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| Author(s): |
Meire Aguena
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Doctoral Thesis |
| Press: | São Paulo. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI) |
| Defense date: | 2007-11-27 |
| Examining board members: |
Beny Spira;
Rita de Cassia Cafe Ferreira;
Suely Lopes Gomes;
José Gregorio Cabrera Gomez;
Aline Maria da Silva
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| Advisor: | Beny Spira |
| Abstract | |
The pst operon of Escherichia coli consists of the genes pstS, pstC, pstA, pstB and phoU. The four proximal genes of the operon encode the proteins of the ABC-type Pi phosphate (Pi) transporter Pst.The Pst system, together with the PhoU protein, also acts as a negative regulator of the PHO regulon. Transcription of the pst genes is induced by Pi starvation. The present study describes the transcription pattern of the pst operon. The existence of an unstable primary transcript was confirmed by using an improved RT-PCR protocol. The role of RNase E in pst transcript decay was demonstrated.Analysis of the operon intergenic regions revealed the role of a REP sequence (Repetitive Extragenic Palindrome) located between pstS and pstC in pst mRNA stability. The regions upstream of pstC, pstB and phoU displayed promoter activity. Transcription from these internal promoters resulted in a small amount of mRNAs corresponding to the pst distal genes. (AU) | |