Regulation of the deo operon in Escherichia coli

Abstract

The synthesis of the four enzymes of the deo operon in Escherichia coli is known from in vivo experiments to be subject to a double negative control, exerted by the products of the cytR and deoR genes. A DNA-directed in vitro protein synthesizing system makes the deo enzymes (exemplified by thymidine phosphorylase) in agreement with in vivo results. Enzyme synthesis is stimulated by cyclic AMP and repressed by the cytR and deoR gene products. Repression by the cytR repressor is reversed by cytidine or adenosine in the presence of cyclic AMP, while repression by the deoR repressor is reversed by deoxyribose-5-phosphate. Assays for the presence of the cytR and deoR repressors were established by use of S-30 extracts prepared from the regulatory mutants. Dissociation constants for repressor-operator binding as well as for repressor-inducer interactions have been estimated from the results.