The polycistronic mRNA of the Zymomonas mobilis glf-zwf-edd-glk operon is subject to complex transcript processing.

The full-length 6.14-kb polycistronic glf-zwf-edd-glk mRNA from Zymomonas mobilis appears to be processed by endonucleolytic cleavage, resulting in the formation of several discrete transcripts. Northern analysis and transcript mapping revealed that the processed transcripts correspond to functional mono-, di-, or tricistronic messages. The relative abundance of the gene-specific, functional messages was measured. Expression of zwf and edd correlated well with functional message levels. Disproportionally high levels of the glk-specific mRNAs might compensate for the instability of glucokinase by allowing increased translation. The relative abundance of the discrete transcripts was shown to be a function of their respective decay rates. Northern analysis of the fate of the 6.14-kb transcript after inhibition of transcription by rifampin showed that the abundance of shorter, more stable transcripts increased at the expense of longer, less stable transcripts. This is suggestive of endonucleolytic mRNA processing. The most abundant 5' and 3' transcript ends were found to lie within secondary structures that probably impart stability to the most abundant mRNAs.