苏云金芽胞杆菌拟步行甲亚种YBT_1765中稳定质粒pBMB175的克隆和功能分析

从苏云金芽胞杆菌拟步行甲亚种YBT_1765中克隆得到一个大小约152 kb的质粒pBMB175,构建了该质粒的限制性图谱,通过功能验证,将其最小的复制区定位在一个1151bp的片段上。分析了包含有这个复制区的一个大小为4152 bp的核苷酸序列,该片段包含有3个编码框（ORF1、OFR2和ORF3）。氨基酸序列同源性比较发现, ORF1(767AA)与UvrD_旋促酶、重组酶RecD和RecB家族具有20%～30%的相似性;ORF2（149AA）没有发现与任何已知序列具有同源性;ORF3（83AA）与pGI3中一个未知功能的蛋白（ORF7）具有34%的相似性。通过缺失及序列比较分析推测ORF2可能编码一种新的复制蛋白。因此pBMB175的复制类型可能属于一类新的复制家族。利用最小复制区构建的重组质粒在无抗生素选择压力下可稳定遗传40多代,具备构建稳定遗传质粒载体的潜力。     

溶藻弧菌质粒pVAE259全序列测定与分子生物学特征分析

【目的】获得溶藻弧菌环状质粒pVAE259全序列,分析其分子生物学特征并探索该质粒可能具备的功能。【方法】使用酶切、克隆测序的方法获得pVAE259的全序列,利用软件分析DNA序列和可能的编码蛋白,推测质粒的生物学信息。【结果】pVAE259为闭合环状质粒,全长6,075 bp,GC含量为42.16%。在NCBI中比对发现pVAE259与Vibriosp.41隐蔽性质粒pPS41具有较高的相似性。我们在序列中找到一个oriT位点,另外全序列的4118-5494 bp推测为质粒复制区域。pVAE259中存在7个氨基酸序列长度大于100的开放式阅读框(ORF):ORF1-ORF7。其中ORF1编码蛋白属于释放酶超级家族(Relaxase Super-family)蛋白,在NCBI数据库中它与大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)的MobA-like蛋白最相似;ORF2编码蛋白属于复制酶超级家族(Replicase Super-family),它与嗜麦芽寡养单胞菌(Stenotrophomonas maltophilia)的复制蛋白RepA最相似;ORF5与伸长盐单胞菌(Halomonas elongata)质粒pHE1的转移蛋白MobC相似。【结论】根据上述结果及相关文献分析,pVAE259可能是具有转移能力的质粒,该质粒是否影响宿主菌的表型性状还不清楚。     

杨树木质素合成酶c3h基因的克隆及其序列分析

根据CYP98A3(GenBank登录号为AY064170)cDNA序列保守区设计引物,从正在分化的2年生‘欧美杨107’次生木质部提取的总RNA经RT-PCR扩增出一基因片段,然后与pMD20-T载体连接。重组质粒经限制性内切酶酶切、特异引物PCR扩增和测序鉴定。结果表明,扩增片段长度为994bp,其中包含一个长为495bp的开放阅读框,编码的氨基酸序列(登录号为CAP47423)与NCBI中AY064170的CYP98A3编码氨基酸序列的相似性为91%,初步断定其为CYP98A3家族中的一员,其cNDA序列GenBank登录号为AM920690。参照国内外已发表的部分植物的c3h基因序列,构建了c3h的遗传进化树,分析了不同植物c3h的遗传进化关系。     

一个融合魏斯氏菌隐蔽质粒的序列分析

从融合魏斯氏菌(Weissella confusa QJ012)中发现一个隐蔽质粒(p QJ012),测序结果显示该质粒大小为1489 bp,碱基G+C含量为42.8%。BLAST结果显示该质粒的核苷酸序列同pJY33和pKLCA的同源性分别为93%、92%。ORF1编码一个282个氨基酸残基的复制蛋白(Rep),其氨基酸序列与质粒pJY33和pKLCA的同源性分别为91%、85%。根据复制蛋白、dso和sso的序列特征,推定pQJ012的复制方式为滚环复制,是滚环复制pT181家族成员。质粒pQJ012可能构建为良好的表达载体。     

