A Clostridium perfringens Vector for the Selection of Promoters

A promoter selection vector for Clostridium perfringens genes was constructed from a C. perfringens-Escherichia coli shuttle vector, pJIR418. The plasmid carries a promoterless chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene (catP), derived from pIP401, downstream of the multiple cloning sites of pUC18. When a promoter region of the phospholipase C gene was inserted into one of the cloning sites, derivatives of C. perfringens strain 13 carrying the resultant plasmid acquired resistance to chloramphenicol. This plasmid should be a useful reporter system for C. perfringens genes.     

Construction of a sequenced Clostridium perfringens-Escherichia coli shuttle plasmid.

A new Clostridium perfringens-Escherichia coli shuttle plasmid has been constructed and its complete DNA sequence compiled. The vector, pJIR418, contains the replication regions from the C. perfringens replicon pIP404 and the E. coli vector pUC18. The multiple cloning site and lacZ' gene from pUC18 are also present, which means that X-gal screening can be used to select recombinants in E. coli. Both chloramphenicol and erythromycin resistance can be selected in C. perfringens and E. coli since pJIR418 carries the C. perfringens catP and ermBP genes. Insertional inactivation of either the catP or ermBP genes can also be used to directly screen recombinants in both organisms. The versatility of pJIR418 and its applicability for the cloning of toxin genes from C. perfringens have been demonstrated by the manipulation of a cloned gene encoding the production of phospholipase C.     

Clostridium perfringens-Escherichia coli Shuttle Vectors That Carry Single Antibiotic Resistance Determinants

Two versatile Clostridium perfringens-Escherichia coli shuttle vectors were constructed. Each plasmid carried a single antibiotic resistance gene which was expressed in both organisms. The plasmid pJIR750 encoded resistance to chloramphenicol and pJIR751 encoded resistance to erythromycin. Each plasmid contained the pUC18-derived multiple cloning site and the lacZ′ gene which enabled direct screening for recombinants in E. coli . These plasmids should prove invaluable for the genetic manipulation of C. perfringens.     

Cloning and expression of β-glucosidase genes inEscherichia coli andSaccharomyces cerevisiae using shuttle vector pYES 2.0

Genes for β-glucosidase (Bgl) isolated from a genomic library of the cellulolytic bacterium,Cellulomonas biazotea, were cloned in pUC18 in itsSacI cloning site and transformed toE. coli. Ten putative recombinants showed blackening zones on esculin plates, yellow zones on pNPG plates, in liquid culture and on native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis activity gels. They fell into three distinct groups. Three representativeE. coli clones carried recombinant plasmids designated pRM54, pRM1 and pRM17. The genes were located on 5.6-, 3.7- and 1.84-kb fragments, respectively. Their location was obtained by deletion analysis which revealed that 5.5, 3.2, and 1.8 kb fragments were essential to code for BglA, BglB, and BglC, respectively, and conferred intracellular production of β-glucosidase onE. coli. Expression of thebgl genes resulted in overproduction of β-glucosidase in the three clones. Secretion occurred into the periplasmic fractions. Three inserts carryingbgl genes from the representative recombinantE. coli were isolated withSacI ligated in the shuttle vector pYES2.0 in itsSacI site and transformed toE. coli andS. cerevisiae. The recombinant plasmids were redesignated pRPG1, pRPG2 and pRPG3 coding for BglA1, BglB1 and BglC1. The cloned genes conferred extracellular production of β-glucosidase onS. cerevisiae and enabled it to grow on cellobiose and salicin. Thegall promoter of shuttle vector pYES2.0 enabled the organisms to produce twice more β-glucosidase than that supported by thelacZ-promoter of pUC18 plasmid inE. coli. The cloned gene can be used as a selection marker for introducing recombinant plasmids in wild strains ofS. cerevisiae The enzyme produced bybgl ⁺ yeast andE. coli recombinants resembles that of the donor with respect to temperature and pH requirement for maximum activity. Other enzyme properties of the β-glucosidases fromS. cerevisiae were substantially the same as those fromC. biazotea.     

Construction of a Shuttle Vector for Use between Pasteurella multocida and Escherichia coli

The isolation of a small plasmid from Pasteurella multocida has enabled to construction of a shuttle vector for use between P. multocida and Escherichia coli. The vector pBAC64 contains the origin of replication from P. multocida, an antibiotic resistance gene which functions in P. multocida, and the E. coli vector pUC18. The presence of the pUC18 multiple cloning site together with the lacZ′ gene provides a screening method and allows cloning and manipulation in E. coli as well as cloning in P. multocida.     

