Genome-wide identification of TSS, promoters and transcriptional factor binding sites in E. coli K-12 bacterial genome: Development of a bioinformatics tool for the graphical display of the high throughput sequencing data

摘要

BackgroundGene expression starts by the specific and normally tightly regulated transcription initiation process. The accurate mapping of Transcription Initiation Sites (TSS) has been accomplished in a operon-specific basis using laborious biochemical techniques. Currently,more than 1200 TSSs have been experimentally mapped, according to RegulonDB (http://regulondb.ccg.unam.mx). TSSs determination is critical to unambiguously identify promoters and regulatory regions controlling gene expression. Having precise information about the majority of the TSSs in E. coli will certainly help to achieve a detailed understanding of the global regulatory circuits that control gene expression in this very important model organism.