Structure and expression of the ColE2-P9 immunity gene.

The primary structure and expression of the ColE2-P9 immunity gene (imm) were investigated. The imm gene is located behind the colicin gene (col) in the same orientation with an intergenic space of two base pairs. Although the imm gene was transcribed primarily in response to the SOS function of the host cell as well as the col gene, the immunity phenotype also appeared to be expressed by only a slight level of leaky transcription without an evident promoter. On comparing the ColE2-P9 sequence with those of relevant plasmids, a highly homologous sequence with the immE2 gene was found downstream of the immE3 gene of ColE3-CA38, and thus, an evolutional relationships could be deduced among some E-group Col plasmids.