Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate-Independent Mutants of the Lactose Operon of Escherichia coli

In Escherichia coli the transcription of the lactose operon, like other catabolite-sensitive operons, requires catabolite gene activator protein and 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate in addition to ribonucleic acid polymerase. We isolated and analyzed lac(+) revertants from a crp(-) strain of E. coli. We found that revertants with a higher level of expression only for the lac operon lie in the lac promoter region. These promoter mutations have no effect on operator or repressor function. Two of the revertants in which the lesions have been more precisely mapped carry mutations in the operator proximal segment of the promoter.