ABSTRACT
The characterization of transcriptional start sites of 14 genes encoded by the extremely AT-rich genome of “
Candidatus
Blochmannia floridanus” revealed a high degree of conservation with the RpoD promoter consensus sequence of the free-living relative
Escherichia coli
. Moreover, in agreement with the presence of the alternative heat shock sigma factor RpoH in “
Ca
. Blochmannia,” typical RpoH-dependent promoters were identified. However, no heat shock response resembling that of
E. coli
could be detected in “
Ca
. Blochmannia.”