Transcriptional regulation of Escherichia coli K-12 major outer membrane protein 1b.

Eleven independent insertion mutations were isolated that prevented expression of major outer membrane protein 1b. Seven of the mutations were Mucts insertions located at ombP. These ompB::Mucts strains fell into two phenotypic classes with regard to expression of proteins 1a and 1b. The remaining four mutants were comprised of one Tn5 and three Mucts insertions mapping at par. The Mucts insertions at par were used to construct fusions of the lac operon to the par promoter. Expression of beta-galactosidase in these fusion strains reflected known regulatory properties of protein 1b. When an ompB allele was introduced into the par-lac fusion strains, beta-galactosidase activity was reduced 14- to 31-fold. Transcriptional regulation of the par gene and the existence of two functions at ompB are discussed. The results suggest that par is the structural gene for protein 1b and that an ompB gene product is a diffusible, positive regulatory element controlling expression of par.