1887

Abstract

Initially, transcription in appeared to be complicated, yet it was eventually simplified into a model where integration host factor activates a single − 35/ − 10 promoter. However, with the advent of high-throughput RNA sequencing, numerous small specific RNAs (sense as well as antisense) have been identified at the locus as well as at various loci. Using a combination of transcription, site-directed mutagenesis, Northern analysis and quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis, we have identified three additional non-canonical promoter elements within the gene; two are located within the midgene region (one sense and one antisense), with the third, an antisense promoter, located immediately downstream of the ORF. Using strand-specific qRT-PCR analysis, an inverse correlation exists between the level of antisense expression and the amount of sense message. By their nature, promoter sequences tend to be AT-rich. In , the small DNA-binding protein H-NS binds to AT-rich sequences and inhibits intragenic transcription. In mutants, antisense transcription was increased twofold, with a concomitant decrease in sense transcript levels. However, most noticeably in these mutants, the absence of H-NS protein caused / recombination to increase dramatically when compared with WT values. Consequently, H-NS protein suppresses intragenic transcription as well as antigenic variation through the / recombination system.

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2016-01-01
2024-12-13
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