Control of tryptophan synthetase amplified by varying the numbers of composite plasmids in Escherichia coli cells.

Using pSC101, RSF1010, RSF2124 and RP4 plasmids as vectors and bacteriophage lambdatrpD-A60-3 DNA as a source of the Escherichia coli whole tryptophan operon, composite plasmids of pSC101-trp, RSF1010-trp, RSF2124-trp and RP4-trp were constructed in vitro with EcoRI restriction endonuclease and DNA ligase. Each composite plasmid could be maintained stably in E. coli cells. The copy number of pSC101-trp, RSF1010-trp, RSF2124-trp and RP4-trp were 4.2, 11.2, 11.9 and 1.6 per chromosome respectively. The tryptophan synthetase activities in cells containing pSC101-trp, RSF1010-trp, RSF2124-trp aand RP4-trp plasmid were found to be 2.1, 6.0, 5.0 and 2.5 times compared with the level in chromosomal trp+ cells when they were grown in a minimal medium. By partial derepression with indolylacrylic acid, the enzyme levels were elevated to 10.1, 16.3, 15.3, 12.3 times, respectively, that of the control cells. The tryptophan synthetase activities did not increase in proportion to the copy number of the plasmids, but were strongly affected by the repression system of host cells.     

Requirements for mobilization of plasmids RSF1010 and ColE1 by the IncW plasmid R388: trwB and RP4 traG are interchangeable.

Mobilization of plasmid RSF1010 by the IncW plasmid R388 requires the genes involved in W pilus synthesis plus trwB. traG of the IncP plasmid RP4 can substitute for trwB in RSF1010 mobilization by R388 but not in self-transfer of R388. This result suggests a dual specificity of TrwB-like proteins in conjugation. The same genetic requirements were found for R388 to mobilize the unrelated plasmid ColE1.     

The Tra2 core of the IncP(alpha) plasmid RP4 is required for intergeneric mating between Escherichia coli and Streptomyces lividans.

Escherichia coli cells and Streptomyces mycelia are able to form close contacts in the absence of a conjugative system which might facilitate intergeneric plasmid transfer without the genes required for mating pair formation (Tra2) of the RP4 plasmid. The same Tra2 genes found to be essential for RP4 plasmid transfer, RSF1010 mobilization, and donor-specific phage propagation in E. coli were also required for intergeneric transfer between E. coli and Streptomyces lividans.     

The Conjugal Intermediate of Plasmid RSF1010 Inhibits Agrobacterium tumefaciens Virulence and VirB-Dependent Export of VirE2

Agrobacterium tumefaciens causes crown gall disease by transferring oncogenic, single-stranded DNA (T strand), covalently attached to the VirD2 protein, across the bacterial envelope into plant cells where its expression results in tumor formation. The single-stranded DNA binding protein VirE2 is also transferred into the plant cell, though the location at which VirE2 interacts with the T strand is still under investigation. The movement of the transferred DNA and VirE2 from A. tumefaciens to the plant cell depends on the membrane-localized VirB and VirD4 proteins. Further, the movement of the IncQ broad-host-range plasmid RSF1010 between Agrobacterium strains or from Agrobacterium to plants also requires the virB-encoded transfer system. Our earlier studies showed that the presence of the RSF1010 plasmid in wild-type strains of Agrobacterium inhibits both their virulence and their capacity to transport VirE2, as assayed by coinfection with virE mutants. Here we demonstrate that the capacity to form a conjugal intermediate of RSF1010 is necessary for this inhibition, suggesting that the transferred form of the plasmid competes with the VirD2-T strand and/or VirE2 for a common export site.     

The oriT region of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti plasmid pTiC58 shares DNA sequence identity with the transfer origins of RSF1010 and RK2/RP4 and with T-region borders.

Ti plasmids of Agrobacterium tumefaciens are conjugal elements whose transfer is induced by certain opines secreted from crown galls. On transmissible plasmids, DNA transfer initiates within a cis-acting site, the origin of conjugal transfer, or oriT. We have localized an oriT on the A. tumefaciens plasmid pTiC58 to a region containing the conjugal transfer loci traI and traII and acc, which is the locus encoding catabolism of the two conjugal opines, agrocinopines A and B. The smallest functional oriT clone, a 65-bp BamHI-ApaI fragment in the recombinant plasmid pDCBA60-11, mapped within the traII locus. The nucleotide sequence for a 665-bp KpnI-EcoRI fragment with oriT activity was determined. DNA sequence alignments showed identities between the pTiC58 oriT and the transfer origins of RSF1010, pTF1, and RK2/RP4 and with the pTiC58 T-region borders. The RSF1010-like sequence on pTiC58 is located in the smallest active oriT clone of pTiC58, while the sequence showing identities with the oriT regions of RK2/RP4 and with T-region borders maps outside this region. Despite their sequence similarities, pTiC58 oriT clones were not mobilized by RP4; nor could vectors containing the RK2/RP4 oriT region or the oriT-mob region from RSF1010 be mobilized by pTiC58. In contrast, other Ti plasmids and a conjugally active Agrobacterium opine catabolic plasmid, pAtK84b, efficiently mobilized pTiC58 oriT clones. In addition, the RSF1010 derivative, pDSK519, was mobilized at moderate frequencies by an Agrobacterium strain harboring only the cryptic plasmid pAtC58 and at very low frequencies by an Agrobacterium host that does not contain any detectable plasmids.     

Mobilization using incompatibility group P1 plasmids in strains of Pseudomonas pseudomallei and Pseudomonas mallei as potential vectors for DNA cloning]

The cells of Pseudomonas pseudomallei and Pseudomonas mallei have been shown to serve as recipients for the plasmid RSF1010 and its recombinant derivatives pVA1 and pVA4. The conjugative plasmids RP1 and pTH10 of the incompatibility group P1 are able to mobilize the nontransmissive vector plasmids for conjugation transfer into Pseudomonas pseudomallei and Pseudomonas mallei strains. The SmR determinant of the plasmid RSF1010 is expressed in the latter strains. These data makes the mentioned vector plasmids the candidates for DNA cloning in these strains.     

Transformation of Azotobacter vinelandii OP with a broad host range plasmid containing a cloned chromosomal nif-DNA marker

The non-nitrogen-fixing (Nif-) strain UW10 of Azotobacter vinelandii OP (UW) was naturally induced to competence and transformed with broad host range plasmid pKT210 containing the cloned wild-type nif-10 locus from A. vinelandii UW (Nif+); this marker was unable to complement the nif-10 mutation in trans, but could through recombination with the chromosome. The most frequent type of transformation event observed was recombination between the homologous regions of the plasmid and chromosome (producing Nif+ transformants) with loss of the plasmid vector. At a substantially lower frequency, transformants expressing the plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance determinants were isolated which were phenotypically Nif-. Agarose gel electrophoresis showed that these transformants contained a plasmid migrating with the same mobility as the original donor plasmid. During culture these transformants acquired a Nif+ phenotype without the loss of the plasmid, as judged by the use of a hybridization probe specific for the cloned nif-DNA fragment. These data indicate that plasmids carrying sequences homologous to chromosomal sequences could be maintained in recombination-proficient A. vinelandii UW. The introduction of plasmids containing sequences homologous to chromosomal sequences was facilitated by prelinearization of the plasmid using a restriction endonuclease generating cohesive ends. Because the site of linearization could be chosen outside the region of shared homology, it was unlikely that the route of plasmid establishment occurred via a homology-facilitated transformation mechanism. The data also indicated that A. vinelandii UW could harbor broad host range cloning vectors based on plasmid RSF1010 without significant impairment of its nitrogen-fixation ability.     

High-frequency mobilization of broad-host-range plasmids into Neisseria gonorrhoeae requires methylation in the donor.

