Evidence that there are only two tRNA(Phe) genes in Escherichia coli

pheV, one of the genes that code for tRNA(Phe), was deleted from the chromosome of a strain of Escherichia coli K-12. As a consequence of this mutation, expression of pheA, the gene for chorismate mutase P-prephenate dehydratase, the first enzyme in the terminal pathway of phenylalanine biosynthesis, was derepressed. Similar derepression of pheA has been reported in pheR mutants of E. coli K-12 (J. Gowrishankar and J. Pittard, J. Bacteriol. 150:1130-1137, 1982). Attempts to introduce a pheR mutation into the delta pheV strain failed under circumstances suggesting that this combination of mutations is lethal. Southern blot analysis of pheV+ and delta pheV strains indicated that there are only two tRNA(Phe) genes in E. coli. It is recommended that the names pheU and pheV be retained for these genes.