Cloning of heterologous genes specifying detrimental proteins on pUC-derived plasmids inEscherichia coli

A system is described that enables the cloning of genes specifying detrimental proteins inEscherichia coli. The system is based on pUC plasmids and was developed for the expression of theBacillus subtilis csaA gene, which is lethal when expressed at high levels. Suppressor strains that tolerate the presence of plasmids for high-level expression ofcsaA were isolated, which contained small cryptic deletion variants of the parental plasmid in high copy numbers. The cryptic plasmids consisted mainly of the pUC replication functions and lacked thecsaA region and selectable markers. The co-resident, incompatible, cryptic plasmids enabled the maintenance of thecsaA plasmids by reducing their copy number 20-fold, which resulted in a concomitant 3- to 7-fold reduction in the expression of plasmid-encoded genes. Strains carrying these cryptic endogenous plasmids proved to be useful for the construction of pUC-based recombinant plasmids carrying other genes, such as theskc gene ofStreptococcus equisimilis, which cannot be cloned in high copy numbers inE. coli. Several strategies to reduce production levels of heterologous proteins specified by plasmids are compared.     

Vectors for cloning in cyanobacteria: construction and characterization of two recombinant plasmids capable of transformation of Escherichia coli K12 and Anacystis nidulans R2

Summary Two plasmids were constructed consisting of the E. coli vector pACYC184 and the cyanobacterial plasmid pUC1. These recombinants, designated pUC104 and pUC105, can be transformed to E. coli K12 as well as to the cyanobacterium Anacystis nidulans R2 and in both hosts they express their antibiotic markers. pUC104 and pUC105 differ with respect to the location and the orientation of the pACYC184 segment in pUC1. pUC104 was found to be stable under all circumstances. Transformation of pUC105 to A. nidulans R2 gave intact plasmids when chloramphenicol was the selective agent, but upon ampicillin selection a deletion derivative was produced identical to pUC1. Further characteristics of pUC104 and pUC105 are described and their usefulness as cloning vectors is discussed.     

Isolation of the pullulanase gene fromClostridium thermosulfurogenes (DSM 3896) and its expression inEscherichia coli

The pullulanase gene fromClostridium thermosulfurogenes (DSM 3896) was cloned and expressed inEscherichia coli with pUC18 as cloning vector. Two clones showed expression of amylolytic enzymes which were active at high temperatures. One of the recombinant plasmids (pCT3) containing a 5.3 kbp insert coded for the pullulanase gene; the other (pCT4, 4.4 kbp insert) carried the same-amylase gene as the previously described plasmid pCT2 (2.9 kpb insert, 7). The pullulanase gene was efficiently transcribed inE. coli, apparently using its own promoter; the enzyme was not secreted into the medium. No difference in the temperature optimum and thermostability between the original and the heterologously expressed (inE. coli) enzyme could be found.     

Conjugative Transfer of theEscherichia coli–Clostridium perfringensShuttle Vector pJIR1457 toClostridium botulinumType A Strains

An RP4-oriT shuttle vector pJIR1457 originally developed forClostridium perfringenswas successfully transferred by conjugation fromEscherichia colitoClostridium botulinumtype A strains and to a nontoxigenicC. botulinumtype A–transposon Tn916mutant strain lacking the entire toxin gene cluster. The light chain (LC) of botulinum toxin was highly expressed in the toxin deletion mutant strain from a pJIR1457 construct containing the recombinant botulinal gene for LC. This shuttle vector system will be valuable for genetic analysis ofC. botulinumand will enable genetic manipulation and recombinant expression studies of botulinum neurotoxins as pharmaceutical agents.     

Cloning of heterologous genes specifying detrimental proteins on pUC-derived plasmids inEscherichia coli

A system is described that enables the cloning of genes specifying detrimental proteins inEscherichia coli. The system is based on pUC plasmids and was developed for the expression of theBacillus subtilis csaA gene, which is lethal when expressed at high levels. Suppressor strains that tolerate the presence of plasmids for high-level expression ofcsaA were isolated, which contained small cryptic deletion variants of the parental plasmid in high copy numbers. The cryptic plasmids consisted mainly of the pUC replication functions and lacked thecsaA region and selectable markers. The co-resident, incompatible, cryptic plasmids enabled the maintenance of thecsaA plasmids by reducing their copy number 20-fold, which resulted in a concomitant 3- to 7-fold reduction in the expression of plasmid-encoded genes. Strains carrying these cryptic endogenous plasmids proved to be useful for the construction of pUC-based recombinant plasmids carrying other genes, such as theskc gene ofStreptococcus equisimilis, which cannot be cloned in high copy numbers inE. coli. Several strategies to reduce production levels of heterologous proteins specified by plasmids are compared.     

