Molecular analysis of the Escherichia coli ruvC gene, which encodes a Holliday junction-specific endonuclease

The Escherichia coli ruvC gene is involved in DNA repair and recombination and encodes an endonuclease that resolves Holliday structure in vitro. The 2.8-kb chromosomal DNA fragment that encompasses the ruvC gene and its flanking regions was cloned and sequenced. Four open reading frames were identified in the order orf17-orf26-ruvC-orf23 immediately upstream of the ruvAB operon, and their orientations are the same as the ruvAB operon, except for orf23. Proteins encoded by orf17, orf26, and ruvC (orf19) were identified by the maxicell method, and their sizes agreed with those predicted from the DNA sequences. Among the open reading frames in this region, only ruvC is involved in the repair of UV-damaged DNA. ruvC appeared to be regulated by at least two promoters, but, in contrast to the ruvAB operon, ruvC is not regulated by the SOS system as demonstrated by operon fusions.