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. 1991 Dec;173(23):7501–7510. doi: 10.1128/jb.173.23.7501-7510.1991

Suppressor mutations in rpoA suggest that OmpR controls transcription by direct interaction with the alpha subunit of RNA polymerase.

J M Slauch 1, F D Russo 1, T J Silhavy 1
PMCID: PMC212516  PMID: 1657891

Abstract

We have isolated mutations in rpoA, the gene encoding the alpha subunit of RNA polymerase, that specifically affect transcriptional control by OmpR and EnvZ, the two-component regulatory system that controls porin gene expression in Escherichia coli. Characterization of these mutations and a previously isolated rpoA allele suggests that both positive and negative regulation of porin gene transcription involves a direct interaction between OmpR and RNA polymerase through the alpha subunit. Several of the rpoA mutations cluster in the carboxy-terminal portion of the alpha protein, further suggesting that it is this domain of alpha that is involved in interaction with OmpR and perhaps other transcriptional regulators as well.

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Selected References

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