A deletion mutant lacking three out of four transfer RNA genes upstream of the coding region of tufB.

Of the two plasmids pTUB1 and pTUB2 constructed by cloning of the 8.9 kb EcoRI fragment carrying tufB (Miyajima, A., Shibuya, M., & Kaziro, Y. (1979) FEBS Lett. 102, 207-210), pTUB2 possesses a deletion of about 0.3 kb. Restriction and sequence analyses have located the deletion in the region of the four tRNA genes thrU-tyrU-glyT-thrT upstream of the tufB structural gene. As a result of homologous recombination between thrU and thrT, the four tRNA genes have been replaced by a single thrU-thrT hybrid gene. The deletion of the three tRNA genes does not significantly alter the in vivo expression of tufB as assessed by the kirromycin-sensitive phenotype of the transformant cells and by the synthesis of EF-Tu in mini-cells. Nor does the deletion affect the synthesis of beta-galactosidase in lysogens carrying a lambda transducing phage with a tufB-lacZ fusion. Transcription of tufB and synthesis of EF-Tu in a cell-free transcription-translation coupled system were essentially the same, regardless of whether pTUB1 or pTUB2 DNA was used as a template. Likewise, 0.2 mM ppGpp inhibits the synthesis of tufB mRNA on both pTUB1 and pTUB2 templates to the same extent. We concluded that the replacement by thrU-thrT hybrid gene of the four tRNA genes upstream of the tufB coding region does not significantly affect either in vivo or in vitro expression of tufB.