转座子Tn917诱变的炭疽杆菌芽孢形成缺陷株的筛选

目的:诱导转座子Tn917随机插入炭疽杆菌染色体,产生在不同位点突变的突变体库,从中筛选芽孢形成缺陷型突变株。方法:用含转座子Tn917的质粒pLTV3转化炭疽杆菌,以低浓度红霉素诱导转座因发生转座,产生大量的突变株。进而用氯化三苯基四氮唑染色法和复红美蓝染色法从突变体库中筛选芽孢形成缺陷株;用Southern杂交法对芽孢形成缺陷株进行验证。结果:对2000个突变体进行了筛选,共得到6株芽孢形成缺陷株,在LB培养基中培养5d后,镜下仍未见有芽孢形成,呈现明显的芽孢形成缺陷特征。Southern杂交表明野生株无杂交带,突变株均有且只有1条杂交带,且杂交带的位置不尽相同。结论:转座子Tn917可以单拷贝随机诱变炭疽杆菌野生株,产生在不同位点突变的突变株。     

1株来自海洋的芽胞杆菌dhs-330转座突变库的构建及表面活性相关基因的克隆

为研究产生物表面活性剂的海洋芽胞杆菌dhs-330合成活性产物的分子机制,应用质粒pIC333介导的mini-Tn10转座子随机突变技术,构建了芽胞杆菌dhs-330的突变体库。通过表面活性测定和反向PCR克隆,从300个突变株中筛选出产表面活性剂水平提高的突变株2株,分别在ycsG和yvkC基因发生插入突变;表面活性降低的突变株4株,分别在fenC、yrkF、kinE和sigD基因发生插入突变。这些基因可能与芽胞杆菌dhs-330中表面活性剂的合成代谢和调控有关。     

食甲基杆菌J1-1吡咯喹啉醌生物合成突变株的筛选和鉴定

目的:通过Tn5转座诱变筛选食甲基杆菌J1-1吡咯喹啉醌(PQQ)生物合成相关基因。方法:构建食甲基杆菌J1-1 Tn5转座突变体库,筛选PQQ合成水平差异明显的突变株,利用质粒拯救法鉴定突变基因,通过基因敲除、回补及过表达进一步研究该基因与PQQ合成的关系。结果:构建了J1-1的Tn5转座突变体库,筛选得到一株PQQ合成水平显著下降的突变株,经鉴定Tn5插入位点为mpq0056基因,该突变株在以甲醇为惟一碳源的培养基中生长速度略慢;敲除J1-1中mpq0056基因后,PQQ的合成水平下降,与Tn5诱变结果一致;回补该基因后,PQQ产量恢复到野生菌水平。结论:mpq0056基因参与了PQQ的生物合成,该基因可能编码分支酸盐裂合酶,并在PQQ生物合成中起重要作用。     

假单胞杆菌BS1转座突变及高产生物表面活性剂突变株初步筛选

利用含转座子Tn917的温敏性质粒pTV1-OK转化假单胞杆菌BS1原生质体,成功获得3个稳定的转化子;通过Tn917诱导转座突变,产生大量突变体,构建了转座突变体库,采用特异引物对随机挑取的5株突变体进行PCR扩增,获得与预期大小一致片段,表明突变体基因组中有Tn917插入;通过对随机挑取24株突变体乳化(E24)性能测定,发现有一株突变体E24值达到67%,明显高于野生菌株。结果表明转座突变是假单胞杆菌BS1获得高产生物表面活性剂菌株的一种有效手段。     

利用人工Mu转座技术研究解淀粉芽孢杆菌的功能基因

目的:利用人工Mu转座技术研究解淀粉芽孢杆菌的功能基因。方法:使用加入0.5%甘氨酸的M9-YE培养基,细菌生长到D600nm值为0.5时制备感受态细胞,加入Mu转座复合物(含42ngMuDNA),以1.8kV电压电击获得转化子。对转化子进行功能突变表型筛选、基因克隆、DNA序列分析,以确定插入突变的功能基因。结果:获得最佳电转化效率1.9×103CFU/μgDNA。同时获得2个芽孢杆菌抑真菌作用的调节基因rpmGA和yxlC。结论:人工Mu转座技术是研究芽孢杆菌功能基因的快速有效的好方法。     

炭疽芽孢杆菌A16R株eag基因缺失突变株构建

【目的】构建炭疽芽孢杆菌A16R株eag基因缺失突变株, 为研究eag基因的功能奠定了基础。【方法】本研究以我国人用炭疽杆菌活疫苗A16R株中eag基因为目的缺失基因,根据炭疽芽孢杆菌Ames株基因组序列,利用软件设计了扩增上下游同源臂以及抗性基因引物,构建了重组质粒,将该重组质粒电击转入炭疽杆菌A16R感受态细胞中,利用同源重组原理筛选到炭疽杆菌A16R株eag基因缺失突变株。在分子水平及蛋白质组学方面对基因缺失突变株进行验证。【结果】成功构建了重组质粒,经同源重组后获得eag基因缺失突变株。PCR鉴定表明目的基因已经丢失;SDS PAGE表明野生株与突变株在93 KDa处有差异蛋白条带,经质谱鉴定分析该条带为目的基因所表达的EA1蛋白;双向电泳结果显示突变株与野生株比较明显缺失3个蛋白点,经质谱分析后确定这3个点都是EA1蛋白。【结论】成功获得炭疽芽孢杆菌A16R株eag基因缺失突变株,为深入研究eag基因的功能奠定了基础,同时也为炭疽芽孢杆菌重要基因功能的研究建立了一个良好的技术平台。     

