Studies on the regulation of the tps andops genes during development of Myxococcus xanthus

The highly homologous tps and ops genes of Myxococcus xanthus are developmentally regulated and subject to control by intercellular communication. Regulation of the tps and ops genes has been studied by identifying and characterizing cis-acting DNA sequences and by analyzing a genetic locus which controls the expression of the tps gene. A 180 bp segment of ops DNA which is required for a normal level of ops gene expression was shown to function as a UAS for developmentally regulated transcription from the heterologous tps gene promoter. This 180 bp segment of DNA is located between 131 and 311 base pairs (bp) upstream from the transcriptional start of the ops gene (;A genetic locus was also identified in these studies which controls the expression of the tps gene. A mutant with a Tn5 insertion (...