Activation of Escherichia coli leuV Transcription by FIS

The transcription factor FIS has been implicated in the regulation of several stable RNA promoters, including that for the major tRNA(Leu) species in Escherichia coli, tRNA(1)(Leu). However, no evidence for direct involvement of FIS in tRNA(1)(Leu) expression has been reported. We show here that FIS binds to a site upstream of the leuV promoter (centered at −71) and that it directly stimulates leuV transcription in vitro. A mutation in the FIS binding site reduces transcription from a leuV promoter in strains containing FIS but has no effect on transcription in strains lacking FIS, indicating that FIS contributes to leuV expression in vivo. We also find that RNA polymerase forms an unusual heparin-sensitive complex with the leuV promoter, having a downstream protection boundary of ∼−7, and that the first two nucleotides of the transcript, GTP and UTP, are required for formation of a heparin-stable complex that extends downstream of the transcription start site. These studies have implications for the regulation of leuV transcription.