Nucleotide sequence of DNA controlling expression of genes for maltosaccharide utilization in Streptococcus pneumoniae.

An analysis of previous data indicated that four structural genes concerned with maltosaccharide utilization in Streptococcus pneumoniae are organized in two operons that are transcribed in opposite directions from a central control region. This region contains two strong promoters subject to repression by a regulatory gene product in the absence of maltose. The nucleotide sequence of the 554-bp control region DNA and adjacent portions of the malX and malM structural genes was determined. Unique reading frames and initiation codons allowed identification of the oppositely oriented structural genes. Putative ribosome binding sites and -10 and -35 RNA-polymerase-binding sites, as well as AT-rich regions farther upstream, were observed proximal to both the X and M genes. The similarity of these sequences to sites found in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis indicated the conservation of control signals in bacteria, both Gram-negative and Gram-positive. A pair of 17-bp hyphenated repeat sequences in the control region may represent repressor binding sites. Two down promoter mutations, VII and 69, were shown to be deletions in the control region. The VII mutation, which affected only the MP operon, deleted the promoter adjacent to the M gene. Mutation 69, which reduced both X and M gene functions, deleted the entire segment between the promoters so that they now overlap at their -35 binding sites. As a consequence of this deletion, the AT-rich regions proximal to the promoters were lost. This suggests that the AT-rich regions are important for promoter strength.