Sequence of the first part of the sigE coding region in M. tuberculosis (Mtb), M. bovis (Mbo), M. leprae (Mle), M. avium (Mav), M. paratuberculosis (Mpt), and M. smegmatis (Msm). Putative translation start codons and P3 transcription start points are bold. P3 positions −35 and −10 are boxed, as well as the putative ribosome binding site (RBS). The two arrows show the 9-bp duplication (ATCACGACC) found in the M. tuberculosis and M. bovis sequences.