Conservation of an ATP-binding domain among RecA proteins from Proteus vulgaris, Erwinia carotovora, Shigella flexneri, and Escherichia coli K-12 and B/r.

The purified RecA proteins encoded by the cloned genes from Proteus vulgaris, Erwinia carotovora, Shigella flexneri, and Escherichia coli B/r were compared with the RecA protein from E. coli K-12. Each of the proteins hydrolyzed ATP in the presence of single-stranded DNA, and each was covalently modified with the photoaffinity ATP analog 8-azidoadenosine 5'-triphosphate (8N3ATP). Two-dimensional tryptic maps of the four heterologous RecA proteins demonstrated considerable structural conservation among these bacterial genera. Moreover, when the [alpha-32P]8N3ATP-modified proteins were digested with trypsin and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography, a single peak of radioactivity was detected in each of the digests and these peptides eluted identically with the tryptic peptide T31 of the E. coli K-12 RecA protein, which was the unique site of 8N3ATP photolabeling. Each of the heterologous recA genes hybridized to oligonucleotide probes derived from the ATP-binding domain sequence of the E. coli K-12 gene. These last results demonstrate that the ATP-binding domain of the RecA protein has been strongly conserved for greater than 10(7) years.     

Functional properties of Borrelia burgdorferi recA

Functions of the Borrelia burgdorferi RecA protein were investigated in Escherichia coli recA null mutants. Complementation with B. burgdorferi recA increased survival of E. coli recA mutants by 3 orders of magnitude at a UV dose of 2,000 microJ/cm(2). The viability at this UV dose was about 10% that provided by the homologous recA gene. Expression of B. burgdorferi recA resulted in survival of E. coli at levels of mitomycin C that were lethal to noncomplemented hosts. B. burgdorferi RecA was as effective as E. coli RecA in mediating homologous recombination in E. coli. Furthermore, E. coli lambda phage lysogens complemented with B. burgdorferi recA produced phage even in the absence of UV irradiation. The level of phage induction was 55-fold higher than the level in cells complemented with the homologous recA gene, suggesting that B. burgdorferi RecA may possess an enhanced coprotease activity. This study indicates that B. burgdorferi RecA mediates the same functions in E. coli as the homologous E. coli protein mediates. However, the rapid loss of viability and the absence of induction in recA expression after UV irradiation in B. burgdorferi suggest that recA is not involved in the repair of UV-induced damage in B. burgdorferi. The primary role of RecA in B. burgdorferi is likely to be a role in some aspect of recombination.     

Transgenic expression of RecA of the spirochetes Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia hermsii in Escherichia coli revealed differences in DNA repair and recombination phenotypes

After unsuccessful attempts to recover a viable RecA-deficient mutant of the Lyme borreliosis agent Borrelia burgdorferi, we characterized the functional activities of RecA of B. burgdorferi, as well as RecA of the relapsing fever spirochete Borrelia hermsii and the free-living spirochete Leptospira biflexa, in a recA mutant of Escherichia coli. As a control, E. coli RecA was expressed from the same plasmid vector. DNA damage repair activity was assessed after exposure of the transgenic cells to UV light or the radiomimetic chemicals methyl methanesulfonate and mitomycin C. Recombination activity in the cells was assessed by using an assay for homologous recombination between repeats in the chromosome and by measuring the ability of the cells to foster lytic growth by red gam mutant bacteriophage lambda. Overall, we found that transgenic cells with recA genes of B. burgdorferi, B. hermsii, and L. biflexa had approximately equivalent activities in promoting homologous recombination in the lacZ duplication assay, but cells with B. burgdorferi recA and, most notably, B. hermsii recA were significantly less capable than cells with L. biflexa recA or E. coli recA in responding to DNA damage or in facilitating plaque formation in the phage assay. The comparatively poor function of Borrelia recA in the latter set of assays may be the consequence of impaired coordination in the loading of the transgenic RecA by RecBCD and/or RecFOR in E. coli.     

