Cooperative binding of the leucine-responsive regulatory protein (Lrp) to DNA

The leucine-responsive regulatory protein (Lrp) of Escherichia coli activates expression of a number of operons and represses expression of others. For some members of the Lrp regulon, exogenous leucine mitigates the effect of Lrp, for some it potentiates the effect of Lrp, and for others it has no effect on Lrp action. For the ilvIH operon that we study, Lrp activates expression in vivo and mediates the repression of the operon by exogenous leucine. We studied Lrp-1, a leucine-insensitive variant, to investigate mechanisms by which leucine alters Lrp action as an activator of ilvIH expression. The Asp114Glu change did not have much effect on the amount of total Lrp-1 in cells but decreased the amount of free Lrp-1 two- to threefold. Lrp monomers associate to form octamers and hexadecamers (hexadecamer form predominates at micromolar concentrations; Kd=5.27x10(-8) M), and leucine promotes the dissociation of Lrp hexadecamer to a leucine-bound octamer. By contrast, Lrp-1 exists primarily as an octamer in solution (equilibrium dissociation constant 6.5x10(-5) M) and leucine had little effect on the equilibrium. Thus, the hexadecameric form that Lrp assumes in the absence of DNA is not required for activation of the ilvIH operon. Both leucine and the lrp-1 mutation reduced the apparent affinity of Lrp binding to ilvIH DNA (contains two groups of binding sites separated by 136 bp) but they have different effects on intrinsic binding affinity and binding cooperativity. Whereas leucine reduced intrinsic binding affinities and interactions of Lrps bound at upstream and downstream regions of ilvIH DNA, it increased cooperative dimer-dimer interactions of Lrps bound to two adjacent sites. By contrast, the lrp-1 mutation did not have much effect on intrinsic binding affinities but it decreased cooperative adjacent dimer-dimer interactions and enhanced interactions of Lrps bound at upstream and downstream regions of ilvIH DNA. Our analysis is consistent with the idea that leucine enhances dimer-dimer interactions that contribute to octamer formation, concomitantly reducing dimer-dimer interactions that contribute to the longer range interactions of Lrps that are required for activation of the ilvIH promoter.     

A regulatory element within a gene of a ribosomal protein operon of Escherichia coli negatively controls expression by decreasing the translational efficiency

Summary The trmD operon of Escherichia coli consists of the genes for the ribosomal protein (r-protein) S16, a 21 kDa protein (21K) of unknown function, the tRNA(m¹G37)methyltransferase (TrmD), and r-protein L19, in this order. Previously we have shown that the steady-state amount of the two r-proteins exceeds that of the 21K and TrmD proteins 12- and 40-fold, respectively, and that this differential expression is solely explained by translational regulation. Here we have constructed translational gene fusions of the trmD operon and lacZ. The expression of a lacZ fusion containing the first 18 codons of the 21K protein gene is 15-fold higher than the expression of fusions containing 49 or 72 codons of the gene. This suggests that sequences between the 18th and the 49th codon may act as a negative element controlling the expression of the 21K protein gene. Evidence is presented which demonstrates that this regulation is achieved by reducing the efficiency of translation.     

Formation of sulphmyoglobin during expression of horse heart myoglobin in Escherichia coli

Expression of recombinant horse heart myoglobin in Escherichia coli has been found to result in the production of both native and variable amounts (˜ 16–17% total) of two sulphmyoglobin isomers. The recombinant sulphmyoglobin produced consists primarily of the A and B isomers as identified by ¹H NMR spectroscopy with no evidence for production of the C isomer. Conversion of recombinant sulphmyoglobin to the native protein can be achieved by reconstitution with protohaem IX. The possible relationship of this observation to recombinant expression of other heme proteins is discussed.     

Functional relationship between Escherichia coli RNase E and the CafA protein

We analyzed the functional relationship between the Escherichia coli RNase E and the CafA protein, which show extensive sequence similarity. The temperature-sensitive growth of the RNase E mutant strain ams1 was partially suppressed by multicopy plasmids bearing the cafA gene. Introduction of a cafA::cat mutation enhanced the temperature sensitivity of the ams1 mutant. These results suggest that there is a functional homology between these two proteins. Received: 17 May 1996 / Accepted: 1 October 1996     

Cloning and expression of a Bacillus cellulase gene in Escherichia coli

A Bacillus cellulase gene coding for carboxymethylcellulase (CMCase) has been cloned in Escherichia coli using pBR 322 as a vector. The gene was expressed independently of its orientation in the cloning vector showing enzyme activity 40 times greater than that produced by the original Bacillus species. The high production of CMCase in E. coli by the foreign gene did not impede growth of the host cells and the E. coli produced CMCase responded to various pH values and temperatures in the same way as that produced by the gene donor cells.     

次级淋巴组织趋化因子（SLC）基因克隆及在大肠杆菌中的表达

次级淋巴组织趋化因子(SLC)是通过搜索表达序列标签(EST)数据库克隆出来的一CC类趋化因子。以人SLC序列为蓝本,利用重叠PCR(SOE-PCR)的方法获得了适宜在大肠杆菌中表达的SLC基因,将此序列分别克隆至表达载体pTMF和pALM中,转化大肠杆菌,诱导表达。Western Blotting鉴定结果表明目的蛋白以可溶蛋白和包涵体两种形式表达,两种形式的蛋白所占比例依培养和诱导条件的不同而变化。对两种形式的表达产物分别用Ni-NTA金属亲和层析和包涵体复性方法纯化在实验中还对纯化条件进行了探索。对纯化蛋白的电泳结果显示:纯化样品的分子量比预期的分子量要大。     

recO and recR mutations delay induction of the SOS response in Escherichia coli

RecF, RecO and RecR, three of the important proteins of the RecF pathway of recombination, are also needed for repair of DNA damage due to UV irradiation. recF mutants are not proficient in cleaving LexA repressor in vivo following DNA damage; therefore they show a delay of induction of the SOS response. In this communication, by measuring the in vivo levels of LexA repressor using anti-LexA antibodies, we show that recO and recR mutant strains are also not proficient in LexA cleavage reactions. In addition, we show that recO and recR mutations delay induction of -galactosidase activity expressed from a lexA-regulated promoter following exposure of cells to UV, thus further supporting the idea that recF, recO and recR gene products are needed for induction of the SOS response.     

米曲霉果胶酸酯裂解酶（pectin lyase 1）在原核系统中重组表达

来自米曲霉(Aspergillus oryzae)和黑曲霉(Aspergillus niger)的果胶酸酯裂解酶(pectinlyase)一直被用于传统发酵食品的生产,但自然条件下A.oryzae和A.niger的果胶酸酯裂解酶产量较低。通过RT-PCR的方法,获得不含信号肽的A.oryzaePel1cDNA,将Pel1cDNA连入pET-28a( )载体,构建pET-28a( )-pel1质粒。pET-28a( )-pel1转化Turner(DE3)placⅠ细胞,得到转化子pET-28a( )-pel1-Turner(DE3)placⅠ,表达与6个组氨酸融合的Pel1。进一步对Pel1在E.coli系统中表达的条件进行了研究,在37℃,220r/min条件下,培养pET-28a( )-pel1-Turner(DE3)placⅠ细胞,当OD600至0.8左右时,用500μmol/Lisopropylβ-D-thiogalactogalactop-yranoside(IPTG)进行诱导表达,在15℃和170r/min条件下,继续培养60h后,表达效果最好,产酶可达到400u/mL,是A.oryzae自然条件下产酶量的4000倍,也高于已报道的真菌果胶酸酯裂解酶在真菌体系中重组表达的效果。     

信号肽在大肠杆菌分泌系统中的研究与应用进展

大肠杆菌以其明显的优势成为表达重组蛋白常用的系统,但是大肠杆菌本身不具备细胞内形成二硫键的氧化条件和分子机制,而且高水平表达时常容易聚集形成包涵体,限制了其使用,改善这一缺点的重要方法是通过信号肽实现蛋白质的分泌表达.信号肽一般存在于分泌蛋白的氨基端,能够引导蛋白质通过大肠杆菌中的Sec或/和Tat系统分泌至周质空间....     

分型检测致泻性大肠埃希氏菌PCR技术研究进展

致泻性大肠埃希氏菌是一类能够引起人类和动物腹泻的食源性致病菌,迅速确定致泻性大肠埃希氏菌的污染来源可有效缩小疫情影响范围,建立简便高效的致泻性大肠埃希氏菌检测与分型技术是保障食品安全和控制疫情的关键。为适应对时间敏感度较高要求的现场或在线检测,基于PCR技术的检测分型方法不断地被标准化和规范化。对近年来国内外的致泻性大肠埃希氏菌分子检测与分型的PCR技术研究进展进行了综述,并详细地介绍了多重聚合酶链反应、荧光实时定量聚合酶链反应和核酸等温扩增技术的原理及其优缺点。为致病菌溯源方法的选择提供参考,对防御并控制致病菌引起流行病传播具有重要的意义。     

