Table 2. Primers used in this work.

The listed primer sequences were used to generate plasmids for Sort-Seq experiments or for use in creating strains with mutated operators or LacI.

Name	Sequence	Comments
lac_ins_fwd	CCCTTTCGTCTTCAC	Used to amplify lac promoter insert for Gibson
lac_ins_rev	CCTTTACTCATATGTATATCTCCTTTTAAATCTAGAGGAT	Used to amplify lac promoter insert for Gibson
pUA66_frameshift_fwd	GATATACATATGAGTAAAGGAGAAGAACTT	Used to amplify pUA66 vector for Gibson
pUA66_rev	TCGAGGTGAAGACGAAAG	Used to amplify pUA66 vector for Gibson
GCMWC-001_Q21_rev	CCGGCATACTCTGCGACA	Mutagenesis primer for LacI residue 21
GCMWC-002_Q21M	GTGTCTCTTATATGACCGTTTCCCGC	Mutagenesis primer for LacI residue 21 Q → M
GCMWC-003_Q21A	TGTCTCTTATGCGACCGTTTCCCGC	Mutagenesis primer for LacI residue 21 Q → A
GCMWC-009_Y20_rev	GCATACTCTGCGACATCGTATAAC	Mutagenesis primer for LacI residue 20
GCMWC-010_Y20I	CGGTGTCTCTATTCAGACCGTTTC	Mutagenesis primer for LacI residue 20 Y → I