Biomaterial Database

Identification of initiation sites for the in vitro transcription of rRNA operons rrnE and rrnA in E. coli. 1979

S F Gilbert, and H A de Boer, and M Nomura

The transcription initiation sites of E. coli rRNA operons were determined using various DNA fragments derived from transducing phage lambda metA20 carrying rrnE and from hybrid plasmid pLC19-3 carrying rrnA. In vitro transcription products were analyzed for their 5' end sequences and their oligonucleotide compositions. The results are in full agreement with the nuceotide sequences of the DNA templates described in an accompanying paper (de Boer, Gilbert and Nomura, 1979) and allow us to make the following conclusions. First, there are two transcription, start sites on each of the rRNA operons; they are 109 bp apart in the case of rrnE and 117 +/- 1 bp aprart in rrnA. Second, the first start site is 283 bp upstream from the m16S rRNA coding region in the case of rrnE, while is 291 bp upstream in rrnA. Initiation starts with ATP in both cases. Finally, the second start sites are 174 and 174 +/- 1 bp from the m16S rRNA genes in rrnE and rrnA, respectively. Initiation starts with CTP in both cases. We have also shown that in the present in vitro transcription system, guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp) inhibits the synthesis of full-sized RNAs from both start sites in each rRNA operon.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009693	Nucleic Acid Hybridization	Widely used technique which exploits the ability of complementary sequences in single-stranded DNAs or RNAs to pair with each other to form a double helix. Hybridization can take place between two complimentary DNA sequences, between a single-stranded DNA and a complementary RNA, or between two RNA sequences. The technique is used to detect and isolate specific sequences, measure homology, or define other characteristics of one or both strands. (Kendrew, Encyclopedia of Molecular Biology, 1994, p503)	Genomic Hybridization,Acid Hybridization, Nucleic,Acid Hybridizations, Nucleic,Genomic Hybridizations,Hybridization, Genomic,Hybridization, Nucleic Acid,Hybridizations, Genomic,Hybridizations, Nucleic Acid,Nucleic Acid Hybridizations
D009843	Oligoribonucleotides	A group of ribonucleotides (up to 12) in which the phosphate residues of each ribonucleotide act as bridges in forming diester linkages between the ribose moieties.
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
D010957	Plasmids	Extrachromosomal, usually CIRCULAR DNA molecules that are self-replicating and transferable from one organism to another. They are found in a variety of bacterial, archaeal, fungal, algal, and plant species. They are used in GENETIC ENGINEERING as CLONING VECTORS.	Episomes,Episome,Plasmid
D003090	Coliphages	Viruses whose host is Escherichia coli.	Escherichia coli Phages,Coliphage,Escherichia coli Phage,Phage, Escherichia coli,Phages, Escherichia coli
D004269	DNA, Bacterial	Deoxyribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of bacteria.	Bacterial DNA
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
D001483	Base Sequence	The sequence of PURINES and PYRIMIDINES in nucleic acids and polynucleotides. It is also called nucleotide sequence.	DNA Sequence,Nucleotide Sequence,RNA Sequence,DNA Sequences,Base Sequences,Nucleotide Sequences,RNA Sequences,Sequence, Base,Sequence, DNA,Sequence, Nucleotide,Sequence, RNA,Sequences, Base,Sequences, DNA,Sequences, Nucleotide,Sequences, RNA
D012265	Ribonucleotides	Nucleotides in which the purine or pyrimidine base is combined with ribose. (Dorland, 28th ed)	Ribonucleoside Phosphates,Ribonucleotide,Phosphates, Ribonucleoside
D013698	Templates, Genetic	Macromolecular molds for the synthesis of complementary macromolecules, as in DNA REPLICATION; GENETIC TRANSCRIPTION of DNA to RNA, and GENETIC TRANSLATION of RNA into POLYPEPTIDES.	Genetic Template,Genetic Templates,Template, Genetic