苏云金芽孢杆菌Ⅱ类转座因子的应用与研究进展

苏云金杆菌的转座因子分为两类：Ⅰ类,插入序列;Ⅱ类,转座子．在结构上,这些转座因子与苏云金芽孢杆菌杀虫晶体蛋白（ICPs）基因相联系,并且这些具有转座活性的转座因子在ICPs基因的转移和变异上起着重要作用．对苏云金芽孢杆菌的Ⅱ类转座因子即转座子的结构、作用机制、应用与研究进展进行了综述．     

ompC突变造成大肠杆菌在碱性条件下对渗透压敏感

大肠杆菌DH42突变株碱性条件下对高渗透压敏感。采用mini-Tn5转座突变质粒,同源重组构建突变菌株和DNA片段亚克隆等技术确定了造成大肠杆菌DH42在碱性条件下,对高渗透压敏感的原因是ompC基因突变。通过P1转导,构建了大肠杆菌D9（W3110 ompC：：kan）菌株。比较D9菌株和DH42菌株在不同pH和不同盐浓度条件下的生长,发现大肠杆菌ompC基因是大肠杆菌在碱性条件下应对高渗透压环境胁迫的必须基因。     

蜡样芽孢杆菌ATCC14579毒力基因plcR缺失株的构建及其一般特性

蜡样芽孢杆菌是土壤中的优势菌,具有作为益生菌的潜在能力,同时它也是条件致病菌,能引起食物中毒等。蜡样芽孢杆菌的多种毒力因子受到多效性调控子(pleiotropic regulator,plcR)的调控,在其条件致病性作用中起着重要作用。真养产碱杆菌JMP34(Alcaligenes eutrophus)质粒上的2,4-二氯苯氧乙酸(2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid,2,4-D)单加氧酶(tfdA)基因可以降解2,4-D。本研究利用同源重组技术使tfdA基因置换掉蜡样芽孢杆菌的plcR基因,构建了蜡样芽孢杆菌ATCC14579突变株B.cereus△plcRΩtf-dA,并对其毒性、一般生理生化特性进行分析。研究结果表明,突变株B.cereus△plcRΩtfdA的毒性显著减弱;生理生化实验结果显示突变株与野生株并没有明显区别,且突变株并没有表现出tfdA酶活性。所有的结果表明plcR控制着蜡样芽孢杆菌ATCC14579的致病性,同时剔除plcR并不破坏其酶系统。本研究为今后构建蜡样芽孢杆菌工程菌提供了新的思路和依据。     

胸膜肺炎放线杆菌萘啶酸抗性菌株的选育和信号标签突变株的构建

胸膜肺炎放线杆菌(APP)是重要的猪呼吸道病原菌,给世界养猪业造成严重的经济损失.信号标签突变(STM)技术是在宿主动物体内鉴定病原菌毒力因子的高通量方法.通过体外传代选育出APP血清1型和3型萘啶酸抗性菌株,再以萘啶酸抗性菌株为受体菌,以携带mini-Tn10的标签质粒(pLOF/TAG1-48)的E.coli CC118 λ pir或S17-1λpir为供体菌,在或不在E.coli DH5α(pRK2073)的辅助下,进行三亲本或两亲本接合,通过抗性筛选、PCR和Southern杂交鉴定转座突变株.结果表明:体外萘啶酸加压传代很容易选育出萘啶酸抗性APP菌株,该抗性的产生与DNA促旋酶A亚基基因gyrA的突变有关.在APP与E. coli接合实验中,两亲本接合比三亲本接合操作更简单,效率也较高;APP不同菌株在接合和转座效率上存在很大差异,血清1型菌株高于血清3型菌株,3型标准菌株高于地方分离株JL03-R.本研究为APP STM突变体库的构建与毒力基因的鉴定奠定了基础.     

Microarray analysis of transposon insertion mutations in Bacillus anthracis: global identification of genes required for sporulation and germination

A transposon site hybridization (TraSH) assay was developed for functional analysis of the Bacillus anthracis genome using a mini-Tn10 transposon which permitted analysis of 82% of this pathogen's genes. The system, used to identify genes required for generation of infectious anthrax spores, spore germination, and optimal growth on rich medium, was predictive of the contributions of two conserved hypothetical genes for the phenotypes examined.     

