A (1979) Biosynthesis of RNA polymerase in Escherichia coli, IX. Growth-dependent variations in the synthesis rate, content and distribution of RNA polymerase. Mol Gen Genet 174:107–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Kingston RE, Chamberlin MJ (1981) Pausing and attenuation of in vitro transcription in the rrnB operon of Escherichia coli. Cell 27:523–531

    Google Scholar 

  • Kung H, Weissbach H (1980) Further characterization of L factor, a protein required for β-galactosidase synthesis. Arch Biochem Biophys 201:544–550

    Google Scholar 

  • Kung H, Spears C, Weissbach H (1975) Purification and properties of a soluble factor required for the deoxyribonucleic acid-directed in vitro synthesis of β-glactosidase. J Biol Chem 250:1556–1562

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuroki K, Ishii S, Kano Y, Miyashita T, Nishi K, Imamoto F (1982) Involvement of the nusA and nusB gene products in transcription of Escherichia coli tryptophan operon in vitro. Mol Gen Genet 185:369–371

    Google Scholar 

  • Laemmli UK (1970) Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature 227:680–685

    Google Scholar 

  • Laskey RA, Mills AD (1975) Quantitative film detection of 3H and 14C in polyacrylamide gels by flurography. Eur J Biochem 56:335–341

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackeen LS, Diperi C, Schwartz I (1979) Reductive methylation of IF-3 and EF-Tu with [14C]formaldehyde and sodium cyanoborohydride. FEBS Lett 101:387–390

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura Y, Mizusawa S (1985) In vivo evidence that the nusA and infB genes of Escherichia coli are part of the same multigene operon which encodes at least four proteins. EMBO J 4:527–532

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakada N, Yoshinaga K, Ishihama A, Nagasawa-Fujimori H (1982) Noncoordinate synthesis of RNA polymerase ββ′ subunits in a temperature-sensitive β′-subunit mutant of Escherichia coli. Mol Gen Genet 188:173–178

    Google Scholar 

  • Nene V, Glass RE (1983) Relaxed mutants of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. FEBS Lett 153:307–310

    Google Scholar 

  • Nomura T, Fujita N, Ishihama A (1985) Promoter selectivity of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase: Analysis of the promoter system of convergently-transcribed dnaQ-rnh genes. Nucleic Acids Res 13:7647–7661

    Google Scholar 

  • Platt T (1981) Termination of transcription and its regulation in the tryptophan operon of Escherichia coli. Cell 24:10–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Taketo M, Ishihama A, Kirschbaum JB (1976) Altered synthesis and stability of RNA polymerase holoenzyme subunits in mutants of Escherichia coli with mutations in the β or β′ subunit genes. Mol Gen Genet 147:139–143

    Google Scholar 

  • Travers AA (1976) Modulation of RNA polymerase specificity by ppGpp. Mol Gen Genet 147:225–232

    Google Scholar 

  • Travers AA, Burgess RR (1969) Cyclic re-use of the RNA polymerase sigma factor. Nature 222:537–540

    Google Scholar 

  • Vogel HJ, Bonner DM (1969) Acetylornithinase of Escherichia coli: Partial purification and some properties. J Biol Chem 218:97–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Yura T, Ishihama A (1979) Genetics of bacterial RNA polymerases. Annu Rev Genet 13:59–97

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Genetics, 411, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan

    Akira Ishihama & Ayae Honda

  2. Research Institute for Production Development, Sakyo-ku, 606, Kyoto, Japan

    Haruko Nagasawa-Fujimori

  3. Department of Biochemistry, Queen's Medical Centre, Clifton Boulevard, NG7 2UH, Nottingham, UK

    Robert E. Glass

  4. Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, 351-01, Wako, Saitama, Japan

    Toshio Maekawa & Fumio Imamoto

Authors
  1. Akira Ishihama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ayae Honda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Haruko Nagasawa-Fujimori
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Robert E. Glass
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Toshio Maekawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Fumio Imamoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by K. Isono

This is paper no. 14 in the series entitled “Biosynthesis of RNA polymerase in Escherichia coli”. Paper no. 13 is Nakada et al. (1982)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ishihama, A., Honda, A., Nagasawa-Fujimori, H. et al. Multivalent regulation of the nusA operon of Escherichia coli . Mol Gen Genet 206, 185–191 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00333573

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00333573

Key words

Search

Navigation