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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1991 May 15;88(10):4066–4070. doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.10.4066

iciA, an Escherichia coli gene encoding a specific inhibitor of chromosomal initiation of replication in vitro.

B Thöny 1, D S Hwang 1, L Fradkin 1, A Kornberg 1
PMCID: PMC51598  PMID: 2034653

Abstract

The gene encoding the protein that binds the three 13-mers in the origin (oriC) of Escherichia coli to block initiation of replication in vitro has been cloned, sequenced, and overexpressed. The gene possesses an open reading frame for 297 amino acids (mass of 33,471 Da). The protein has a motif for DNA-binding (helix-turn-helix) and has homology to a diverse set of prokaryotic regulatory proteins, known as the LysR family. The protein, previously referred to as the 33-kDa protein, has been named IciA (for inhibitor of chromosome initiation). The iciA gene is at 62.8 min on the chromosomal map. Cells with enhanced levels of the protein grow at a normal rate but generally exhibit a pronounced lag upon transfer to a fresh medium.

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Selected References

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