Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

The E. coli β-lactamase attenuator mediates growth rate-dependent regulation

Abstract

We have identified a new control or attenuator region in the chromosomal β-lactamase operon of Escherichia coli. A single base alteration within this attenuator led to a loss in the cell's ability to coordinate its content of β-lactamase with growth rate. We suggest a mechanism through which this mode of regulation operates.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Pedersen, S., Block, P. L., Reeh, S. & Neidhardt, F. C. Cell 14, 179–190 (1978).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Maaløe, O. in Biological Regulation and Development Vol. 1 (ed. Goldberger, R. F.) 487–542 (Plenum, New York, 1979).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  3. Jaurin, B. & Normark, S. J. Bact. 138, 896–902 (1979).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Normark, S. & Burman, L. G. J. Bact. 132, 1–7 (1977).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Bachmann, B. J. & Low, B. K. Microbiol. Rev. 44, 1–56 (1980).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Grundström, T., Jaurin, B., Edlund, T. & Normark, S. J. Bact. 143, 1127–1134 (1980).

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Edlund, T., Grundström, T. & Normark, S. Molec. gen. Genet. 173, 115–125 (1979).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Inouye, M. & Halegoua, S. CRC crit. Rev. Biochem. 7, 339–371 (1980).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Siebenlist, U., Simpson, R. B. & Gilbert, W. Cell 20, 269–281 (1980).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Rosenberg, M. & Court, D. A. Rev. Genet. 13, 319–353 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Peattie, D. A. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 1760–1764 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Pribnow, D. in Biological Regulation and Development Vol. 1 (ed. Goldberger, R. F.) 219–277 (Plenum, New York, 1979).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  13. Tinoco, I. Jr. et al. Nature new Biol. 246, 40–41 (1973).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Keller, E. & Calvo, J. M. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 6186–6190 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Nargang, F. E., Subrahmanyam, C. S. & Umbarger, H. E. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 1823–1827 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Lawther, R. P. & Hatfield, G. W. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 1862–1866 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Lee, F. & Yanofsky, C. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 4365–4369 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Shine, J. & Dalgarno, L. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 71, 1342–1346 (1974).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Steitz, J. in Biological Regulation and Development Vol. 1 (ed. Goldberger, R. F.) 349–399 (Plenum, New York, 1979).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  20. Post, L. E., Arfsten, A. E., Reusser, F. & Nomura, M. Cell 15, 215–229 (1978).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Akusjärvi, G. & Pettersson, U. Virology 91, 477–480 (1978).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Schwartz, E., Scherer, G., Hobom, G. & Kössel, H. Nature 272, 410–414 (1978).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Maxam, A. M. & Gilbert, W. Meth. Enzym. 65, 499–560 (1980).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Morita, M. & Oka, A. Eur. J. Biochem. 97, 435–443 (1979).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Krupp, G. & Gross, H. J. Nucleic Acids Res. 6, 3481–3490 (1979).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Horii, T., Ogawa, T. & Ogawa, H. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 313–317 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Zubay, G. A. Rev. Genet. 7, 267–287 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Johnsen, M. thesis, Univ. Copenhagen (1976).

  29. Collins, J. Gene 6, 29–42 (1979).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jaurin, B., Grundström, T., Edlund, T. et al. The E. coli β-lactamase attenuator mediates growth rate-dependent regulation. Nature 290, 221–225 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/290221a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/290221a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing