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. 1989 Nov;171(11):5987–5994. doi: 10.1128/jb.171.11.5987-5994.1989

The tyrT locus of Escherichia coli exhibits a regulatory function for glycine metabolism.

U Michelsen 1, M Bösl 1, T Dingermann 1, H Kersten 1
PMCID: PMC210463  PMID: 2681148

Abstract

The tyrT locus in Escherichia coli codes for two gene copies of tRNA(1Tyr). Both genes are organized in one operon, which has a unique structure. The two tRNA genes are separated by a spacer segment highly homologous to a part of a unit which is repeated three times in the distal portion of the locus. This operon also contains coding capacity for a small basic protein. A genomic deletion of this locus was constructed and marked by a kanamycin resistance cassette. Deletion mutants exhibited a characteristic phenotype when cells were shifted from rich medium to minimal medium. The cells entered a transient lag phase, apparently resulting from specific glycine starvation. This phenotype involved stringent response and was therefore not observed in relA derivatives. The genomic deletion was complemented in trans by a plasmid-borne tyrT locus. From deletion mapping, it can be concluded that a product of the tyrT operon is responsible for complementation. However, neither the tRNA(1Tyr) nor the proposed basic protein is the complementation-competent entity.

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Selected References

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