棒杆菌质粒pXZ10145复制功能区定位

将棒杆菌质粒pXZ10145或pNAT65的不同酶切片段装入大肠杆菌质粒pACYCl77中构建了pTSK系列重组质粒。转化棒状类细菌的实验结果确定了质粒pXZ10145上复制必需区的位置。质粒pXZ10145复制最小必需区定位在NaeI-NruI的1.2kb片段上,在这个片段上只有一个约940碱基的阅读框架。它编码一个质粒复制因子,以对位作用方式协助那些不能自我复制但复制起始区仍保持完整的pTSK质粒在棒状类细菌中复制。质粒pXZ10145复制起始区在一个NaeI-SalI的0.3kb片段上,位于已确定的复制因子编码框架中。     

含质粒复制起始区ori44的苏云金芽胞杆菌解离载体的构建

将苏云金芽胞杆菌转座子Tn4430的解离酶识别位点res分别插入克隆载体pRSET B和pUC19得到质粒pBMB1201和pBMB1202。这两个质粒分别经BamHI/Hin dⅢ和EcoRI/HindⅢ双酶切回收含res位点的小DNA片段,与穿梭载体pHT3101经EcoRI/HindⅢ双酶切后加收的含大肠杆菌复制起始区、氨苄青霉素抗性基因和红霉素抗性基因的3．3kb片段连接,获得重组质粒pBMB1203。封闭pBMB1203两res位点外的BamHI和EcoRI位点后,得到解离载体pBMB1204。将来源于苏云金芽胞杆菌库斯塔克亚种YBT－1520的质粒复制起始区ori44片段插入pBMB1204的两res位点之间,得到解离穿梭载体pBMB1205。该解离载体插入壮观霉素抗性基因后电转化无晶体突变株,在辅助质粒所提供的解离酶作用下可发生解离消除抗性基因,解离频率为100％,解离后的质粒稳定性为93％。利用解离穿梭载体pBMB1205可在用抗性筛选到转化子后特定消除抗性标记基因和其它非苏云金芽胞杆菌DNA片段。     

苏云金芽胞杆菌大质粒pBMB165的克隆与分析

以pBeloBAC11为载体,成功构建了苏云金芽胞杆菌YBT-1765的基因组人工染色体(BAC)文库和质粒BAC文库.根据已克隆的包含复制子ori165在内的3.6kb片段中编码复制蛋白Rep165的核苷酸序列设计探针,通过染色体步移方式,对质粒文库和基因组文库进行筛选,得到13个覆盖YBT-1765菌株中质粒pBMB165不同区域的克隆子.通过Hind Ⅲ和BamH Ⅰ酶切分析,建立了质粒pBMB165的物理图谱和线状重叠连锁图,并测算出该质粒的大小为82kb.根据部分核苷酸序列初步统计了pBMB165上转座因子的存在机率.YBT-1765菌株基因组文库的构建和物理图谱的绘制为克隆苏云金芽胞杆菌大质粒提供了一套可行的方案,成功解决了大质粒难克隆的问题.     

植物乳杆菌PC518质粒pLP224的发现以及pMV158家族质粒的保守性和多样性分析

【背景】植物乳杆菌含有丰富的天然质粒,分析这些质粒的序列特征有利于分析质粒所携带的遗传信息。【目的】分析从植物乳杆菌PC518分离的新质粒pLP224,聚类分析其所属家族质粒的保守性与多样性。【方法】提取植物乳杆菌PC518的质粒,酶切后构建质粒DNA文库,测序和BLAST鉴定文库中的新序列;通过反向PCR完成质粒全序列测定,注释新质粒;使用进化树软件MEGA X构建质粒的Rep蛋白进化树,并分析结合序列的变化。【结果】从植物乳杆菌PC518分离出一个质粒pLP224,大小为1 766 bp,其中(G+C)mol%含量为41.39%,与已知质粒的最大序列相似性为86.85%。推定其复制方式为滚环复制,属于pMV158家族成员。17个pMV158家族质粒的Rep蛋白分析表明：pMV158家族质粒的Rep蛋白进化距离越近,其dso位点的结合序列相似性越高,进化距离越远则其序列相似性越低。【结论】 pLP224是pMV158家族的新成员。pMV158家族质粒在dso位点的切开序列上保守,在结合序列上多样。其Rep蛋白随结合序列变化而不同。这种差异有利于pMV158家族不同成员在同一宿主的共存,是家族成员持续存在并稳定进化的基础。     

