Transcriptional analysis of the genetic element pSSVx: differential and temporal regulation of gene expression reveals correlation between transcription and replication.

ABSTRACT: pSSVx from Sulfolobus islandicus strain REY15/4 is a hybrid between a plasmid and a fusellovirus. A systematic study performed by a combination of Northern blot analysis, primer extension, and reverse transcriptase PCR revealed the presence of nine major transcripts whose expression was differentially and temporally regulated over the growth cycle of S. islandicus. The map positions of the RNAs as well as the clockwise and the anticlockwise directions of their transcription were determined. Some genes were clustered and appeared to be transcribed as polycistronic messengers, among which one long transcriptional unit comprised the genes for the plasmid copy number control protein ORF60 (CopG), ORF91, and the replication protein ORF892 (RepA). We propose that a termination readthrough mechan

SUBMITTER: Contursi P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1951929 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature