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Mechanism of transcription in the N operon of bacteriophage lambda

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Summary

We have shown by RNA-DNA hybridization-competition experiments that the N dependent mRNA l3 (2·106 daltons) from bacteriophage lambda, includes most, if not the whole sequence present in species l2 which accumulates after induction of a N prophage. This result means that genes present between the promotor P1 and the b2 region of the λ chromosome constitute a single operon. However, it is likely that the low molecular weight species l1 transcribed from the 5′ proximal position of nascent l2 molecules is cleaved off very rapidly.

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Communicated by P. Starlinger

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Portier, MM., Marcaud, L., Cohen, A. et al. Mechanism of transcription in the N operon of bacteriophage lambda. Molec. Gen. Genet. 117, 72–81 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00268839

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