Molecular analysis of the promoter operator region of the Escherichia coli K-12 tyrP gene

The nucleotide sequence of the tyrP promoter region from Escherichia coli has been determined. Two TYR R boxes have been identified, and one of these was shown to overlap the -35 region of a major tyrP promoter (p1). S1 nuclease mapping of in vivo transcripts revealed that transcription from p1 is stimulated by phenylalanine and to a lesser extent by leucine. The demonstration that mutants in which TyrR-tyrosine-mediated repression of tyrP has been abolished have single base changes in the TYR R box which overlaps p1 suggests that TyrR-tyrosine-mediated repression of tyrP also involves p1. TyrR-independent stimulation of tyrP expression by Casamino Acids involves a second promoter 140 bases upstream of p1. There are no TYR R boxes in this region. The sequences of 10 TYR R boxes preceding the genes tyrP, tyrR, and aroG and the operons aroF tyrA and aroL aroM are compared and discussed.