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. 1992 Mar;174(6):1821–1827. doi: 10.1128/jb.174.6.1821-1827.1992

Regulation of the pAD1-encoded sex pheromone response in Enterococcus faecalis: nucleotide sequence analysis of traA.

L T Pontius 1, D B Clewell 1
PMCID: PMC205783  PMID: 1312529

Abstract

The Enterococcus faecalis plasmid pAD1 conjugatively transfers in response to a sex pheromone, cAD1, excreted by potential recipient cells. A key determinant responsible for regulation of pAD1 transfer is traA, which encodes a negative regulator also believed to function in signal sensing. In this study, we analyzed the nucleotide sequence and transcription of traA. A protein of 319 amino acids with a molecular weight of 37,856 was inferred and found to exhibit limited homology with several DNA-binding proteins. Analysis of Tn917-lac insertions resulting in transcriptional lacZ fusions within the 3' end of the traA transcript showed that it overlaps slightly with a convergently-transcribed C-region transcript. Insertional mutations affecting TraA repressor function and signal sensing functions were localized.

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