Mechanism of transcription in the N operon of bacteriophage lambda.

Abstract

We have shown by RNA-DNA hybridization-competition experiments that the N dependent mRNA l3 (2·106 daltons) from bacteriophage lambda, includes most, if not the whole sequence present in species l2 which accumulates after induction of a N− prophage. This result means that genes present between the promotor P1 and the b2 region of the λ chromosome constitute a single operon. However, it is likely that the low molecular weight species l1 transcribed from the 5′ proximal position of nascent l2 molecules is cleaved off very rapidly.