Restriction endonuclease mapping and mutagenesis of the F sex factor replication region

Summary The plasmids pSC138 and pML31 each contain the EcoRI-generated f5 replicator fragment of the conjugative plasmid F in addition to an EcoRI fragment encoding antibiotic resistance: ampicillin resistance derived from Staphylococcus aureus in pSC138 and kanamycin resistance from Escherichia coli in pML31. We have mapped one HindIII and two BamHI restriction sites in the f5 region of these plasmids and one HindIII site in the antibiotic resistance region of each plasmid. The HindIII site in the Km region of pML31 occurs in the kan gene whereas the HindIII site in the Ap region of pSC138 appears to occur in an area important for the regulation of -lactamase production.By means of in vitro recombinant DNA manipulation of plasmids pML31 and pSC138, we have shown that 1.9x10⁶ daltons of the 6.0x10⁶ dalton f5 fragment can be deleted without disrupting plasmid stability. In addition, we have used these same techniques to isolate a novel F-controlled Ap plasmid cloning vehicle which contains a single restriction site for each of the enzymes EcoRI, HindIII, and BamHI. This cloning vehicle has been linked via either its EcoRI or HindIII site to a ColE1 plasmid replicon to yield stable recombinants.     

Cloning of calf thymus satellite I DNA in Escherichia coli

Summary The 1400 base pair repeat produced by digestion of calf satellite I DNA (=1.714 g/cm³) with EcoRI, was cloned in E. coli. The hybrid plasmid (pGM 214) which contains the ColE1-Ap vector (pSF 2124) and the 1400 base pair fragment replicates stably in E. coli and can be amplified by chloramphenicol treatment.No clone was found in which more than one repeat unit of the satellite I DNA was present in the chimaera plasmid.Digestion of the original satellite I and the plasmid pGM 214 with R · SmaI shows that the satellite DNA replicated in E. coli is cleaved by the restriction endonuclease SmaI whereas the original satellite I DNA from calf thymus is not, suggesting that the satellite I contains a large amount of modified cytosine or guanosine, probably 5-methyl-cytosine.R · EcoRI^* produces a number of fragments with the satellite I in the range of 300 base pairs to 1400 base pairs.A physical map of pGM 214 (and pSF 2124) with R · EcoRI, R · HincII, HindIII, R · SmaI, R · BamI and R · EclI was constructed.The 1400 base pair repeat unit in the pGM 214 is efficiently transcribed in vitro by purified RNA polymerase, starting from a pSF 2124 promoter.The restriction enzyme EclI produces a 350 base pair repeat with calf satellite II (=1,722 g/cm³), whereas the satellite I is not cut by this enzyme.     

Characterization of cloned rat ribosomal DNA fragments

Summary Two Charon 4A lambda bacteriophage clones were characterized which contain all and part of the 18S ribosomal DNA of the rat. One clone contained two Eco RI fragments which include the whole 18S ribosomal RNA region and part of 28S ribosomal RNA region. The other clone contained an Eco RI fragment which covers part of 18S ribosomal RNA region. There were differences between the two clones in the non-transcribed spacer regions suggesting that there is heterogeneity in the non-transcribed spacer regions of rat ribosomal genes. The restriction map of the cloned mouse ribosomal DNA. Eco RI, Hind III, Pst I, and Bam HI sites in 18S ribosomal RNA region were in the same places in mouse and rat DNA but the restriction sites in the 5-spacer regions were different.     

Cloning of sporulation gene spoIVC in Bacillus subtilis

Summary Sporulation gene spoIVC of Bacillus subtilis was cloned by the prophage transformation method in temperate phage 105. The specialized transducing phage, 105spoIVC-1, restored the sporulation of the asporogenous mutant of B. subtilis strain 1S47 (spoIVC133). Transformation experiments showed that the spoIVC gene resides on a 7.3 kb HindIII restriction fragment. Subsequent analysis of the 7.3 kb HindIII fragment with restriction endonuclease EcoRI showed that the spoIVC gene resides on a 3.6 kb EcoRI fragment within the 7.3 kb fragment. The 3.6 kb fragment was recloned into the unique EcoRI site of plasmid pUB110 and deletion derivatives having a deletion within the 3.6 kb insert were constructed. The plasmid carrying the entire spoIVC gene restored the sporulation of strain HU1214 (spoIVC133, recE4) at a frequency of 10⁷ spores/ml, and reduced the sporulation of strain HU1018 (spo ⁺, recE4) to 10⁷ spores/ml.     

