Preliminary indication of unusual codon usage in the DNA coding sequence of the attachment protein of Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

From a Mycoplasma pneumoniae genomic library, three recombinant clones encoding approximately one-third of the attachment (P1) gene were identified. P1 fusion proteins expressed by these clones in Escherichia coli were found to be much smaller than expected from the sizes of the cloned DNA fragments. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed the presence of UGA codons in the open reading frames of two of the clones, explaining the incomplete translation of the inserts. Sequencing data further revealed that two of the recombinant clones did have similar but not identical carboxyl-end sequences. This finding suggests the existence of more than one genomic DNA sequence coding for the 3'-end of the P1 gene. Potential transcriptional regulatory sequences, a possible termination signal at the 3'-end of the P1 gene and possible promoter-like structures, have been recognized.