A High-Transformation-Efficiency Cloning Vector for Thermus thermophilus

The cloning vector pMK18 was developed through the fusion of the minimal replicative region from an indigenous plasmid of Thermus sp. ATCC27737, a gene cassette encoding a thermostable resistance to kanamycin, and the replicative origin and multiple cloning site of pUC18. Plasmid pMK18 showed transformation efficiencies from 10⁸ to 10⁹ per microgram of plasmid in Thermus thermophilus HB8 and HB27, both by natural competence and by electroporation. We also show that T. thermophilus HB27 can take pMK18 modified by the Escherichia coli methylation system with the same efficiency as its own DNA. To demonstrate its usefulness as a cloning vector, a gene encoding the β-subunit of a thermostable nitrate reductase was directly cloned in T. thermophilus HB27 from a gene library. Its further transfer to E. coli also proved its utility as a shuttle vector.     

A Medium-Copy-Number Plasmid for Insertional Mutagenesis ofStreptococcus mutans

We have constructed a plasmid useful for insertional mutagenesis inStreptococcus mutans.The molecule, pSU20Erm, is based on a derivative of pACYC184 known as pSU20. The plasmid described here is approximately 3.7 kb in size and has the following properties: it replicates inEscherichia coli,does not replicate inS. mutans,contains an erythromycin-resistance marker which can be selected inE. colior the streptococci, contains a multiple cloning site with few restriction sites in the remainder of the molecule, and can be screened on X-Gal-containing medium for the presence of insertions into the multiple cloning site. We have used the plasmid to construct a library ofS. mutansDNA inE. coliand show that the clones can be reintegrated into theS. mutanschromosome via homologous recombination, thereby interrupting native genes. The plasmid has been used to clone part of a homologue of theE. coli drpAgene, encoding a global regulatory element for RNA synthesis. Further, we have identified an element closely linked todrpAinS. mutanswith high homology to IS861.     

Characterization of a Toxin-Deficient Clostridium perfringens Strain,KZ1340

Clostridium perfringens KZ1340, previously classified as Clostridium plagarum, is an isolate from Antarctic soil, and was identified as an α, θ-, and κ-toxin non-producing variant. On Southern hybridization, the variant was found to be defective in the pfoA (θ-toxin) gene, but the plc (α-toxin) and colA (κ-toxin) genes were present on the same EcoRI fragment as in the standard strain, NCTC8237. Northern analysis revealed that mature plc mRNA was transcribed in KZ1340 though less efficiently than in NCTC8237, while no mature colA mRNA was present in KZ1340. After transformation of the pfoA and plc genes into the KZ1340 via shuttle vector, pJIR418, the pfoA gene was successfully expressed but the plc gene was not efficiently expressed, suggesting that in KZ1340 there is negative regulation of plc gene expression. Toxin-deficient C. perfringens KZ1340 might be a suitable host for expression analysis of the pfoA gene and other clostridial virulence genes, if expressed efficiently, because it produces a small amount of extracellular toxins.     

Identification of the product oftetP gene: A possible mechanistic basis for tetracycline resistance inClostridium perfringens

Using cloning andin vitro protein synthesis we identified the polypeptide product of thetetP gene ofClostridium perfringens which is responsible for conferring resistance to tetracycline. TwoEcoRI fragments invariably share the resistance determinant in all of theClostridium perfringens isolates that we studied. Likewise, two proteins of 10 and 20 kDa were found to be conserved in all of the recombinant clones. The 10 kDa protein appears to be responsible for the constitution of the expression oftetP gene inC. perfringens.     

Functional analysis of combinations in astaxanthin biosynthesis genes from<Emphasis Type="Italic">Paracoccus haeundaensis</Emphasis>

Carotenoids are important natural pigments produced by many microorganisms and plants. We have previously reported the isolation of a new marine bacterium,Paracoccus haeundaensis, which produces carotenoids, mainly in the form of astaxanthin. The astaxanthin biosynthesis gene cluster, consisting of six carotenogenic genes, was cloned and characterized from this organism. Individual genes of the carotenoid biosynthesis gene cluster were functionally expressed inEscherichia coli and each gene product was purified to homogeneity. Their molecular characteristics, including enzymatic activities, were previously reported. Here, we report cloning the genes for crtE, crtEB, crtEBI, crtEBIY, crtEBIYZ, and crtEBI-YZW of theP. haeundaensis carotenoid biosynthesis genes inE. coli and verifying the production of the corresponding pathway intermediates. The carotenoids that accumulated in the transformed cells carrying these gene combinations were analyzed by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods.     