Cloning of the recA gene from a free-living leptospire and distribution of RecA-like protein among spirochetes

A recombinant plasmid carrying the recA gene of Leptospira biflexa serovar patoc was isolated from a cosmid library of genomic DNA by complementation of an Escherichia coli recA mutation. The cloned serovar patoc recA gene efficiently restored resistance to UV radiation and methyl methanesulfonate. Recombination proficiency was also restored, as measured by the formation of Lac+ recombinants from duplicated mutant lacZ genes. Additionally, the cloned recA gene increased the spontaneous and mitomycin C-induced production of lambda phage in lysogens of an E. coli recA mutant. The product of the cloned recA gene was identified in maxicells as a polypeptide with an Mr of 43,000. Antibodies prepared against the E. coli RecA protein cross-reacted with the serovar patoc RecA protein, indicating structural conservation. Southern hybridization data showed that the serovar patoc recA gene has diverged from the recA gene of L. interrogans, Leptonema illini, and E. coli. With the exception of the RecA protein of L. interrogans serovar hardjo, the RecA protein of the Leptospira serovars and L. illini were synthesized at elevated levels following treatment of cells with nalidixic acid. The level of detectable RecA correlated with previous studies demonstrating that free-living cells of L. biflexa serovars and L. illini were considerably more resistant to DNA-damaging agents than were those of parasitic L. interrogans serovars. RecA protein was not detected in cells of virulent Treponema pallidum or Borrelia burgdorferi.     

Cloning of the recA gene from a free-living leptospire and distribution of RecA-like protein among spirochetes.

A recombinant plasmid carrying the recA gene of Leptospira biflexa serovar patoc was isolated from a cosmid library of genomic DNA by complementation of an Escherichia coli recA mutation. The cloned serovar patoc recA gene efficiently restored resistance to UV radiation and methyl methanesulfonate. Recombination proficiency was also restored, as measured by the formation of Lac+ recombinants from duplicated mutant lacZ genes. Additionally, the cloned recA gene increased the spontaneous and mitomycin C-induced production of lambda phage in lysogens of an E. coli recA mutant. The product of the cloned recA gene was identified in maxicells as a polypeptide with an Mr of 43,000. Antibodies prepared against the E. coli RecA protein cross-reacted with the serovar patoc RecA protein, indicating structural conservation. Southern hybridization data showed that the serovar patoc recA gene has diverged from the recA gene of L. interrogans, Leptonema illini, and E. coli. With the exception of the RecA protein of L. interrogans serovar hardjo, the RecA protein of the Leptospira serovars and L. illini were synthesized at elevated levels following treatment of cells with nalidixic acid. The level of detectable RecA correlated with previous studies demonstrating that free-living cells of L. biflexa serovars and L. illini were considerably more resistant to DNA-damaging agents than were those of parasitic L. interrogans serovars. RecA protein was not detected in cells of virulent Treponema pallidum or Borrelia burgdorferi.     

Modulation of EcoKI restriction in vivo: role of the lambda Gam protein and plasmid metabolism.

Two novel types of alleviation of DNA restriction by the EcoKI restriction endonuclease are described. The first type depends on the presence of the gam gene product (Gam protein) of bacteriophage lambda. The efficiency of plating of unmodified phage lambda is greatly increased when the restricting Escherichia coli K-12 host carries a gam+ plasmid. The effect is particularly striking in wild-type strains and, to a lesser extent, in the presence of sbcC and recA mutations. In all cases, Gam-dependent alleviation of restriction requires active recBCD genes of the host and recombination (red) genes of the infecting phage. The enhanced capacity of Gam-expressing cells to repair DNA strand breaks might account for this phenomenon. The second type is caused by the presence of a plasmid in a restricting host lacking RecBCD enzyme. Commonly used plasmids such as the cloning vector pACYC184 can produce such an effect in strains carrying recB single mutations or in recBC sbcBC strains. Plasmid-mediated restriction alleviation in recBC sbcBC strains is independent of the host RecF, RecJ, and RecA proteins and phage recombination functions. The presence of plasmids can also relieve restriction in recD strains. This effect depends, however, on the RecA function in the host. The molecular mechanism of the plasmid-mediated restriction alleviation remains unclear.     

Cloning of the recA gene of Bordetella pertussis and characterization of its product.

A recA gene of Bordetella pertussis was identified in a plasmid library by complementation of a recA mutation in E coli and subcloned as a 2.1-kb Sph I DNA fragment. Southern hybridization experiments showed no similarity to the E coli recA gene, but very strong similarity to other Bordetella species. E coli recA mutant cells containing the B pertussis recA gene at high gene dosage were resistant to DNA-damaging agents such as methyl methane sulfonate or 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide, displayed induction of SOS functions, and were able to promote DNA recombination, but not induction of phage lambda. The latter phenotype distinguishes the B pertussis recA gene product from the corresponding proteins from most other Gram-negative organisms. Amino acid sequence comparisons revealed a high degree of structural conservation between prokaryotic RecA proteins.     

