THE RLEP-FLANKED POLA GENE FROM MYCOBACTERIUM-LEPRAE IS NOT TRANSCRIBED IN MYCOBACTERIUM-SMEGMATIS

A polA mutant of Mycobacterium smegmatis (Ms) lacking DNA polymerase a ctivity could not support the replication of a pAL5000-derived plasmid or a derivative harbouring the RLEP-flanked polA gene from M. leprae (Mlep). In contrast, the plasmid containing the M. tuberculosis polA g ene transformed the mutant with high efficiency and complemented its d amage-sensitive phenotype suggesting that the replication of the pAL50 00 origin is dependent on host Poll function and that the RLEP-flanked Mlep polA gene is not expressed in Ms.