computer aided oligonucleotide analysis provides a model sequence for RNA polymerase promoter recognition in E. coli

A novel computer procedure has been used to search for homology among 17 known procaryotic promoter sequences. A model sequence, acc.t.gttGTTGAcATTTtt...ttggcGGTTATATTg...cCAT is... compatible with the properties of all known promoter and operator mutations, predicts base positions for the initiation of RNA synthesis coinciding with those determined experimentally, is compatible with current models for the regulation of transcription, suggests that RNA polymerase could recognize the DNA double helix firstly in the B conformation then in the A.