Inefficient translation of nsrR constrains behavior of the NsrR regulon in Escherichia coli

Investigation of whole genome gene expression level changes in a Escherichia coli MG1655 K-12 nsrR with AUG start codon compared to the wild type nsrR (with a GUG start codon) and to the control lacking the nsrR gene. Conversion of the nsrR start codon from the wild type GUG to AUG increased the efficiency of translation and had measurable effects on the expression patterns of some NsrR regulated genes. A nine chip study using total RNA recovered from three separate cultures of Escherichia coli MG1655 K-12 AUGnsrR, three separate cultures of the WT nsrR (GUGnsrR) and three separate cultures of nsrR deletion strain. Each chip measures the expression level of 4,254 genes from Escherichia coli MG1655 K-12 with eight 60-mer probes per gene, with 2-fold technical redundancy.