苏云金芽胞杆菌大质粒pBMB28的克隆

苏云金芽胞杆菌幕虫亚种YBT-020具有典型的晶胞粘连表型。在前期的研究中,通过质粒消除实验,推测晶胞粘连现象与YBT-020内生质粒pBMB28有关。为了定位质粒pBMB28上控制晶胞粘连表型的基因,首先对质粒pBMB28进行克隆。利用穿梭载体pEMB0557,成功构建了苏云金芽胞杆菌YBT-020的基因组人工染色体(BAC)文库。前期的研究表明晶体蛋白基因cry28Aa定位在质粒pBMB28上,根据cry28Aa基因序列设计引物,从文库中筛选到含有cry28Aa的重组质粒pBMB231。镜检和SDS-PAGE证明质粒pBMB231转化无晶体突变株BMB171形成的重组子BMB231可以产生Cry28Aa晶体蛋白,但不能恢复晶胞粘连表型。对重组质粒pBMB231的插入片段末端序列测定并设计引物筛选文库,通过染色体步移方式得到4个可以重叠覆盖质粒pBMB28不同区域的克隆子,从而克隆了该质粒。对这4个克隆子末端测序和酶切分析,测算出该质粒的大小约为140 kb。进一步确定应用基因组BAC文库以及重叠片段筛选的方法,可以快速有效的克隆苏云金芽胞杆菌大质粒。     

朱砂叶螨HSP90基因克隆及原核表达

采用RT-PCR及RACE技术克隆朱砂叶螨Tetranychus cinnabarinus的热激蛋白90(HSP90)基因, 并进行序列分析, 得到一条长2 595 bp的cDNA序列, 该序列开放阅读框（open reading frame, ORF）为2 169 bp, 编码722个氨基酸, 分子量约为83.45 kDa, 理论等电点为4.81, 3′非编码区（untranslated region, UTR）为249 bp, 5′UTR为177 bp。通过Antheprot分析发现5个HSP90家族的签名序列及胞质HSP90特征序列MEEVD。同源性分析表明, 朱砂叶螨HSP90编码区核苷酸序列和其他已知的HSP90, 尤其是节肢动物昆虫的HSP90, 具有很高的相似性。将鉴定正确的原核重组表达质粒pET43a-TcHSP90, 转化大肠杆菌Escherichia coli BL21(origami) 进行原核表达, 应用SDS-PAGE和Western blotting技术分离并检测融合蛋白, 结果表明构建的原核表达质粒可以在宿主菌中稳定、正确表达。朱砂叶螨TcHSP90基因的克隆、原核表达, 为进一步研究HSP90的性质和功能的研究提供有用的实验材料。     

A novel cryptic plasmid pBMB175 from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus thuringiensis </Emphasis>subsp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">tenebrionis </Emphasis>YBT-1765

A new cryptic plasmid pBMB175 from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis YBT-1765 was isolated and characterized. Sequence analysis showed that pBMB175 (14,841 bp and 31% GC content) contained at least eighteen putative open reading frames (ORFs), among which nine ORFs displayed the homology with the hypothetical proteins in rolling-circle replication plasmid pGI3. Deletion analysis revealed that the pBMB175 minireplicon located in a novel 1,151 bp fragment. This fragment contains ORF7 coding sequence, which encodes a protein (Rep175, 149 amino acids [aa]) indispensable for plasmid replication. Rep175 has no significant homology with known function proteins. Furthermore, a putative double-strand origin (dso), having no DNA similarity with characterized dso of other replicon so far, was identified in this minireplicon fragment. These features showed that pBMB175 could be placed into a new plasmid family.     

Characterization of a novel plasmid from extremely halophilic Archaea: nucleotide sequence and function analysis

We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the 16341 bp plasmid pHH205 of the extremely halophilic archaeon Halobacterium salinarum J7. The plasmid has a G+C content of 61.1%. A number of direct and inverted repeat sequences were found in pHH205, while no insertion sequences were found. Thirty-eight large open reading frames (ORFs) were identified in both strands, and most of them had no significant similarities to known proteins. A putative protein encoded by ORF31 showed 20-41% homology to some hypothetical proteins, which are annotated in several archaeal genome databases as predicted nucleic acid-binding proteins containing PIN domain. Sequence analysis using the GC skew procedure predicted a possible origin of replication. A 4.8 kb PvuII-SnaBI fragment containing both this region and ORF31 was shown to be able to restore replicate of pWL102, a replicon-deficient plasmid in Haloferax volcanii and in H. salinarum R1. Several methods failed to completely cure H. salinarum J7 of pHH205, suggesting that the plasmid probably played an important role in the growth and metabolism of the host. Our work describes a novel haloarchaeal replicon, which may be useful in the construction of cloning and shuttle vectors.     

