Summary
RNA polymerase binds very tightly at a site called Brex in the λ immunity region, to the left of the rex gene and about 600 nucleotides to the right of PL. The complex formed is resistant to L M NaCl in the absence of nucleotide triphosphate. While in vitro little or no transcription is observed from Brex, in vivo, when inserted in a plasmid vector which allows detection of its activity, it acts as an efficient promoter. We have mapped the site protected by RNA polymerase against DNase and determined its sequence which is abnormal compared that of an average promoter.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Belfort M (1978) Anomalous behaviour of bacteriophage polypeptides in polyacrylamide gels: resolution, identification and control of the rex gene product. J virol 28:270–278
Bolivar F, Rodriguez RL, Greene PJ, Betlach MC Heyneker HL, Boyer HW, Crosa JH, Falkow S (1977) Construction and characterisation of new cloning vehicles. II. A multipurpose cloning system. Gene 2:95–113
Dickson RC, Abelson J, Johnson, P (1977) Nucleotide sequence produced by mutations in the lac promoter of Escherichia coli. J Mol Biol 111:65–75
Hayes S, Hayes C (1978) Control of repressor prophage and establishment transcription by the product of gene tof. Mol Gen Genet 164:63–76
Humayun Z (1977) DNA sequence at the end of the cI gene in bacteriophage λ. Nucleic Acids Res 4:2137–2143
Mandel M, Higa A (1970) Calcium-dependent bacteriophage DNA infection. J Mol Biol 53:159–162
Maxam AM, Gilbert W (1977) A new method for sequencing DNA. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 74:560–564
Pirrotta V (1976) Two restriction endonucleases from Bacillus globigii. Nucleic Acids Res 3:1747–1760
Ptashne M, Backman K, Humayun Z, Jeffrey A, Maurer R, Meyer B, Sauer RT (1976) Autoregulation and function of a repressor in bacteriophage lambda. Science 194:156–161
Rosenberg M, Court D (1980) Regulatory sequences involved in the promotion and termination of RNA transcription. Annu Rev Genet (in press)
Schmeissner V, Court D, Schimatake H, Rosenberg M (1980) Promoter for the establishment of repressor synthesis in bacteriophage λ. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 77:3191–3195
Schmitz A, Galas D (1979) The interaction of RNA polymerase and lac repressor with the lac control region. Nucleic Acids Res 6:111–137
Schwarz E, Scherer G, Hobom G, Kossel H (1978) Nucleotide sequence of cro, cII and part of the O gene in λDNA. Nature 272:410–414
Shine J, Dalgarno L (1974) The 3′-terminal sequence of Escherichia coli 16S ribosomal RNA: complementarity to nonsense triplets and ribosome binding sites. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 71:1342–1346
Sklar J, Yot P, Weissman SM (1975) Determination of genes, restriction sites and DNA sequences surrounding the 6S RNA template of bacteriophage lambda. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 72:1817–1821
So M, Gill R, Falkow S (1975) The generation of a Col El-Apr cloning vehicle which allows detection of inserted DNA. Mol Gen Genet 142:239–249
Steitz JA, Jakes K (1975) How ribosomes select initiator regions in mRNA: base pair formation between the 3′ terminus of 16S rRNA and the mRNA during initiation of protein synthesis in Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 72:4734–4738
Sutcliffe JG, Ausubel FM (1980) Plasmid cloning vectors. In: Chakrabarty A (ed) Genetic Engineering. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, p 83
Walz A, Pirrotta V, Ineichen K (1976) λ repressor regulates the switch between PR and Prm promoters. Nature 262:665–669
Ward DF, Murray N (1979) Convergent transcription in bacteriophage λ: Interference with gene expression. J Mol Biol 133:249–266
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by E. Bautz
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pirrotta, V., Ineichen, K. & Walz, A. An unusual RNA polymerase binding site in the immunity region of phage lambda. Molec. Gen. Genet. 180, 369–376 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425850
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425850