Evidence that pheV, a gene for tRNAPhe of E. coli is transcribed from tandem promoters

A DNA fragment of 487 bp containing a gene for tRNAPhe has been sequenced. Although the tRNAPhe sequence is identical to that of pheU (which maps at 94.5 min) the surrounding sequences are quite different. This sequence is thus that of a second gene for tRNAPhe (which we shall call pheV). In vitro transcription experiments and S1 mapping in vivo show the existence of two promoters separated by about 60 nucleotides. The second transcript starts only 3 nucleotides 5' from the tRNAPhe structural sequence. A DNA sequence characteristic of a rho-independent terminator is located 30 nucleotides 3' of the end of the structural gene and is shown to function efficiently in vitro.