Summary
A series of Mu-1 induced isoleucine and valine auxotrophs derived from the wild type K-12 strain of Escherichia coli and from a valine resistant (ilvO −) mutant were examined. It was concluded that the genes ilvE, ilvD and ilvA constitute a single operon and are transcribed from E to A. Furthermore, the ilvG gene, expressed only in ilvO −strains, does not lie between ilvE and ilvD as previously assumed. A mutation in rho was examined for its effect on the ilvEDA operon. One effect of the rho −mutation was a mimicking of an isoleucine limitation signal. A model for the regulation of the ilvEDA operon is discussed. The model involves multiple attentuation sites and a possible role for the ilvO locus which lies at the distal end of the ilvEDA operon (but is not part of it). Supportive evidence for the proposed direction of transcription was obtained by examination of a series of λilv transducing phages.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adhya, S., Gottesman, M., De Crombrugghe, B.: Release of polarity in Escherichia coli by gene N of phage λ: Termination and antitermination of transcription. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 71, 2534–2538 (1974)
Artz, S.W., Broach, J.R.: Histidine regulation in Salmonella typhimurium: An activator-attenuator model of gene regulation. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 72, 3453–3457 (1975)
Bertrand, K., Korn, L., Lee, F., Platt, T., Squires, C.L., Squires, C., Yanofsky, C.: New features of the regulation of the tryptophan operon. Science 189, 22–26 (1975)
Brenchley, J.E., Williams, L.S.: Transfer RNA involvement in the regulation of enzyme synthesis. Ann. Rev. Micro. 29, 251–274 (1975)
Bukhari, A.I., Zipser, D.: Random insertion of Mu-1 DNA within a single gene. Nature (Lond.) New Biol. 236, 240–243 (1972)
Burns, R.O., Zarlengo, M.H.: Threonine deaminase from Salmonella typhimurium. I. Purification and Properties. J. biol. Chem. 243, 178–185 (1968)
Calhoun, D.H.: Threonine deaminase from Escherichia coli: Feedback hypersensitive enzyme from a genetic regulatory mutant. J. Bact. 126, 56–63 (1976)
Calhoun, D.H., Kuska, J.S., Hatfield, G.W.: Threonine Deaminase from Escherichia coli. II. Maturation and physical properties of the enzyme from a mutant altered in its regulation of gene expression. J. biol. Chem. 250, 127–131 (1974)
Coleman, M.S., Armstrong, F.B.: Branched-chain amino-acid amino transferase of Salmonella typhimurium. I. Crystallization and preliminary characterization. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 227, 56–66 (1971)
Davis, B.D., Mingioli, E.S.: Mutants of Escherichia coli requiring methionine or vitamin B12. J. Bact. 60, 17–28 (1950)
De Felice, M., Guardiola, J., Esposito, B., Iaccarino, M.: Structural genes for a newly recognized acetolactate synthase in Escherichia coli K-12. J. Bact. 120, 1068–1077 (1974)
Dwyer, S.B., Umbarger, H.E.: Isoleucine and valine metabolism of Escherichia coli. XVI. Pattern of multivalent repression in strain K-12. J. Bact. 95, 1680–1684 (1968)
Favre, R., Wiater, A., Puppo, S., Iaccarino, M., Noelle, R., Freundlich, M.: Expression of a valine resistant acetolactate synthase activity mediated by the ilvO and ilvG genes of Escherichia coli K-12. Molec. gen. Genet. 143, 243–252 (1976)
Hatfield, G.W., Burns, R.O.: The specific binding of leucyl transfer RNA to an immature form of L-threonine deaminase: Its implication in repression. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 66, 1027–1035 (1970)
Howe, M.M.: Prophage Deletion Mapping of Bacteriophage Mu-1. Virology 54, 93–101 (1973)
Howe, M.M., Bade, E.G.: Molecular biology of bacteriophage Mu. Science 190, 624–632 (1975)
