Genetic organization of the Salmonella typhimurium ilv gene cluster

A number of Salmonella typhimurium ilv::Tn10 insertion strains were used to analyze the Salmonella ilv gene cluster. Tn10 generated ilv deletion mutants were employed in mapping experiments to conclusively define the gene order as ilvG-E-D-A-C. Examination of ilv enzyme levels confirms that the direction of transcription of ilvGEDA is from ilvG to ilvA. The major control locus, designated ilvO, is located before ilvG forming an ilvOGEDA transcriptional unit that is multivalently repressed by isoleucine, valine and leucine. Two internal promoters, one before ilvE and anonother before ilvD, are identified and are shown to provide repressed levels of the ilvE, D and A gene products. Possible regulation of transcription from these promoters in response to isoleucine limitation is discussed in terms of attenuation.