Antibiotic resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been associated with the acquisition of R plasmids from heterologous organisms. The broad-host-range plasmids of incompatibility groups P (IncP) and Q (IncQ) have played a role in this genetic exchange in nature. We have utilized derivatives of RSF1010 (IncQ) and RP1 (IncP) to demonstrate that the plethora of restriction barriers associated with the gonococci markedly reduces mobilization of plasmids from Escherichia coli into strains F62 and PGH 3-2. Partially purified restriction endonucleases from these gonococcal strains can digest RSF1010 in vitro. Protection of RSF1010-km from digestion by gonococcal enzymes purified from strain F62 is observed when the plasmid is isolated from E. coli containing a coresident plasmid, pCAL7. Plasmid pCAL7 produces a 5'-MECG-3' cytosine methylase (M.SssI). The M.SssI methylase only partially protects RSF1010-km from digestion by restriction enzymes from strain PGH 3-2. Total protection of RSF1010-km from PGH 3-2 restriction requires both pCAL7 and a second coresident plasmid, pFnuDI, which produces a 5'-GGMECC-3' cytosine methylase. When both F62 and PGH 3-2 are utilized as recipients in heterospecific matings with E. coli, mobilization of RSF1010 from strains containing the appropriate methylases into the gonococci occurs at frequencies 4 orders of magnitude higher than from strains without the methylases. Thus, protection of RSF1010 from gonococcal restriction enzymes in vitro correlates with an increase in the conjugal frequency. These data indicate that restriction is a major barrier against efficient conjugal transfer between N. gonorrhoeae and heterologous hosts.     

A chromosomal linkage map of Azotobacter vinelandii

Summary A chromosomal map of Azotobacter vinelandii strain UW was constructed. The map was based on measures of cotransfer of various markers mediated by plasmids R68.45 and pJB3JI, on results obtained from conjugal experiments with R-primes, and on recombinants obtained by chromosomal transfer mediated by RP4/Tn5-Mob.     

DnaG-dependent priming signals can substitute for the two essential DNA initiation signals in oriV of the broad host-range plasmid RSF1010.

Broad host-range plasmid RSF1010 contains in the oriV region two DNA initiation signals, ssiA(RSF1010) and ssiB(RSF1010), which are essential for plasmid replication. Each of ssiA and ssiB could be substituted functionally by either of the two G4-type (DnaG-dependent) priming signals, the oric of bacteriophage G4 and an ssi signal from plasmid pSY343 (an R1 plasmid derivative). Functions of the chimeric oriVs of RSF1010 thus constructed were dependent on the RSF1010-specific replication proteins, RepA, RepB' and RepC. When both of ssiA and ssiB were replaced by the G4-type ssi signals, functions of the chimeric oriVs were no longer dependent on RepB' (RSF1010-specific DNA primase). The replication activities of the chimeric oriVs of RSF1010 were not influenced markedly by the type of heterologous priming signals they contained. It is conceivable that DNA replication of RSF1010 does not need the priming mechanism for lagging strand synthesis and proceeds by the strand displacement mechanism.     

Construction of stably maintained non-mobilizable derivatives of RSF1010 lacking all known elements essential for mobilization

Background  

RSF1010 is a well-studied broad-host-range plasmid able to be mobilized to different bacteria and plants. RSF1010-derived plasmid vectors are widely used in both basic research and industrial applications. In the latter case, exploiting of mobilizable plasmids or even the plasmids possessing negligible mobilization frequency, but containing DNA fragments that could promote conjugal transfer, is undesirable because of biosafety considerations. Previously, several mutations significantly decreasing efficiency of RSF1010 mobilization have been selected. Nevertheless, construction of the RSF1010 derivative lacking all known loci involved in the conjugal transfer has not been reported yet.     

Construction of a colicin E1-R factor composite plasmid in vitro: means for amplification of deoxyribonucleic acid.