Generation of Mini-Tn10 transposon insertion mutant library of Bacillus thuringiensis for the investigation of genes required for its bacteriocin production

Bacillus thuringiensis strain BUPM4 is known for its ability to produce a bacteriocin, called Bacthuricin F4 (BF4), which inhibits the growth of several Gram-positive bacteria and particularly Bacillaceae . This study aimed to use the insertional transposon mutagenesis approach for disrupting and thus identifying genes associated with BF4 synthesis. Here, the mini-Tn 10 transposon was used to generate a library of B. thuringiensis mutants. Twenty thousand clones were screened for the search of mutants with affected bacteriocin synthesis. By molecular hybridization, it was demonstrated that the mini-Tn 10 transposition occurred in different sites. Clone MB1, containing a mini-Tn 10 single-copy insertion, lost the BF4 synthesis, but maintained its immunity to BF4. The flanking sequences surrounding the mini-Tn 10 insertion were cloned and sequenced. Homology searches of the surrounding ORFs revealed a strong similarity to a phage tail component, which allowed us to postulate that BUPM4 bacteriocin could be a phage tail-like one.     

Genetic footprinting in bacteria

In vivo genetic footprinting was developed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to simultaneously assess the importance of thousands of genes for the fitness of the cell under any growth condition. We have developed in vivo genetic footprinting for Escherichia coli, a model bacterium and pathogen. We further demonstrate the utility of this technology for rapidly discovering genes that affect the fitness of E. coli under a variety of growth conditions. The definitive features of this system include a conditionally regulated Tn10 transposase with relaxed sequence specificity and a conditionally regulated replicon for the vector containing the transposase and mini-Tn10 transposon with an outwardly oriented promoter. This system results in a high frequency of randomly distributed transposon insertions, eliminating the need for the selection of a population containing transposon insertions, stringent suppression of transposon mutagenesis, and few polar effects. Successful footprints have been achieved for most genes longer than 400 bp, including genes located in operons. In addition, the ability of recombinant proteins to complement mutagenized hosts has been evaluated by genetic footprinting using a bacteriophage lambda transposon delivery system.     

New transposon delivery plasmids for insertional mutagenesis in Bacillus anthracis

Two new transposon delivery vector systems utilizing Mariner and mini-Tn10 transposons have been developed for in vivo insertional mutagenesis in Bacillus anthracis and other compatible Gram-positive species. The utility of both systems was directly demonstrated through the mutagenesis of a widely used B. anthracis strain.     

In vitro mutagenesis of Bacillus subtilis by using a modified Tn7 transposon with an outward-facing inducible promoter

A Tn7 donor plasmid, pTn7SX, was constructed for use with the model gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. This new mini-Tn7, mTn7SX, contains a spectinomycin resistance cassette and an outward-facing, xylose-inducible promoter, thereby allowing for the regulated expression of genes downstream of the transposon. We demonstrate that mTn7SX inserts are obtained at a high frequency and occur randomly throughout the B. subtilis genome. The utility of this system was demonstrated by the selection of mutants with increased resistance to the antibiotic fosfomycin or duramycin.     

Transposon mutagenesis in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus RAG-1.

Molecular genetic studies of Acinetobacter spp. have been greatly limited by the lack of a method for transposon mutagenesis. In this study, a genetically engineered derivative of Tn10, mini-Tn10PttKm, was conjugally transferred in plate matings from Escherichia coli SM10[(lambda pir)(pLOFPttKm)] to Acinetobacter calcoaceticus RAG-1. Transfer frequencies were dependent on mating ratios and varied from 7.9 x 10(-8) to 3.4 x 10(-7) per recipient cell. The 27 lipase-deficient transconjugants which were isolated exhibited several different phenotypes, including gelatinase mutants, esterase mutants, and putative auxotrophs. Southern blot analysis confirmed the insertion of the mini-Tn10PttKm transposon in single, unique sites in five transconjugants. Four of five lipase mutants contained single insertions of mini-Tn10PttKm in the same chromosomal restriction fragments. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the use of a transposon for direct, generalized mutagenesis in Acinetobacter spp.     

A bifunctional transposon mini-Tn5gfp-km which can be used to select for promoter fusions and report gene expression levels in Agrobacterium tumefaciens

A mini-Tn5 transposon derivative, mini-Tn5gfp-km, has been constructed which contained a promoter-less artificial operon consisting of two open reading frames, green fluorescent protein (GFP) and neomycin phosphotransferase II (NptII). When this transposon was used to mutagenize Agrobacterium tumefaciens, all the mutants selected in the presence of kanamycin exhibited GFP expression, which could be conveniently monitored by a fluorometer. The transposon appeared to be bifunctional and could provide both selection and reporter functions. Even the mutants showing minimal levels of GFP expression were still resistant to kanamycin. This suggests that this transposon can be used to select for insertions downstream of both weak and strong promoters, as long as the insertions themselves are non-lethal. This system was used to identify A. tumefaciens genes that were upregulated in response to acidic pH. Screening only 20 colonies led to identification of two promoters that were specifically induced by low pH and one promoter that was specifically induced by acetosyringone in a minimal medium of pH 5.5.