Studies on the regulation and function of the Klebsiella pneumoniae ntrA gene

• Published in: Gene Vol. 35; no. 3; pp. 297 - 303
• Main Authors: Merrick, M.J., Stewart, W.D.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 1985; Amsterdam Elsevier; New York, NY
• Subjects: Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Biology of microorganisms of confirmed or potential industrial interest; Biotechnology; Cloning, Molecular; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation; Genes, Bacterial; Genetics; Klebsiella pneumoniae - genetics; Microbiology; Mission oriented research; nitrogen control; Nitrogen Fixation; Recombinant DNA; RNA polymerase; sigma factors; Transcription Factors - genetics; SDS; NFDM; sigma factors; PAGE; Recombinant DNA; RNA polymerase; Tc; p; 4; LB; kb; ∷; nitrogen control; nitrogen fixation; Regulation(control); Enzyme; Initiation factor σ; Nitrogen fixation; Bacteria; Klebsielleae; Hybrid gene; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Enterobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 0378-1119; 1879-0038
• DOI: 10.1016/0378-1119(85)90008-3

The ntrA gene from Klebsiella pneumoniae has been cloned and the product identified as a 76-kDal acidic polypeptide. An ntrA : : lacZ fusion was used to demonstrate that expression of ntrA is not controlled by the nitrogen regulation ( ntr) system and is independent of the nitrogen status of the cell. Studies with multicopy plasmids carrying ntrA and rpoD suggest that the ntrA product competes with the rpoD product (σ 70 of RNA polymerase) in mediating transcription initiation by RNA polymerase at ntrA -dependent promoters. No significant homology between ntrA and rpoD was detected by Southern blotting.