TRANSLATION ATTENUATION REGULATION OF CHLORAMPHENICOL RESISTANCE IN BACTERIA - A REVIEW

The chloramphenicol (Cm)-inducible cat and cmlA genes are regulated by translation attenuation, a regulatory device that modulates mRNA tran slation. In this form of gene regulation, translation of the Cm-R codi ng sequence is prevented by mRNA secondary structure that sequesters i ts ribosome-binding site (RES). A translated leader of nine codons pre cedes the secondary structure, and induction results when a ribosome b ecomes stalled at a specific site in the leader. Here we demonstrate t hat the site of ribosome stalling in the leader is selected by a cis e ffect of the nascent leader peptide on its translating ribosome.