Development of a suicidal vector-cloning system based on butanal susceptibility due to an expression of YqhD aldehyde reductase

Previously, we observed butanal/propanal sensitivity of Escherichia coli K-12 when cells overexpress YqhD protein, a NADPH dependent aldehyde reductase, possibly due to an accumulation of butanol/propanol in vivo as the reaction products. Based on this finding, we developed a suicidal vector-cloning system derived from pUC19, in which lacZ was substituted with the yqhD gene. As a result, when foreign DNA was inserted into its multiple cloning sites by disrupting an expression of YqhD, the recombinants survived on butanal/propanal containing plate, whereas cells containing the YqhD vector died because of the alcohol production by YqhD. The cloning efficiency, estimated based on colony PCR and enzyme digestion, was achieved more than 90% when the suicidal vector system was used. Moreover, the plasmid vector itself was stably maintained in the cell, presumably due to its ability to remove toxic aldehydes being accumulated in E. coli cell by metabolic stress.     

Cloning of the cyclomaltodextrinase gene fromBacillus subtilis high-temperature growth transformant H-17

The cyclomaltodextrinase gene fromBacillus subtilis high-temperature growth transformant H-17 was cloned on separatePstI,BamHI, andEcoRI fragments into the plasmid vector pUC18, but was expressed in an inactive form in the host,Escherichia coli DH5. High level constitutive expression of the gene product was also detrimental to theE. coli host, which led to structural instability of the recombinant plasmid. The cyclomaltodextrinase gene was cloned on a 3-kbEcoRI fragment into the plasmid vector pPL708, and the fragment was structurally maintained in the hostB. subtilis YB886. The cloned gene product was synthesized in an enzymatically active form in theB. subtilis host; however, expression was at a low level. Subcloning of the 3-kbEcoRI fragment into pUC18 and transformation intoE. coli XL1-Blue (FlacI^q) indicated that the cyclomaltodextrinase gene was cloned with its own promoter, since expression of the gene occurred in the absence of IPTG. Subcloning of the cyclomaltodextrinase gene downstream from theBacillus temperate phage SPO2 promoter of pPL708 may increase expression of this gene.Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. R-02177     

The small,versatilepPZP family ofAgrobacterium binary vectors for plant transformation

The newpPZP Agrobacterium binary vectors are versatile, relatively small, stable and are fully sequenced. The vectors utilize the pTiT37 T-DNA border regions, the pBR322bom site for mobilization fromEscherichia coli toAgrobacterium, and the ColE1 and pVS1 plasmid origins for replication inE. coli and inAgrobacterium, respectively. Bacterial marker genes in the vectors confer resistance to chloramphenicol (pPZP100 series) or spectinomycin (pPZP200 series), allowing their use inAgrobacterium strains with different drug resistance markers. Plant marker genes in the binary vectors confer resistance to kanamycin or to gentamycin, and are adjacent to the left border (LB) of the transferred region. A lacZ -peptide, with the pUC18 multiple cloning site (MCS), lies between the plant marker gene and the right border (RB). Since the RB is transferred first, drug resistance is obtained only if the passenger gene is present in the transgenic plants.     

A newEscherichia coli: Bacteroides shuttle vector,pRRI207, based on theBacteroides ruminicola plasmid replicon pRRI2

A 3.4kb cryptic plasmid, pRRI2, was isolated fromBacteroides ruminicola 223/M2/7 and used as the basis for a newBacteroides/Escherichia shuttle vector. Constructs were made incorporating pRRI2, aBacteroides erythromycin/clindamycin resistance marker and theE. coli pUC8-derived vector pHG165. One of these, pRRI207 (11 kb), was capable of introduction into strains belonging to four different species ofBacteroides (B. uniformis, B. distasonis, B. thetaiotaomicron, orB. ruminicola) either by conjugal transfer fromE. coli or by electrotransformation. pRRI207 carries several unique restriction sites derived from the pUC8 multiple cloning site. Only one of sixB. ruminicola strains tested was used successfully as a recipient for pRRI207, indicating that further modifications to transfer procedures or marker genes may be needed for wider application in this species.