RNA polymerase mutant with altered sigma factor in Escherichia coli.

A structural gene for sigma factor (rpoD) of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RNA nucleotidyltransferase; nucleoside-triphosphate: RNA nucleotidyltransferase, E.C. 2.7.7.6) was mapped precisely by a set of F' factors including those already published (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 74, 1831-1835 (1977)). Based on the result that rpoD is located at the dnaG-uxaAC region, a number of mutants containing a temperature-sensitive mutation at or near the uxaA gene were isolated by localized mutagenesis. One of these mutants was found to produce RNA polymerase altered in both thermostability and optimum salt concentration as a result of structural alteration of sigma factor. This mutation, U303, maps at 66 min on the genetic map of E. coli, near the dnaG locus, and affects normal growth of cells.