NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCES OF THE TRPI, TRPB, AND TRPA GENES OF PSEUDOMONAS-SYRINGAE - POSITIVE CONTROL UNIQUE TO FLUORESCENT PSEUDOMONADS

A 904-bp probe from Pseudomonas aeruginosa was used to identify the trpB, trpA and trpI genes of Pseudomonas syringae. Transcription initiation at the P. syringae trpBA promoter in vitro was activated by the P. aeruginosa TrpI protein in the presence of indoleglycerol phosphate. Thus, trpB and trpA are regulated positively in three species of fluorescent pseudomonads, P. aeruginosa, P. putida, and P. syringae, but in no other eubacteria so far investigated [Crawford, Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 43 (1989) 567-600]. In addition to conservation of protein-coding sequences, there is a high degree of nucleotide sequence identity in the intergenic control region that includes the divergent trpI and trpBA promoters, especially in the binding sites for TrpI protein. Differences in patterns of codon usage distinguish the trpI genes of P. syringae and P. putida from P. aeruginosa trpI and from the trpB and trpA genes of all three species.