Start codon selectivities at haloarchaeal transcripts in the presence and absence of short 5’-UTR.

<p>(A) The 203-bp DNA sequence preceding the <i>bgaH</i> ORF in plasmid pTMJ was identical to the upstream sequence of <i>hsp70</i> ORF in <i>Natrinema</i> sp. J7. The bases at the 5’-end of transcripts were shown schematically. Their start codons were underlined and the mutations were in grey. The <i>β</i>-galactosidase specific activities (BgaH activities), the <i>bgaH</i> transcript levels and the translational efficiencies of <i>Hfx</i>. <i>volcanii</i> transformants were tabulated. (B) The translational efficiencies of (A) were shown schematically after normalization to that of <i>Hfx</i>. <i>volcanii</i> DS70/pTMJ. (C) The expression of the BgaH protein. Western blot analysis of the BgaH protein in total proteins was performed using anti-BgaH antibody. The <i>Hfx</i>. <i>volcanii</i> transformants were cultivated for 5 days at 45°C and then sprayed with X-Gal. The constructs present in each transformant were indicated under the colonies.