Structural analysis of EcoRI-DNA complexes as revealed by electron microscopy

Electron microscopy of negatively stained isolated restriction enzyme EcoRI revealed particle projections with triangular or square outlines, indicating that the enzyme, in its tetrameric state, is tetrahedron-like. The two dimers making up the tetramer appear to be arranged in two planes orthogonal to each other. Complexes formed by EcoRI with the plasmids pBR322 or pGW10 were investigated by electron microscopic spreading techniques. In the presence of Mg²⁺, EcoRI was bound to the DNA molecules to form pearl necklace-like aggregates. The number of bound EcoRI particles was much higher as the sum of EcoRI-and 5..AATT..3 sites (with exceptions, the 5..AATT..3 sites may function as one type of EcoRI^* sites) along the DNAs, indicating unspecific binding. In the absence of Mg²⁺, EcoRI was bound to the DNA only at the recognition site for EcoRI and the sites where the tetranucleotide sequence 5..AATT..3 was present. A direct correlation of the local concentrations of the bases A and T within the flanking sequences of the binding sites with the frequency of EcoRI to the DNA was observed. Dimers and tetramers of the enzyme was found to bind to the DNA. Tetramers occasionally exhibited two binding sites for DNA as indicated by the observation of DNA loops originating at the sites of bound tetrameric EcoRI particles.Abbreviations BAC Benzyldimethylalkylammoniumchloride - bp base pairs - Kb kilobases - SDS sodium dodecylsulfate Enzymes (EC 3.1.23.13) Restrictionendonuclease EcoRI - (EC 3.1.23.21) Restrictionendonuclease HindIII - (EC 3.1.23.37) Restrictionendonuclease SalGI Dedicated Professor H. G. Schlegel on occasion of this 60th birthday     

Molecular cloning of the T4 genome; organization and expression of the frd--DNA ligase region

Summary derivatives including the thymidylate synthetase (td) gene of T4 were selected by their ability to substitute for the thyA gene of E. coli. Two HindIII fragments of T4 DNA, but only one EcoRI fragment, are required for a functional td gene; one of the HindIII fragments includes a functional frd gene. The organisation of the EcoRI and HindIII fragments in the td region and their orientation with respect to the T4 genome have been deduced from genetic, physical, and functional evidence. The T4 genes can be transcribed from phage promoters and the T4td derivatives include genes specifying five T4 polypeptides. Three of these are identified as the products of the frd, td, and nrdA genes; two, neither of which appears to be the nrdB gene product, remain to be identified. Some td phages yield lysogens of thyA bacteria which are thymine-independent and some frd phages yield trimethoprim-resistant lysogens, indicating that the td and frd genes can be transcribed from included T4 DNA sequences. EcoRI fragments of DNA from the td and lig regions, used as probes, identified a single large HindIII fragment that joins the HindIII fragment carrying the DNA ligase gene to that carrying the td gene. Since this fragment, which must include genes coding for RNA ligase and polynucleotide kinase, could not be recovered in either phage or plasmid vectors, a derivative of it was used to identify the EcoRI fragments located between the td and DNA ligase genes. The order of these fragments within the T4 genome was deduced and all but one of them cloned in a vector. As none of these recombinants rescued T4 phage having mutations within the RNA ligase gene, the missing fragment may include this gene. Three adjacent EcoRI fragments, each of which has been cloned, are missing in a mutant of T4 deleted for the polynucleotide kinase gene.     