原子氧自由基阴离子对大肠杆菌细胞作用的研究

研究了原子氧自由基阴离子(O-)对大肠杆菌的失活作用和形貌变化的影响.实验所用的O-自由基由新研制的O-发生器制备,其中[Ca24Al28O64]4· 4O-(缩写为C12A7-O-)材料是O-发生器中发射O-的部分.实验结果表明,大肠杆菌的失活率随O-强度的变化而变化,在O-强度为1.5μA/cm2时,细胞的死亡率大大加强,作用120min后,细胞死亡率超过3个对数量级.通过场发射扫描电子显微镜观察发现O-对细胞结构具有破坏作用.通过丙二醛(MDA)的形成证实了O-诱导大肠杆菌发生脂质过氧化反应过程的存在,这可能是大肠杆菌死亡的潜在原因.当1.5μA/cm2的O-流通入到大肠杆菌悬浊液后,丙二醛浓度开始升高,15min后达到最高值1.2μmol/g,然后缓慢下降.结果显示,原子氧自由基阴离子能失活大肠杆菌,诱导脂质过氧化反应,这对发展一种新的净化微生物污染方法和研究微生物与原子氧自由基阴离子相互作用具有潜在的意义.     

大肠杆菌丁醇耐受机制及耐受菌选育研究进展

随着全球变暖和能源危机日益加剧,生物丁醇因能用作清洁能源和重要化学品而备受关注。大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)由于具有优良的遗传操作性能成为丁醇生产的底盘菌,但丁醇对细胞的毒害作用已成为提高工程菌丁醇产量的瓶颈,因而增强E.coli丁醇耐受性是提高工程菌丁醇产量的必要前提。为此,需要详细了解E.coli丁醇耐受机制。丁醇可破坏细胞膜的屏障作用、扰乱物质转运和传递功能,细胞产生与热激、渗透等胁迫类似的生理应答反应,通过转录与翻译调节应答丁醇胁迫。从上述几个方面综述了E.coli丁醇耐受机制,并总结了运用基因工程理性设计获得丁醇耐受菌株的研究进展。然而目前丁醇耐受机制尚未完全揭示,限制了理性设计策略的应用,因此概括了运用定向进化获得耐受丁醇菌株并解析丁醇耐受功能基因的反向代谢工程策略在此方面的研究进展。同时也关注和评述了最新的组合策略、化学修饰方法提高E.coli丁醇耐受性的研究。最后总结和展望了提高底盘菌株E.coli丁醇耐受性的关键策略。     

不同培养时期的大肠杆菌和枯草芽孢杆菌间发生的跨属自然遗传转化

携带穿梭质粒的大肠杆菌与作为受体的枯草芽孢杆菌分别培养至不同生长阶段混合均匀后静置40min,涂布选择性平板,37℃培养30h后得到一定数目的转化子,DNaseⅠ敏感实验证实质粒是通过自然遗传转化而非其它形式发生转移。实验发现大肠杆菌可以在特定生长时期向胞外分泌DNA,并且在对数期具有最高的提供质粒的能力,而生长后期的细胞因为体系中DNase量的增加转化频率下降。进一步的研究发现枯草芽孢杆菌在营养丰富的LB培养基中也具有与基本培养基中相当的转化能力,并且在对数生长前期具有较高的转化频率。     

The tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from Escherichia coli: Complete nucleotide sequence of the structural gene

The structural component of the tyrS gene of Escherichia coli, comprising 1269 base pairs, has been fully sequenced by the combined M13/dideoxychain termination approach. The gene has a codon usage pattern which is typical of highly expressed proteins and similar to other Escherichia coli aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase genes. Peptide purification and sequencing has been used to locate the N-terminus and to provide confirmation of 95% of the translated protein sequence. This latter yields on M_r of 47 403 for the Escherichia coli tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase, and reveals considerable homology with the primary structure of the analogous enzyme isolated from Bacillus staerothermophilus.     

重组蛋白融合信号肽在大肠杆菌周质空间表达的研究进展

重组蛋白在大肠杆菌中表达时,往往面临着形成包涵体的问题,而重组蛋白若是分泌至周质空间则基本解决了这一问题,周质空间的周质蛋白不仅能帮助重组蛋白正确折叠还有利于二硫键的生成。信号肽是一段由15-30个氨基酸组成,被融合在重组蛋白N端的短肽,按照结构、功能的不同可以划分为N区、H区和C区,具有引导重组蛋白转运至细胞周质空间的作用。本文综述了信号肽的结构组成、作用机理和基本分泌途径,讨论了信号肽的高效转运和筛选方法,总结了在大肠杆菌中重组蛋白融合信号肽实现周质表达的新进展,并对未来高效信号肽选择方面的研究进行了探讨。