Translation of the first gene of the Escherichia coli unc operon. Selection of the start codon and control of initiation efficiency.

The uncI gene is the most poorly expressed gene of the unc operon of Escherichia coli. We examined how the structural features of the translational initiation region (TIR) of this gene relate to the efficiency of its expression. A set of various TIR sequences was created for the uncI gene by coupling synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides to the 5' part of the plasmid-borne gene. Analyses of transcription and translation of the resulting constructs revealed that weak translational initiation efficiency of the uncI TIR sequence is a rate-controlling factor for expression. Moreover, the identification of an endonucleotytic cleavage site within the 5' part of the uncI mRNA by Northern blotting lends further support to the notion that instability of the uncI cistron within the polycistronic unc mRNA represents a further mode of control. The analysis of the roles of the different Shine-Dalgarno regions and putative start codons within the translational initiation region of the uncI gene revealed that the Shine-Dalgarno region III and the GUG codon (codon 4 of the uncI coding sequence described by Walker, J. E., Saraste, M., and Gay, N. J. (1984) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 768, 164-200) define the main site of initiation. However, manipulations of the translational initiation region led to selection of an initiation codon further upstream. The relationship between mRNA sequence and higher order structure on the one hand, and initiation site selection and initiation efficiency on the other, was analyzed.