Involvement of the Escherichia coli RNA polymerase alpha subunit in transcriptional activation by the bacteriophage lambda CI and CII proteins.

Escherichia coli cells harbouring the rpoA341 mutation produce an RNA polymerase which transcribes inefficiently certain operons subject to positive control. Here, we demonstrate that the rpoA341 allele also prevents lysogenization of the host strain by bacteriophage lambda, a process dependent upon the action of two phage-encoded activators. This phenomenon was shown to arise from an inability to establish an integrated prophage rather than a failure to maintain the lysogenic state. The inability of the rpoA341 host to support lysogenization could be completely reversed by CII-independent expression of int and cI in trans. These results led us to propose that the inhibition of lysogenization arises from a defective interaction between the phage lambda transcriptional activator CII and the mutant RNA polymerase at the phage promoters pI and pE. Finally, we also provide genetic evidence for impaired transcription of the cI gene from the CI-activated promoter, pM in the rpoA341 background.