Influence of different rol gene products on the chain length of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 lipopolysaccharide O antigen expressed by Shigella flexneri carrier strains.

Introduction of the rol genes of Shigella dysenteriae 1 and Escherichia coli K-12 into Shigella flexneri carrier strains expressing the heterologous S. dysenteriae type 1 lipopolysaccharide resulted in the formation of longer chains of S. dysenteriae 1 O antigen. In bacteria producing both homologous and heterologous O antigen, this resulted in a reduction of the masking of heterologous O antigen by homologous lipopolysaccharide and an increased immune response induced by intraperitoneal immunization of mice by recombinant bacteria. The rol genes of S. dysenteriae 1 and E. coli K-12 were sequenced, and their gene products were compared with the S. flexneri Rol protein. The primary sequence of S. flexneri Rol differs from both E. coli K-12 and S. dysenteriae 1 Rol proteins only at positions 267 and 270, which suggests that this region may be responsible for the difference in biological activities.     

DNA sequence analysis of the recA genes from Proteus vulgaris, Erwinia carotovora, Shigella flexneri and Escherichia coli B/r

Summary The complete nucleotide sequences of therecA genes fromEscherichia coli B/r,Shigella flexneri, Erwinia carotovora andProteus vulgaris were determined. The DNA sequence of the coding region of theE. coli B/r gene contained a single nucleotide change compared with theE. coli K12 gene sequence whereas theS. flexneri gene differed at 7 residues. In both cases, the predicted proteins were identical in primary structure to theE. coli K12 RecA protein. The DNA sequences of the recA genes fromE. carotovora andP. vulgaris were 80% and 74% homologous, respectively, to theE. coli K12 gene. The predicted amino acid sequences of theE. carotovora andP. vulgaris RecA proteins were 91% and 85% identical respectively, to that ofE. coli K12. The RecA proteins from bothP. vulgaris andE. carotovora diverged significantly in sequence in the last 50 residues whereas they showed striking conservation throughout the first 300 amino acids which include an ATP-binding region and a subunit interaction domain. A putative LexA repressor binding site was localized upstream of each of the heterologous genes.     

5-Azacytidine: survival and induction of the SOS response in Escherichia coli K-12

Survival and induction of the SOS system by 5-azacytidine, an analog of cytidine, were studied in Escherichia coli K-12. This compound did not produce any effect on the viability of dcm and dam dcm mutants. Furthermore, recA430 and lexA1 strains (both mutations interfere with LexA repressor cleavage but not recombination proficiency) were more resistant than the wild-type strain of E. coli K-12. In contrast, recBC and recA13 mutants were more sensitive to 5-azacytidine than the wild type. Transient exposure of E. coli to 5-azacytidine for 60 min induced both recA-dependent inhibition of cell division and induction of lambda prophage in Dcm+ strains but not in Dcm- mutants. Expression of both functions was dependent on recBC exonuclease. On the other hand, 5-azacytidine was unable to trigger the induction of umuCD and mucB genes and no amplification of RecA protein synthesis in either Dcm+ or Dcm- strains was observed. These last results are in agreement with previously reported data suggesting that there is a discrimination in the expression of the several SOS functions and that some SOS genes may be induced without amplification of RecA protein synthesis.     

Molecular cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of the recA gene of Legionella pneumophila

Interspecific complementation of an Escherichia coli recA mutant with a Legionella pneumophila genomic library was used to identify a recombinant plasmid encoding the L. pneumophila recA gene. Recombinant E. coli strains harbouring the L. pneumophila recA gene were isolated by replica-plating bacterial colonies on medium containing methyl methanesulphonate (MMS). MMS-resistant clones were identified as encoding the L. pneumophila recA analogue by their ability to protect E. coli HB101 from UV exposure and promote homologous recombination. Subcloning of selected restriction fragments and Tn5 mutagenesis localized the recA gene to a 1.7 kb Bg/II-EcoRI fragment. Analysis of minicell preparations harbouring a 1.9 kb EcoRI fragment containing the recA coding segment revealed a single 37.5 kDa protein. Insertional inactivation of the cloned recA gene by Tn5 resulted in the disappearance of the 37.5 kDa protein, concomitant with the loss of RecA function. The L. pneumophila recA gene product did not promote induction of a lambda lysogen; instead, the presence of the heterologous recA gene caused a significant reduction in spontaneous and mitomycin-C-induced prophage induction in recA+ and recA E. coli backgrounds. Despite the lack of significant genetic homology between the L. pneumophila recA gene and the E. coli counterpart, the L. pneumophila RecA protein was nearly identical to that of E. coli in molecular mass, and the two proteins showed antigenic cross-reactivity. Western blot analysis of UV-treated L. pneumophila revealed a significant increase in RecA antigen in irradiated versus control cells, suggesting that the L. pneumophila recA gene is regulated in a manner similar to that of E. coli recA.     

