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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
. 1990 Aug;87(16):6238–6242. doi: 10.1073/pnas.87.16.6238

Site-directed mutagenesis of a catabolite repression operator sequence in Bacillus subtilis.

M J Weickert 1, G H Chambliss 1
PMCID: PMC54508  PMID: 2117276

Abstract

Catabolite repression of the Bacillus subtilis alpha-amylase gene (amyE) involves an operator sequence located just downstream of the promoter (amyR), overlapping the transcription start site. Oligonucleotide site-directed mutagenesis of this sequence identified bases required for catabolite repression. Two mutations increased both the 2-fold symmetry of the operator and the repression ratio. Although many mutations reduced the repression ratio 3- to 11-fold, some also caused a 2-fold or greater increase in amylase production. Others caused hyperproduction without affecting catabolite repression. Homologous sequences in other catabolite-repressed B. subtilis promoters suggest a common regulatory site may be involved in catabolite repression.

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Selected References

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