Translational control and differential RNA decay are key elements regulating postsegregational expression of the killer protein encoded by the parB locus of plasmid R1.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
The parB locus of plasmid R1, which mediates plasmid stability via postsegregational killing of plasmid-free cells, encodes two genes, hok and sok. The hok gene product is a potent cell-killing protein. The hok gene is regulated at the translational level by the sok gene-encoded repressor, a small anti-sense RNA complementary to the hok mRNA. The hok mRNA is extraordinarily stable, while the sok RNA decays rapidly. The mechanism of postsegregational killing is explained by the following model; the sok RNA molecule rapidly disappears in cells that have lost a parB-carrying plasmid, leading to translation of the stable hok mRNA. Consequently, the Hok protein is synthesized and killing of the plasmid-free cell follows.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Journal | Journal of Molecular Biology |
Volume | 203 |
Issue number | 1 |
Pages (from-to) | 119-29 |
Number of pages | 10 |
ISSN | 0022-2836 |
Publication status | Published - 1988 |
Bibliographical note
Keywords: Base Sequence; Chromosome Mapping; Escherichia coli; Gene Expression Regulation; Genes, Bacterial; Molecular Sequence Data; Promoter Regions (Genetics); Protein Biosynthesis; R Factors; RNA, Bacterial; RNA, Messenger; Rifampin; Suppression, Genetic
ID: 5053487