Transcriptional analysis of the hmw gene cluster of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Mycoplasma pneumoniae adherence to host cells is a multifactorial process that needs the cytadhesin P1 and additional accessory proteins. The hmw gene cluster is composed of the genes p30, hmw3 and hmw1, whose products are important in cytadherence, the rpsD gene, and six open reading frames with unknown roles. Analysis of reporter gene expression after deletion of each putative promoter near the 5' end of the locus identified a region that is important for the expression of p30 and hmw3. Data from reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis indicated the coexpression of the genes in the hmw locus.