Increase of GroE protein synthesis at high temperature in Escherichia coli is known to be due to high-level transcription. Recently, regulation at translation level was proved experimentally in groE gene of Streptomyces albas (Servant et al., 1994). W...
Increase of GroE protein synthesis at high temperature in Escherichia coli is known to be due to high-level transcription. Recently, regulation at translation level was proved experimentally in groE gene of Streptomyces albas (Servant et al., 1994). Whether or not secondary structures of groE mRNA of E. coli at 37 and 42°C can be distinguished was tested by using computer program, RNAdraw. When groE mRNA containing 130 nucleotides from transcription start site to +130 was analyzed, some broad base pairings from the start codon to +125 were found in the structural gene at 37°C. Its absence at 42°C might contribute to different level of GroE production. Theoretical computer analysis of mRNA secondary structures is useful in predicting and explaining different expression levels at the two temperatures.