Biomaterial Database

Polarity of suppression in the lactose operon. 1975

J Langridge

The effect of suppression on enzyme synthesis was examined in 43 amber mutations of the gene for beta-galactosidase in Escherichia coli. The ordering of mutations in the gene revealed two clear gradients in the number of molecules of suppressed beta-galactosidase formed by suppression. One gradient extended over the operator-proximal third of the gene and the other over the operator-distal third. The central third of the gene gave no consistent pattern of suppression. Assays of thiogalactoside transacetylase showed that the polarity produced by chain-terminating mutations was abolished by suppression. These experiments suggest that the polar effects of chain-terminating mutations on distal genes are the secondary results of translational defects in the mutant gene. The polarity gradients may result from a supposed secondary structure to the messenger RNA of the lactose operon.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007785	Lactose	A disaccharide of GLUCOSE and GALACTOSE in human and cow milk. It is used in pharmacy for tablets, in medicine as a nutrient, and in industry.	Anhydrous Lactose,Lactose, Anhydrous
D009154	Mutation	Any detectable and heritable change in the genetic material that causes a change in the GENOTYPE and which is transmitted to daughter cells and to succeeding generations.	Mutations
D009876	Operon	In bacteria, a group of metabolically related genes, with a common promoter, whose transcription into a single polycistronic MESSENGER RNA is under the control of an OPERATOR REGION.	Operons
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D005696	Galactosidases	A family of galactoside hydrolases that hydrolyze compounds with an O-galactosyl linkage. EC 3.2.1.-.	Galactosidase
D012329	RNA, Bacterial	Ribonucleic acid in bacteria having regulatory and catalytic roles as well as involvement in protein synthesis.	Bacterial RNA
D012333	RNA, Messenger	RNA sequences that serve as templates for protein synthesis. Bacterial mRNAs are generally primary transcripts in that they do not require post-transcriptional processing. Eukaryotic mRNA is synthesized in the nucleus and must be exported to the cytoplasm for translation. Most eukaryotic mRNAs have a sequence of polyadenylic acid at the 3' end, referred to as the poly(A) tail. The function of this tail is not known for certain, but it may play a role in the export of mature mRNA from the nucleus as well as in helping stabilize some mRNA molecules by retarding their degradation in the cytoplasm.	Messenger RNA,Messenger RNA, Polyadenylated,Poly(A) Tail,Poly(A)+ RNA,Poly(A)+ mRNA,RNA, Messenger, Polyadenylated,RNA, Polyadenylated,mRNA,mRNA, Non-Polyadenylated,mRNA, Polyadenylated,Non-Polyadenylated mRNA,Poly(A) RNA,Polyadenylated mRNA,Non Polyadenylated mRNA,Polyadenylated Messenger RNA,Polyadenylated RNA,RNA, Polyadenylated Messenger,mRNA, Non Polyadenylated
D013489	Suppression, Genetic	Mutation process that restores the wild-type PHENOTYPE in an organism possessing a mutationally altered GENOTYPE. The second "suppressor" mutation may be on a different gene, on the same gene but located at a distance from the site of the primary mutation, or in extrachromosomal genes (EXTRACHROMOSOMAL INHERITANCE).	Suppressor Mutation,Genetic Suppression,Genetic Suppressions,Mutation, Suppressor,Mutations, Suppressor,Suppressions, Genetic,Suppressor Mutations