The structure of a transcriptional unit on colicin E1 plasmid

In an RNA-synthesizing system in vitro, a low-molecular-weight RNA consisting of about 110 residues (RNA-I) was efficiently synthesized on DNA of colicin E 1 plasmid (ColE1) and its deletion derivatives. The promoter site for RNA-I was analysed by testing the RNA polymerase-binding ability and template activity of restriction fragments; it was mapped in the region between the replication initiation site and the colicin immunity gene of ColE1. The direction of transcription was determined by hybridization tests to the separated strands of the template. The DNA region directing RNA-I was sequenced, and RNA-I was assigned on the sequence based on the nearest-neighbour data of RNA. The sequences of its promoter and terminator regions were also deduced. Although the function of this small RNA species is unknown, a unique secondary structure could be constructed from its sequence and sensitivity to RNase.