Transcriptional analysis of the beta-galactosidase gene (pbg) in Clostridium perfringens

The mode of expression of the beta-galactosidase gene (pbg) of Clostridium perfringens was examined. The pbg gene was transcribed on a single 3.7-kb mRNA. The transcript contained a message for ORF54, located upstream of the pbg gene in the chromosome, indicating that ORF54 and the pbg gene comprise one operon (pbg operon). Expression of the pbg operon was induced by lactose at the transcriptional level. The promoter structure of the pbg operon was characterized by many palindrome structures and direct repeats, which suggests that there might be some catabolite regulation of the expression of the pbg operon in C. perfringens.