Sequence analysis of the atp operon of Clostridium acetobutylicum DSM 792 encoding the F(0)F(1)ATP synthase

The ntp gene region of Clostridium acetobutylicum DSM 792 has been fully se quenced. It contains the F0F1 ATPase genes in the order atpIBEFHAGDC, whose products share high sequence homology to the respective proteins of a vari ety of other bacteria. It is the first such sequence available for a mesoph ilic Clostridium. Significant differences to other reported atp operons are a distal transcription start point 219 bp upstream of the translation star t point and a second transcription initiation site (without corresponding p romoter sequence) upstream of atpE, indicating posttranscriptional processi ng for massive expression of this gene product.