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Role of codon choice in the leader region of the ilvGMEDA operon of Serratia marcescens

Leucine participates in multivalent repression of the Serratia marcescens ilvGMEDA operon by attenuation (J.-H. Hsu, E. Harms, and H.E. Umbarger, J. Bacteriol. 164:217-222, 1985), although there is only one single leucine codon that could be involved in this type of control. This leucine codon is the rarely used CUA. The contribution of this leucine codon to the control of transcription by attenuation was examined by replacing it with the commonly used leucine codon CUG and with a nonregulatory proline codon, CCG. These changes left intact the proposed secondary structure of the leader. The effects of the codon changes were assessed by placing the mutant leader regions upstream of the ilvGME structural genes or the cat gene and measuring acetohydroxy acid synthase II, transaminase B, or chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activities in cells grown under limiting and repressing conditions. The presence of the common leucine codon in place of the rare leucine codon reduced derepression by about 70%. Eliminating the leucine codon by converting it to proline abolished leucine control. Furthermore, a possible context effect of the adjacent upstream serine codon on leucine control was examined by changing it into a glycine codon.