Complete cloning of the chloroplast genome of safflower in λ EMBL3 and mapping of 23S and 16S rRNA genes

Summary A recombinant DNA library was constructed from partial BamHI or MboI digests of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) chloroplast DNA, in the BamHI site of EMBL3. Seventeen recombinants, selected by chromosome walking, were found to contain overlapping fragments of the entire chloroplast genome. These clones were mapped using single and double digests of BamHI, EcoRI and HindIII. cDNAs synthesized from isolated 16S and 23S chloroplast rRNAs were used to map the ribosomal RNA genes relative to physical maps of the above restriction enzymes. The mapped positions of the rRNA genes for the safflower chloroplast DNA are in good agreement with previously published data for tobacco, spinach and several other higher plants.     

Cloning of bacteriophage T5 promoters

Summary Bacteriophage T5 was subjected to combined hydrolysis with the restriction endonuclease PstI and HindIII and the resulting fragments were inserted into the plasmid pBR322. Selection of transformants for Ap^s-Tc^r-phenotype made it possible to screen the hybrid plasmids that contained promoter sequences in the cloned fragments.Two PstI/HindIII fragment, 720 bp (51% of the T5 DNA length) and 1,200 bp (70%) were cloned in this study. Tc^r levels for these plasmids were as high as 18 g/ml and 75 g/ml, respectively. The presence of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase binding sites on both fragments was shown using the nitrocellulose filter assay. These binding sites are situated between 35 bp and 95 bp from the HindIII cleavage site on the 1,200 bp fragment; and within 420 bp from the HindIII site on the 720 bp fragment.Abbreviations Ap ampicillin - Tc tetracycline - bp base pairs - NTPs nucleoside triphosphates - PBB polymerase binding buffer     

Bacteriophage phi 1 as a gene-cloning vector in Bacillus subtilis

Summary We attempted to use Bacillus subtilis phage 1 as a gene-cloning vector since the 1 genome was found to have few cleavage sites upon digestion with several kinds of restriction endonucleases. A 1 stock supplied by J. Ito (University of Arizona, Tucson, USA) consisted of two phages, 1E1 and 1E2, having one and two EcoRI-cleavage sites in their genomes respectively. From the latter isolate a deletion mutant 1E21 was induced to increase the size range of DNA segments to be cloned. It was demonstrated, by in vitro recombination experiments with phage 11 DNA, that 1E21 can be used for cloning EcoRI fragments of various sizes. We analyzed the DNAs of ten 1 clones isolated from independent transfectants and found that six of them carried 11 DNA fragments inserted at either of the two EcoRI-cleavage sites. Some of the hybrid phage DNAs were found to be cleaved with BamHI and HaeIII endonucleases at the 11 DNA portion, whereas the parental 1E21 DNA was insensitive to any of these enzymes. These hybrid phages would therefore be useful vectors for cloning foreign DNA fragments generated by cleavage with BamHI or HaeIII endonucleases.     

The tRNATyr multigene family of Nicotiana rustica: genome organization,sequence analyses and expression in vitro

Tobacco tRNA^Tyr genes are mainly organized as a dispersed multigene family as shown by hybridization with a tRNA^Tyr-specific probe to Southern blots of Eco RI-digested DNA. A Nicotiana genomic library was prepared by Eco RI digestion of nuclear DNA, ligation of the fragments into the vector gtWES·B and in vitro packaging. The phage library was screened with a 5-labelled synthetic oligonucleotide complementary to nucleotides 18 to 37 of cytoplasmic tobacco tRNA^Tyr. Eleven hybridizing Eco RI fragments ranging in size from 1.7 to 7.5 kb were isolated from recombinant lambda phage and subcloned into pUC19 plasmid. Four of the sequenced tRNA^Tyr genes code for the known tobacco tRNA₁ ^Tyr (GA) and seven code for tRNA₂ ^Tyr (GA). The two tRNA species differ in one nucleotide pair at the basis of the TC stem. Only one tRNA^Tyr gene (pNtY5) contains a point mutation (T54A54). Comparison of the intervening sequences reveals that they differ considerably in length and sequence. Maturation of intron-containing pre-tRNAs was studied in HeLa and wheat germ extracts. All pre-tRNAs^Tyr-with one exception-are processed and spliced in both extracts. The tRNA^Tyr gene encoded by pNtY5 is transcribed efficiently in HeLa extract but processing of the pre-tRNA is impaired.     

