Disease relevance of galK

• The Escherichia coli galactokinase gene (galK) was inserted into a modified early region transcription unit of simian virus 40 (SV40) contained on a bacterial plasmid [1].
• A plasmid containing a pp-galK operon was constructed to assay galK expression as a measure of transcriptional regulation by the cloned nutL, N and tL1 modules in a Rho+, Nus+ Escherichia coli host [2].
• Hybrid transducing phages were constructed in vitro that carry the galK gene fused to each of three ribosomal promoters: the promotor for an rRNA operon (rrnE); the promoter for the spec r protein operon and the promotor for the alpha r protein operon [3].

High impact information on galK

• Growth-rate-dependent regulation of ribosome synthesis in E. coli: expression of the lacZ and galK genes fused to ribosomal promoters [3].
• Introduction of this pSVK vector into monkey, mouse, and hamster cell lines by transfection resulted in efficient expression of the bacterial galK gene [1].
• Expression of the most promoter-distal cistron galK is much greater than expression of the promoter-proximal cistron galE [4].
• Other three incomplete open reading frames showing homology to another beta-galactosidase, an alpha-galactosidase, and a galactokinase, respectively, were also found [5].

Biological context of galK

• This expression was shown to be dependent upon fusion of the galK gene to the early promoter of SV40 and did not appear to require SV40 splice signals [1].

References