<p> This entry represents the well-conserved first N-terminal domain of DnaX, approx. 365 aa. The full-length product of the dnaX gene in <taxon tax_id="562">Escherichia coli</taxon> encodes the DNA polymerase III tau subunit. A translational frameshift leads to early termination and a truncated protein subunit gamma, about 1/3 shorter than tau and present in roughly equal amounts. This frameshift mechanism is not necessarily universal for species with DNA polymerase III but appears conserved in the extreme thermophile <taxon tax_id="274">Thermus thermophilus</taxon>.</p>