Deletion mapping of the ilvGOEDAC genes of Escherichia coli K-12

Abstract

A set of λdilv phage has been examined that carry overlapping segments of isoleucine-valine structural and regulatory genes derived from the ilv cluster at 83 min on the Escherichia coli K-12 chromosome. The ilv genes present in these phage, and their order, have been determined by transduction of auxotrophs, escape synthesis, and deletion mapping. The order of ilv genes in the phage, and hence the order in the host chromosome, was found to be ilvG-ilvO-ilvEDA-ilvC. Lysogens containing λdilv phage were constructed for dominance analysis of regulatory mutations in the ilvO and ilvA genes. The ilvO671 allele is cis-dominant to ilvO ⁺, while the ilvA538 allele is trans-recessive to ilvA ⁺. Thus, the ilvO gene, that is identified by cis-dominant regulatory mutations that result in increased ilvG and ilvEDA expression, is situated between and may be contiguous with ilvG and ilvEDA.