A DNA sequence containing the control sites for gene malT and for the malPQ operon.

The order of 802 base pairs was established in a DNA segment containing the promoter for malPQ which is one of the three maltose operons, and the promoter for malT, the positive regulator gene of the maltose regulon. The determination of the amino-terminal sequence of the MalT protein allowed us to identify the beginning of the malT gene on the sequence. The position of the malP gene was deduced from the published amino-terminal sequence of maltodextrin phosphorylase. A total of 611 base pairs separate the initiation codons for these two genes, which are transcribed in opposite directions. This large intergenic region does not code for any polypeptide of significant size. The main features of this sequence are discussed in terms of the regulation known to operate on malT and malPQ expression.