Development of genetic markers in celery based on restriction fragment length polymorphisms

Summary Linkage relationships are reported for 34 markers in celery (Apium graveolens L. var dulce) including 21 RFLP, 11 isozyme, and 2 morphological traits. The mapping was carried out in a cross between celery and an annual accession from Thailand, A143, and based on F₂ segregation of 136 plants. A total of 318 centiMorgans (cM) are covered by the markers distributed in 8 linkage groups. Probes for the identification of RFLPs were isolated from a celery cDNA library and were also obtained from heterologous sources. EcoRV, EcoRI, and HindIII were the most useful restriction enzymes in uncovering polymorphism. In our cross, 18% of the cDNA probes were found to be polymorphic for at least one of the enzymes used. Six of the markers showed significant deviations from expected F₂ ratios.     

Conservation of IS66 homologue of octopine Ti plasmid DNA in Rhizobium fredii plasmid DNA

Summary DNA sequences homologous to the T-DNA region of the octopine Ti plasmid from Agrobacterium tumefaciens are found in various fast-growing Rhizobium fredii strains. The largest fragment (BamHI fragment 2) at the right-boundary region of the core T-DNA hybridizes to more than one plasmid present in R. fredii. However, one smaller fragment (EcoRI fragment 19a) adjacent to the core T-DNA shows homology only with the plasmid carrying the symbiotic nitrogen-fixation genes (pSym). Hybridization data obtained with digested R. fredii USDA193 pSym DNA suggests that the homology is mainly with two HindIII fragments, 1.7 kb and 8.8 kb in size, of the plasmid. The 1.7 kb HindIII fragment also hybridizes to two regions of the virulence plasmid of A. tumefaciens, pAL1819, a deletion plasmid derived from the octopine Ti plasmid, pTiAch5. Hybridization studies with an insertion element IS66 from A. tumefaciens indicate that the 1.7 kb HindIII fragment of R. fredii plasmid, homologous to the T-DNA and the virulence region of Ti plasmid, is itself an IS66 homologue.     

Plasmids in Nitrobacter

A screening of nine Nitrobacter strains showed that Nitrobacter X14 and Nitrobacter Y possess plasmids designated as pNH1 and pNH2, respectively. The plasmids pNH1 and pNH2 had molecular weights of about 76 Mdal as estimated by agarose gel electrophoresis. They showed similar cleavage patterns when digested with EcoRI, HindIII or BamHI. Electron microscopic investigations exhibited that the plasmid pNH1 had a contour length of 36.9 m corresponding to a molecular weight of 76 Mdal.     

A map of the restriction targets in yeast 2 micron plasmid DNA cloned on bacteriophage lambda

Summary The 2 micron circular DNA from S. cerevisiae has been cloned on bacteriophage . The two forms of circular DNA which exist in equilibrium due to recombination between inverted repeat sequences were separated as stable clones, and a map of the targets for restriction endonucleases EcoRI, HindIII and HpaI was constructed. The circular DNAs isolated from a particular oligomycin resistant strain and its parent oligomycin sensitive strain were compared by restriction endonuclease analysis, and no difference was detected. The potential uses of cloned 2 micron DNA in determining the possible biological role of these plasmids are considered.     

Molecular cloning of fragments of bacteriophage T4 DNA

Summary Non-glucosylated T4 DNA was digested with R. EcoRI and the resulting fragments covalently joined to vectors. The genetic content of each -T4 hybrid was determined by marker-rescue tests. The isolation of many recombinants containing partialdigestion products of T4 DNA provided the overlapping sequences necessary to order fragments within the T4 genome. The present analyses include parts of the early region between genes 42 and 46, and much of the late region between genes 50 and 29. T4 cytosine-DNA digested to completion by R.EcoRI was used to identify the fragments of DNA within the -T4 recombinants. The T4 cytosine-DNA was also sensitive to R.HindIII and R.Xho but not to R.BamH1.     

