Translation of the bacteriophage Mu mom gene is positively regulated by the phage com gene product

• Published in: Cell Vol. 57; no. 7; pp. 1201 - 1210
• Main Authors: Wulczyn, F.Gregory, Bölker, Michael, Kahmann, Regine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, MA Elsevier Inc 30.06.1989; Cell Press
• Subjects: Bacteriophage mu - genetics; Biological and medical sciences; DNA Mutational Analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation; Genes, Viral; Molecular and cellular biology; Molecular genetics; Nucleic Acid Conformation; Peptide Chain Initiation, Translational; phage Mu; Protein Biosynthesis; RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - ultrastructure; RNA, Viral - genetics; RNA, Viral - ultrastructure; Translation. Translation factors. Protein processing; Viral Proteins - physiology; Virus; Northern blotting; Plasmid; Regulation(control); Translation; Messenger RNA; Phage mu; Secondary structure; Phage
• ISSN: 0092-8674; 1097-4172
• DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(89)90057-3

Expression of the bacteriophage Mu mom gene is subject to posttranscriptional regulation by the phage com gene product. We have used mom-lacZ translational fusion genes to define the sequence requirements for stimulation of mom expression by Com. We show that the mom translation initiation region (TIR) is inactive in the absence of Com. We suggest that this repressed state is due to mRNA secondary structure in the TIR, since a deletion that destabilizes a stem-loop structure in the TIR results in high levels of Com-independent translation. We identify sequences on the mRNA, adjacent to the stem and loop, that are required for stimulation by Com. We propose that Com acts to stimulate initiation of translation by relieving the structural repression of the mom TIR. Indirect evidence is presented suggesting that Com binds to a site in the TIR.