A composite plasmid has been constructed in vitro from colicin E1 factor (mass of 4.2 megadaltons [Md]) and nontransmissible resistance factor RSF 1010 (mass, 5.5. Md) deoxyribonucleic acids (DNAs) by the sequential action of Escherichia coli endonuclease (RI (Eco RI) and T4 phage DNA ligase on the covalently closed circular forms of the constituents. The composite plasmid was selected and amplified in vivo by sequential transformation of E. coli C600 with the ligated mixture and selection of transformants in medium containing streptomycin plus colicin E1, followed by amplification in the presence of chloramphenicol and purification of the extracted plasmid by dye-buoyant density gradient centrifugation in ethidium bromide-cesium chloride solution. Treatment of the composite plasmid with Eco RI yielded two fragments with mobilities corresponding to the linear forms of the parental plasmids, whereas Serratia marscesens endonuclease R (SmaR), which introduces a single scission in the colicin E1 factor but not in RSF 1010, convErted the composite plasmid to a single linear molecule (mass, 9.7 Md). Sequential degradation of colicin E1 factor with Sma R and Eco RI produced two fragments with masses of 3.5 and 0.7 Md; sequential degradation of RSF 1010 produced only one fragment (due to the cleavage with Eco RI), and sequential degradation of the composite plasmid produced the expected three fragments--an RSF 1010 Eco RI linear and the two expected products from the colicin E1 factor moiety. The composite plasmid conferred on the host cell resistance to streptomycin, sulfonamides, and colicin E1, but colicin E1 itself was not synthesized. In contrast, colicin E1 was synthesized by cells containing simultaneously both colicin E1 factor and RSF 1010 as separate entities. In the presence of chloramphenicol, the composite plasmid continued to replicate for 6 h. whereas replication of RSF 1010 and chromosomal DNA stopped within 2 h. Continued replication in the presence of chloramphenicol suggests that the replicator of the colicin E1 factor is functional in the composite plasmid.     

The transformation of legionellae by plasmid DNA

For the first time the possibility of the genetic transformation of L. pneumophila and L. bozemanii strains with the use of purified DNA of plasmids pUC19, pUC4K, pSC101 and RSF1010-pBR322 was shown. The frequency of transformation varied from 5.2 x 10(-6) to 5.8 x 10(-7), depending on the strain used in the experiment and plasmid DNA. In some of the transformants obtained in this investigation plasmid DNA whose molecular weight was similar to that of the plasmid DNA used for transformation was detected. The relatively stable preservation of plasmids pSC101 and RSF1010 in Legionella strains and the loss of plasmids pUC19, pUC4K and pBR322 in 80% of transformants during storage were shown.     

Agrobacterium tumefaciens oncogenic suppressors inhibit T-DNA and VirE2 protein substrate binding to the VirD4 coupling protein

Agrobacterium tumefaciens uses a type IV secretion (T4S) system composed of VirB proteins and VirD4 to deliver oncogenic DNA (T-DNA) and protein substrates to susceptible plant cells during the course of infection. Here, by use of the Transfer DNA ImmunoPrecipitation (TrIP) assay, we present evidence that the mobilizable plasmid RSF1010 (IncQ) follows the same translocation pathway through the VirB/D4 secretion channel as described previously for the T-DNA. The RSF1010 transfer intermediate and the Osa protein of plasmid pSa (IncW), related in sequence to the FiwA fertility inhibition factor of plasmid RP1 (IncPalpha), render A. tumefaciens host cells nearly avirulent. By use of a semi-quantitative TrIP assay, we show that both of these 'oncogenic suppressor factors' inhibit binding of T-DNA to the VirD4 substrate receptor. Both factors also inhibit binding of the VirE2 protein substrate to VirD4, as shown by coimmunoprecipitation and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. Osa fused to the green fluorescent protein (GFP) also blocks T-DNA and VirE2 binding to VirD4, and Osa-GFP colocalizes with VirD4 at A. tumefaciens cell poles. RSF1010 and Osa interfere specifically with VirD4 receptor function and not with VirB channel activity, as shown by (i) TrIP and (ii) a genetic screen for effects of the oncogenic suppressors on pCloDF13 translocation through a chimeric secretion channel composed of the pCloDF13-encoded MobB receptor and VirB channel subunits. Our findings establish that a competing plasmid substrate and a plasmid fertility inhibition factor act on a common target, the T4S receptor, to inhibit docking of DNA and protein substrates to the translocation apparatus.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium tumefaciens</Emphasis>-mediated transformation of plants by the pTF-FC2 plasmid is efficient and strictly dependent on the MobA protein