Complete Sequence of Plasmid pMP1 from the Marine Environmental Vibrio vulnificus and Location of Its Replication Origin

A novel cryptic plasmid, pMP1, from an environmental Vibrio vulnificus MP-4 isolated from Mai Po Nature Reserve in Hong Kong, has been characterized. The 7.6-kb plasmid had guanine–cytosine content of 40.03% and encoded four open reading frames (ORFs) with >100 amino acids. The predicted protein of ORF1 contained 478 amino acids showing 29% identity and 50% similarity over 309 amino acids to the integrase of Vibrio cholerae phage VP2. ORF2 encoded a putative protein of 596 amino acids, which were 23% identity and 42% similarity over 455 amino acids to the tail tape measure protein TP901 of Chromohalobacter salexigens phage. ORF3 and ORF4 encoded putative proteins of 103 and 287 amino acids, respectively, but showed no homologies to any known proteins. Further experiments indicated that a 3.2-kb fragment from EcoRI digestion could self-replicate. Analysis indicated that a sequence upstream of ORF4 had the features characteristic of theta-type replicons: AT-rich region, six potential direct repeats (iterons) spaced approximately two DNA helical turn apart (about 23 bp), two copies of 9 bp dnaA boxes, three Dam methylation sites, and five inverted repeats. Complementation experiments confirmed that the protein encoded by ORF4 was required for plasmid replication. We propose that ORF4 encode a new type of Rep protein and pMP1 is a new type of theta plasmid.     

Molecular characterisation of a 5.75-kb cryptic plasmid from Bifidobacterium breve NCFB 2258 and determination of mode of replication

A small cryptic plasmid originating from Bifidobacterium breve NCFB 2258 was cloned and its complete nucleotide sequence determined. pCIBb1 is a circular DNA molecule, 5750 bp in size with a GC composition of 57%. Computer-assisted analysis identified 10 possible open reading frames (ORFs), seven of which could be assigned no function from homology searches. One ORF, rep (380 amino acids), was postulated to encode a replication protein similar to known replication proteins of rolling circle replicons, particularly those of the pC194 family. Demonstration of single-stranded forms of the plasmid in cell lysates that could be specifically degraded by S1 nuclease provided experimental evidence to substantiate a replication mechanism via single-stranded intermediates. Two other ORFs, par (199 amino acids) and an ftsK-like gene (286 amino acids), were assigned putative functions based on the presence of conserved motifs in their deduced proteins.     

Distribution of 2-kb miniplasmid pBMB2062 from Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki YBT-1520 strain in Bacillus species

A multi-copy and small plasmid pBMB2062 from Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki YBT-1520 strain was cloned and characterized and its distribution was analyzed using dot-blot analysis with the ORF1 fragment as a probe. Bacillus species of 84 serotypes were evaluated. The pBMB2062 plasmid was found to be present in commercial B. thuringiensis kurstaki (H3abc) and aizawai (H7) insecticides of various serotypes, and one Bacillus cereus UW85 strain (produced Zwittermicin fungicide and Cry toxin synergist). The sequences of 7 pBMB2062-like plasmids from randomly selected Bacillus species (positive signal in the dot-blot analysis) were highly conserved. Two open reading frames (ORFs), ORF1 and ORF2, were present in this plasmid. ORF1 was found to be necessary for plasmid replication, whereas ORF2 did not play a role in replication or stability. Based on its sequence homology, ORF2 was a putative solitary antitoxin. Furthermore, the copy number of the replicon of pBMB2062 was higher than those of ori1030 and ori44 based on the thermogenic data, and ori2062 could drive the stable replication of a recombinant plasmid (11 kb total size) in B. thuringiensis.     

pVC, a small cryptic plasmid from the environmental isolate of Vibrio cholerae MP-1