Temperature Sensitivity of Maltose Utilization and Lambda Resistance in Escherichia coli B

Escherichia coli B strains that have acquired the malB region from E. coli K-12 are able to utilize maltose and to adsorb phage lambda when grown at 30 C, but when grown at 40 C they do not absorb phage lambda and are devoid of amylomaltase activity. These Mal(ts) Lam(ts) cells can be mutated or transduced to become able to grow on maltose at 40 C, but they still have no detectable amylomaltase activity nor functional lambda receptors at that temperature. This Mal(40) phenotype is governed by a gene located near or at malA. It is suggested that the temperature sensitivity of both characters results from a defect in malT. However, transduction of malA from E. coli B to E. coli K-12 results in a wild-type phenotype, whereas E. coli B cells that have acquired malA from E. coli K-12 donors are still temperature sensitive for both amylomaltase and lambda-receptor production.     

Cloning and characterization of the Aeromonas caviae recA gene and construction of an A. caviae recA mutant.

A recombinant plasmid carrying the recA gene of Aeromonas caviae was isolated from an A. caviae genomic library by complementation of an Escherichia coli recA mutant. The plasmid restored resistance to both UV irradiation and to the DNA-damaging agent methyl methanesulfonate in the E. coli recA mutant strain. The cloned gene also restored recombination proficiency as measured by the formation of lac+ recombinants from duplicated mutant lacZ genes and by the ability to propagate a strain of phage lambda (red gam) that requires host recombination functions for growth. The approximate location of the recA gene on the cloned DNA fragment was determined by constructing deletions and by the insertion of Tn5, both of which abolished the ability of the recombinant plasmid to complement the E. coli recA strains. A. caviae recA::Tn5 was introduced into A. caviae by P1 transduction. The resulting A. caviae recA mutant strain was considerably more sensitive to UV light than was its parent. Southern hybridization analysis indicated that the A. caviae recA gene has diverged from the recA genes from a variety of gram-negative bacteria, including A. hydrophila and A. sobria. Maxicell labeling experiments revealed that the RecA protein of A. caviae had an Mr of about 39,400.     

Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli K-12 of the genes for major outer membrane protein OmpA from Shigella dysenteriae, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Serratia marcescens.

The outer membranes of many gram-negative bacteria contain a major heat-modifiable protein which shows serological cross-reactivity with the OmpA protein of Escherichia coli K-12. Using the cloned gene for the E. coli K12 protein as a DNA-DNA hybridization probe, we were able to identify the corresponding genes from Shigella dysenteriae. Enterobacter aerogenes, and Serratia marcescens. These were cloned in a phage lambda vector, and their expression in E. coli K-12 was studied. All three OmpA proteins were fully produced and correctly exported to the outer membrane. In several cases, complete or partial restoration of known function of the E. coli K-12 protein was observed.     

recA is required in the induction of pectin lyase and carotovoricin in Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora.

Pectin lyase (PNL) and the bacteriocin carotovoricin (CTV) were induced in Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora 71 by the DNA-damaging agents mitomycin C, nalidixic acid, and UV light. To determine whether the recA product was involved in the expression of these damage-inducible phenotypes, we cloned the E. carotovora subsp. carotovora recA+ gene, inactivated it by Tn5 insertion, and constructed an E. carotovora subsp. carotovora recA::Tn5 strain by gene replacement via homologous recombination. The RecA- strain was more sensitive to methyl methanesulfonate, nitroquinoline oxide, and UV light than its RecA+ parent. The recA mutation did not affect the production of pectate lyase, polygalacturonase, cellulase, and protease or the ability to cause soft rot of potato tubers. With this mutant, unlike with the RecA+ parent strain, PNL and CTV were not induced by mitomycin C or detected in potato tuber tissue. The RecA+ phenotype, including the inducibility of PNL and CTV, could, however, be restored in the mutant in trans by the recA+ gene from either E. carotovora subsp. carotovora or Escherichia coli. We conclude that, in E. carotovora subsp. carotovora, the recA product is required in the induction of PNL and CTV.     

Isolation and characterization of a temperature-sensitive dnaK mutant of Escherichia coli B.