In the transformation of plants by Agrobacterium tumefaciens the VirD2 protein has been shown to pilot T-DNA during its transfer to the plant cell nucleus. Other studies have shown that the MobA protein of plasmid RSF1010 is capable of mediating its transfer from Agrobacterium cells to plant cells by a similar process. We have demonstrated previously that plasmid pTF-FC2, which has some similarity to RSF1010, is also able to transfer DNA efficiently. In this study, we performed a mutational analysis of the roles played by A. tumefaciens VirD2 and pTF-FC2 MobA in DNA transfer-mediated by A. tumefaciens carrying pTF-FC2. We show that MobA+/VirD2+ and MobA+/VirD2– strains were equally proficient in their ability to transfer a pTF-FC2-derived plasmid DNA to plants and to transform them. However, the MobA–/VirD2+ strain showed a DNA transfer efficiency of 0.03% compared with that of the other two strains. This sharply contrasts with our results that VirD2 can rather efficiently cleave the oriT sequence of pFT-FC2 in vitro. We therefore conclude that MobA plays a major VirD2-independent role in plant transformation by pTF-FC2.     

Artificial Tn2551 transposon with replicative properties

A hybrid plasmid, pBE10 was constructed. It consists of DNAs of RSF2124 (ColE1 :: Tn3) plasmid and pUB110 plasmid of Staphylococcus aureus. The latter can be stably maintained in Bacillus subtilis. BamHI cleaved pUB110 was introduced into the BamHI site of transposon Tn3 and the resulting enlarged Tn3 (Tn2551) was transposed from pBE10 onto phage lambda and than to pMB9 (Tc) and RSF1010(Sm Su) plasmids. Restriction and heteroduplex analysis of pMB9 :: Tn2551(pBE21) and RSF1010 :: :: TN2551(pBE32) was carried out. Plasmids pBE10, pBE21 and pBE32 demonstrated some kind of molecular instability when introduced by transformation into Bacillus subtilis.     

Expression of Heterogenous Arsenic Resistance Genes in the Obligately Autotrophic Biomining Bacterium Thiobacillus ferrooxidans

Two arsenic-resistant plasmids were constructed and introduced into Thiobacillus ferrooxidans strains by conjugation. The plasmids with the replicon of wide-host-range plasmid RSF1010 were stable in T. ferrooxidans. The arsenic resistance genes originating from the heterotroph were expressed in this obligately autotrophic bacterium, but the promoter derived from T. ferrooxidans showed no special function in its original host.     

Association of the strA-strB genes with plasmids and transposons in the present-day bacteria and in bacterial strains from permafrost

Transposons closely related to the streptomycin resistance transposon of modern bacteria, Tn5393, were detected in the bacterial isolates from permafrost resistant to streptomycin. Many transposons studied were located on the medium-size plasmids with a narrow host range. None of the streptomycin-resistant strains isolated from permafrost contained small plasmids carrying the strA-strB genes and related to the broad host range plasmid RSF1010.     

Genetic evidence of a coupling role for the TraG protein family in bacterial conjugation

The ability of conjugative plasmids from six different incompatibility groups to mobilize a set of mobilizable plasmids was examined. The mobilization frequencies of plasmids RSF1010, ColE1, ColE3, and CloDF13 varied over seven orders of magnitude, depending on the helper conjugative plasmid used. Mobilization of CloDF13 was unique in that it did not require TrwB, TraG or TraD (all members of the TraG family) for mobilization by R388, RP4 or F, respectively. CloDF13 itself codes for an essential mobilization protein (MobB) which is also a TraG homolog, only requiring a source of the genes for pilus formation. Besides, CloDF13 was mobilized efficiently by all conjugative plasmids, suggesting that TraG homologs are the primary determinants of the mobilization efficiency of a plasmid, interacting differentialy with the various relaxosomes. Previous results indicated that TraG and TrwB were interchangeable for mobilization of RSF1010 and ColE1 by PIL_W (the pilus system of IncW plasmids) but TraG could not complement conjugation of trwB mutants, suggesting that additional interactions were taking place between TrwB and oriT(R388) that were not essential for mobilization. To further test this hypothesis, we analyzed the mobilization frequencies of ColE1 and RSF1010 by the P, W, and F pili in the presence of alternative TraG homologs. The results obtained indicated that the frequency of mobilization was determined both by the particular TraG-like protein used and by the pilus system. Thus, TraG-like proteins are not generally interchangeable for mobilization. Therefore we suggest that the factors that determine the frequencies of transfer of different MOB regions are the differential interactions of TrwB with pilus and relaxosome. Received: 9 September 1996 / Accepted: 17 December 1996