Characterization of a rho-dependent termination site within the cro gene of bacteriophage lambda.

Bacteriophage lambda transcripts were synthesized in vitro using lambda b2 DNA and Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. RNA molecules initiating with ATP were labeled exclusively at the 5'-end by transcribing in the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP. They were analyzed by electrophoresis in 3.5% polyacrylamide, 7.5 M urea gels followed by autoradiography. The previously known 6 S rho-independent transcript and rho-dependent 9 S and 8 S transcripts were observed. A new rho-dependent 5 S transcript was also detected. The 5 S RNA was not the result of cleavage of larger RNAs by ribonuclease III. Analysis of partial ribonuclease T1 digestion products of isolated 5'-end-labeled transcripts showed that the 5 S RNA is synthesized from promoter pR, the promoter for the 9 S and 8 S RNA species. A similar analysis of transcripts labeled with 32P exclusively at the 3'-terminus by the post-transcriptional addition of a [32P]pCp moiety with T4 RNA ligase revealed the positions of guanosine nucleotides proximal to the 3'-hydroxyl end. This information, and inspection of the known DNA nucleotide sequence downstream from pr, allowed us to conclude that the 5 S RNA is a mixture of molecules 112 and 113 nucleotides long terminating in the middle of gene cro. The nucleotide sequence at the 3'-end of the 5 S RNA is similar to that of other rho-dependent transcripts and lacks the oligo(U) found at the terminus of rho-independent transcripts.