A marine bacterium was isolated from Mai Po Nature Reserve of Hong Kong and identified as Vibrio cholerae MP-1. It contains a small plasmid designated as pVC of 3.8 kb. Four open reading frames (ORFs) are identified on the plasmid, but none of them shows homology to any known protein. Database search indicated that a 440 bp fragment is 96% identical to a fragment found in a small plasmid of another V. cholerae. Further experiments demonstrated that a 2.3 kb EcoRI fragment containing the complete ORF1, partial ORF4 and their intergenic region could self-replicate. Additional analyses revealed that sequence upstream of ORF1 showed the features characteristic of theta type replicons. Protein encoded by ORF1 has two characteristic motifs existed in most replication initiator proteins (Rep): the leucine zipper (LZ) motif located at the N-terminal region and the alpha helix-turn-alpha helix motif (HTH) located at the C-terminal end. The results suggest that pVC replicates via the theta type mechanism and is likely a novel type of theta replicon.     

Isolation and characterization of two novel plasmids pCYM01 and pCYM02 of Cylindrospermum stagnale

Cyanobacteria play a vital role in supplying nitrogen into the soil and aquatic ecosystem. It has an extra chromosomal DNA, whose role is not yet defined well. Isolation and characterization of extra chromosomal DNA in cyanobacteria might help to understand its survival mechanism. Cylindrospermum stagnale isolated (and deposited in NRMCF 3001) from soil showed presence of four plasmids namely pCYLM01, pCYLM02, pCYLM03, and pCYLM04. The following plasmids pCYLM01 and pCYLM02 were subjected to restriction digestion using HindIII restriction enzyme and cloned into pBlueScriptSK(-) vector. The sequence of pCYLM01 contained 4 potential open reading frames (ORFs) that have amino acids in the range of 59–299. Among them, ORF1 shows high sequence homology to the bacterial replication initiator family protein as evident from BLASTP analysis. The analysis of 4359 bp plasmid pCYLM02 sequence revealed 7 ORFs which are longer than 50 amino acids in length. The ORF2 of pCYLM02 has 243 amino acids and is represented in the plasmid sequence from 3045 to 3776 bp. The ORF3 of pCYLM02 corresponds to the plasmid sequence from 2323 to 2976 and codes for a putative protein of 217 amino acids long. A number of small ORFs below 50 bp were also found in the sequence analysis.     

Analysis of pYC2, a cryptic plasmid in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus sakei</Emphasis> BM5 isolated from kimchi

Analysis of the structural properties of pYC2, a cryptic plasmid from Lactobacillus sakei BM5 isolated from kimchi, determined its length as 1,970 bp with a G + C content of 34%. The double-strand origin (dso) and single-strand origin (sso) of rolling-circle replicating plasmids were found in the nucleotide sequence of the pYC2 plasmid. Sequence analysis of pYC2 revealed that ORF 1 and ORF 2 showed high homology with the Cop and Rep proteins encoded by the pMV158 family of plasmids replicating via the rolling-circle mechanism. pYC2 also replicates by this mechanism, as confirmed by Southern hybridization analysis.     

Sequence Analysis of a Small Cryptic Plasmid Isolated from Streptococcus suis Serotype 2

A small cryptic plasmid designated pSSU1 was isolated from Streptococcus suis serotype 2 strain DAT1. The complete sequence of pSSU1 was 4975 bp and contained six major open reading frames (ORFs). ORF1 and ORF2 encode for proteins highly homologous to CopG and RepB of the pMV158 family, respectively. ORF5 encodes for a protein highly homologous to Mob of pMV158. ORF4 encodes for a protein highly homologous to orf3 of pVA380-1 of S. ferus, but its function is unknown. There was no similarity between ORF3 and ORF6 and other protein sequences. In this plasmid, the ORF1 (CopG protein) was preceded by two multiples of direct repeat and the conserved nucleotides that could be the double-strand origin (DSO) of rolling circle replication (RCR) mechanism. The ORF5 (Mob protein) was followed by a potential hairpin loop that could be the single-strand origin (SSO) of RCR mechanism. The sequence, which was complementary to the leader region of Rep mRNA, was homologous to the countertranscribed RNA (ctRNA) of pLS1. Moreover, a 5-amino acid conserved sequence was found in C terminal of Rep and putative Rep proteins of several pMV158 family plasmids. These observations suggest that this plasmid replicates by use of the rolling circle mechanism. Received: 26 June 1999 / Accepted: 10 August 1999