DNA sequences homologous to the T DNA region of Agrobacterium tumefaciens are present in diverse Rhizobium species

Summary DNA sequences homologous to the T DNA region of the octopine-type Ti plasmid from Agrobacterium tumefaciens are present in different Rhizobium species. Plasmid DNA from each of two R. leguminosarum, two R. meliloti, and four slow-growing Rhizobium strains examined contain restriction endonuclease fragments that hybridize with the T DNA region, or with DNA sequences at or near the adjacent Ti plasmid transfer (ra) region. Four different BamHI fragments that contain homology to the T DNA region were cloned from R. leguminosarum 300 plasmid DNA. Cloned fragments of 5.9 kb and 10.3 kb hybridize to each other and are homologous to sequences which map at the right boundary region (EcoRI fragment 24) of the core T DNA. Ti plasmid sequences homologous to those present in cloned fragments of 10.9 kb and 2.0 kb map in adjacent fragments near the tra genes, approximately 10 kb to the right of the core T DNA.     

Inheritance of RFLP loci in a loblolly pine three-generation pedigree

Summary A high-density restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) linkage map is being constructed for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). Loblolly pine cDNA and genomic DNA clones were used as probes in hybridizations to genomic DNAs prepared from grandparents, parents, and progeny of a three-generation outbred pedigree. Approximately 200 probes were evaluated for their ability to detect polymorphic loci between DNAs prepared from the two parent trees, 20–1010 and 11–1060, and cut with four different restriction enzymes: BamHI, DraI, EcoRI, and HindIII. More than half of the probes detecting single- or low-copy number sequences (56%) revealed polymorphisms between the two parents with at least one restriction enzyme. If necessary, an additional hybridization to DNAs prepared from the four grandparent trees was conducted to determine the zygosity of parent trees. Ten of these probes were hybridized to progeny DNAs from this cross and, as expected, the markers were inherited as simple codominant Mendelian alleles. Four of the ten probes detected segregation of three alleles at one locus, and four probes detected more than one independently segregating locus. RFLPs can be used immediately to assess genetic diversity in conifer populations and to efingerprint genotypes in tree improvement programs.     

The cat hemoglobin polymorphism: Southern blot analysis of theβ-globin gene region from cats of various Hb A/Hb B phenotypes

The molecular basis for the genetic control of variable proportions of the two cat hemoglobins Hb A(_{2 2} ^A ) and Hb B (_{2 2} ^B ) was investigated. Ratios of Hb A/Hb B vary between 50/50 and 90/10 among members of the mongrel cat population, with clusters around 50, 35, and 10% Hb B. Genomic DNA from cats of 50/50, 70/30, and 90/10 phenotypes were cut by restriction endonucleasesHindIII,EcoRI,BamHI,Bg1II,and Pst1 and hybridized to a fragment of the human -globin gene. The results of the Southern blots suggested a pattern of homozygote, heterozygote, homozygote for the respective cat phenotypes, 50/50, 70/30, and 90/10. Therefore, the cat hemoglobin polymorphism seems to result from the possible combinations of an allelic gene pair.     

Studies on the bipolar argECBH operon of E. coli: characterization of restriction endonuclease fragments obtained from gammadargECBH transducing phages and a ColE1 argECBH plasmid.

Summary The isolation of a new type of transducing phage carrying the bipolar argECBH operon of E. coli K12 is described. The argECBH segment is inserted in the phage in a direction which is opposite from that of previously isolated argECBH-carrying phages. A colE1 argECBH plasmid has been constructed. DNA fragments resulting from digestion of these genetic elements with Eco RI and HindIII restriction enzymes have been characterized by agarose gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy, including heteroduplex analysis. Two fragments are of special significance for studies on the control of arginine synthesis, one of length 9.8 kilobases carrying the whole argECBH region, the other of length 2 kilobases carrying most or all of the control region between argE and argC.