Jackson, E.N., Yanofsky, C.: The region between the operator and first structural gene of the tryptophan operon of Escherichia coli may have a regulatory function. J. molec. Biol. 76, 89–101 (1973)
Kasai, T.: Regulation of the expression of the histidine operon in Salmonella typhimurium. Nature (Lond.) 249, 523–527 (1974)
Kline, E.L., Bayliss, F.T.: The effect of an ilvA Mu phage insertion on ilv gene expression in Escherichia coli K-12. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 63, 1048–1055 (1975)
Kline, E.L., Brown, C.S., Coleman, W.G., Jr., Umbarger, H.E.: Regulation of isoleucine-valine biosynthesis in an ilvDAC deletion strain of Escherichia coli K-12. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 57, 1144–1151 (1974)
Levinthal, M., Williams, L.S., Levinthal, M., Umbarger, H.E.: Role of threonine deaminase in the regulation of isoleucine and valine biosynthesis. Nature (Lond.) New Biol 246, 65–68 (1973)
Lo Schiavo, F., Favre, R., Kasai, T., Cascino, A., Guardiola, J., Caro, L., Iaccarino, M.: The ϕ80λdilv phage and its use to detect messenger RNA related to isoleucine-valine metabolism. J. molec. Biol. 99, 353–368 (1975)
Lowry, O.H., Rosebrough, N.J., Farr, A.L., Randall, R.J.: Protein measrurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J. biol. Chem. 193, 265–275 (1951)
Morse, D.E., Primakoff, P.: Relief of polarity in Escherichia coli by SuA. Nature (Lond.) 226, 28–31 (1970)
Pittard, A.J., Laoutit, J.S., Adelberg, E.A.: Gene transfer by F′ strains of Escherichia coli K-12. J. Bact. 85, 1394–1401 (1963)
Pledger, W.J., Umbarger, H.E.: Isoleucine and valine metabolism in Escherichia coli. XXII. A pleiotropic mutation affecting induction of isomeroreductase activity. J. Bact. 114, 195–207 (1973)
Ramakrishnan, T., Adelberg, E.A.: Regulatory mechanisms in the biosynthesis of isoleucine and valine. II. Identification of two operator genes. J. Bact. 89, 654–660 (1965a)
Ramakrishnan, T., Adelberg, E.A.: Regulatory mechanisms in the biosynthesis of isoleucine and valine. III. Map order of the structural genes and operator genes. J. Bact. 89, 661–664 (1965b)
Richardson, J.P., Grimley, C., Lowery, C.: Transcription termination factor rho activity is altered in Escherichia coli with SuA gene mutations. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 72, 1725–1728 (1975)
Rosner, J.L.: Formation induction, and curing of bacteriophage P1 lysogens. Virology 49, 679–689 (1972)
Schrenk, W.J., Weisberg, R.A.: A simple method for making new transducing lines of coliphage λ. Molec. gen. Genet. 143, 243–252 (1976)
Shimada, K., Weisberg, R.A., Gottesman, M.E.: Prophage lambda at unusual chromosomal locations. II. Mutations induced by bacteriophage lambda in Escherichia coli K-12. J. molec. Biol. 80, 297–314 (1973)
Taylor, A.L.: Bacteriophage-induced mutation in Escherichia coli. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 50, 1043–1051 (1963)
Vonder Haar, R.A., Umbarger, H.E.: Isoleucine and valine metabolism in Escherichia coli K-12: Detection and Measurement of ilv specific messenger ribonucleic acid. J. Bact. 120, 687–696 (1974)
Wasmuth, J.J., Umbarger, H.E.: Effect of isoleucine, valine, or leucine starvation on the potential for formation of the branched chain amino acid biosynthetic enzymes. J. Bact. 116, 548–561 (1973)
Wechsler, J.A., Adelberg, E.A.: Antipolarity in the ilv operon of Escherichia coli K-12. J. Bact. 98, 1179–1194 (1969)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by G.O'Donovan
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Smith, J.M., Smolin, D.E. & Umbarger, H.E. Polarity and the regulation of the ilv gene cluster in Escherichia coli strain K-12. Molec. Gen. Genet. 148, 111–124 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00268374
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00268374