A temperature-sensitive dnaK mutant (strain MT112) was isolated from Escherichia coli B strain H/r30RT by thymineless death selection at 43 degrees C. By genetic mapping, the mutation [dnaK7(Ts)] was located near the thr gene (approximately 0.2 min on the may). E. coli K-12 transductants of the mutation to temperature sensitivity were assayed for their susceptibility to transducing phage lambda carrying the dnaK and/or the dnaJ gene. All of the transductants were able to propagate phage lambda carrying the dnaK gene. When macromolecular synthesis of the mutant was assayed at 43 degrees C, it was observed that both deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid syntheses were severely inhibited. Thus, it was suggested that the conditionally defective dnaK mutation affects both cellular deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid syntheses at the nonpermissive temperature in addition to inability to propagate phage lambda at permissive temperature.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of the recA gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO.

The recA gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO has been isolated and introduced into Escherichia coli K-12. Resistance to killing by UV irradiation was restored in several RecA-E. coli K-12 hosts by the P. aeruginosa gene, as was resistance to methyl methanesulfonate. Recombination proficiency was also restored, as measured by HfrH-mediated conjugation and by the ability to propagate Fec-phage lambda derivatives. The cloned P. aeruginosa recA gene restored both spontaneous and mitomycin C-stimulated induction of lambda prophage in lysogens of a recA strain of E. coli K-12.     

The occurrence of duplicate lysyl-tRNA synthetase gene homologs in Escherichia coli and other procaryotes.

The lysyl-tRNA synthetase (LysRS) system of Escherichia coli K-12 consists of two genes, lysS, which is constitutive, and lysU, which is inducible. It is of importance to know how extensively the two-gene LysRS system is distributed in procaryotes, in particular, among members of the family Enterobacteriaceae. To this end, the enterics E. coli K-12 and B; E. coli reference collection (ECOR) isolates EC2, EC49, EC65, and EC68; Shigella flexneri; Salmonella typhimurium; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Enterobacter aerogenes; Serratia marcescens; and Proteus vulgaris and the nonenterics Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus megaterium were grown in AC broth to a pH of 5.5 or less or cultured in SABO medium at pH 5.0. These growth conditions are known to induce LysRS activity (LysU synthesis) in E. coli K-12. Significant induction of LysRS activity (twofold or better) was observed in the E. coli strains, the ECOR isolates, S. flexneri, K. pneumoniae, and E. aerogenes. To demonstrate an association between LysRS induction and two distinct LysRS genes, Southern blotting was performed with a probe representing an 871-bp fragment amplified from an internal portion of the coding region of the lysU gene. In initial experiments, chromosomal DNA from E. coli K-12 strain MC4100 (lysS+ lysU+) was double digested with either BamHI and HindIII or BamHI and SalI, producing hybridizable fragments of 12.4 and 4.2 kb and 6.6 and 5.2 kb, respectively. Subjecting the chromosomal DNA of E. coli K-12 strain GNB10181 (lysS+ delta lysU) to the same regimen established that the larger fragment from each digestion contained the lysU gene. The results of Southern blot analysis of the other bacterial strains revealed that two hybridizable fragments were obtained from all of the E. coli and ECOR collection strains examined and S. flexneri, K. pneumoniae, and E. aerogenes. Only one lysU homolog was found with S. typhimurium and S. marcescens, and none was obtained with P. vulgaris. A single hybridizable band was found with both P. aeruginose and B, megaterium. These results show that the dual-gene LysRS system is not confined to E. coli K-12 and indicate that it may have first appeared in the genus Enterobacter.     

Behavior of Coliphage Lambda in Shigella flexneri 2a

The insensitivity of wild-type Shigella flexneri 2a to coliphage lambda is a consequence of its native genetic defect in the malA gene cluster. The "smooth" S. flexneri 2a lipopolysaccharide layer affects the efficient adsorption of lambda. Derivatives, capable of serving as functional hosts for lambda, were obtained by repairing the malA lesion, enabling the expression of the malB-lambdarcp region of S. flexneri. Introduction of a mutation into S. flexneri causing a "rough" lipopolysaccharide character resulted in more efficient adsorption of lambda. Such S. flexneri hosts can be stably lysogenized and upon induction yield gal(+)-transducing lysates. Lambda propagated on a malA(+) rough S. flexneri host was restricted by Escherichia coli K-12 and E. coli B, but not by E. coli C. This S. flexneri host did not restrict lambda grown on these E. coli strains.