Abstract
A transcription-enhancing sequence element in the coding region of the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii rbcL gene was previously found to be necessary for full activity of the rbcL gene promoter. In this study, we defined and characterized the putative enhancer sequence in more detail. Deletion and mutational analyses showed that the transcription-enhancing element consists of approximately 40 bp of sequence in the beginning of the rbcL coding region. The sequence also functioned in reverse orientation or when moved from its original position with respect to the basic rbcL promoter. The element was also able to augment transcription from the promoter of the atpB gene of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, but had an inhibitory effect on transcription from the rrn gene promoter.
