Cloning, sequencing, and expression of bacteriophage BF23 late genes 24 and 25 encoding tail proteins.

Two bacteriophage BF23 late genes, genes 24 and 25, were isolated on a 7.4-kb PstI fragment from the phage DNA, and their nucleotide sequences were determined. Gene 24 encodes a minor tail protein with the expected M(r) of 34,309, and gene 25 located 4 bp upstream of gene 24 encodes a major tail protein with the expected M(r) of 50,329. When total cellular RNA isolated from either phage-infected cells or cells bearing the cloned genes was analyzed by the primer extension method using the primers specific to either gene 25 or gene 24, we identified a possible late gene promoter, designated P25, in the 5'-flanking region of gene 25. This promoter was similar in structure to Escherichia coli promoters for sigma 70. Studies of the translational gene 25- and gene 24-lacZ fusions in the cloned gene system revealed that the promoter P25 was responsible for the expression of both genes 25 and 24 even in the absence of the regulatory genes which were absolutely required for late gene expression in the normal phage-infected cells. These results indicate that the two genes constitute an operon under the control of P25 and that the regulatory gene products of BF23 do not participate directly in specifying the late gene promoter.     

trans-Recessive mutation in the first structural gene of the histidine operon that results in constitutive expression of the operon.

The first enzyme for histidine biosynthesis, encoded in the hisG gene, is involved in regulation of expression of the histidine operon in Salmonella typhimurium. The studies reported here concern the question of how expression of the histidine operon is affected by a mutation in the hisG gene that alters the allosteric site of the first enzyme for histidine biosynthesis, rendering the enzyme completely resistant to inhibition by histidine. The intracellular concentrations of the enzymes encoded in the histidine operon in a strain carrying such a mutation on an episome and missing the chromosomal hisG gene are three- to fourfold higher than in a strain carrying a wild-type hisG gene on the episome. The histidine operon on such a strain fails to derepress in response to histidine limitation and fails to repress in response to excess histidine. Furthermore, utilizing other merodiploid strains, we demonstrate that the wild-type hisG gene is trans dominant to the mutant allele with respect to this regulatory phenomenon. Examination of the regulation of the histidine operon in strains carrying the feedback-resistant mutation in an episome and hisT and hisW mutations in the chromosome showed that the hisG regulatory mutation is epistatic to the hisT and hisW mutations. These data provide additional evidence that the first enzyme for histidine biosynthesis is involved in autogenous regulation of expression of the histidine operon.     

Expression of the arginine deiminase pathway genes in Lactobacillus sakei is strain dependent and is affected by the environmental pH

The adaptation of Lactobacillus sakei to a meat environment is reflected in its metabolic potential. For instance, the ability to utilize arginine through the arginine deiminase (ADI) pathway, resulting in additional ATP, represents a competitive benefit. In L. sakei CTC 494, the arc operon (arcABCTDR) shows the same gene order and organization as that in L. sakei 23K, the genome sequence of which is known. However, differences in relative gene expression were found, and these seemed to be optimal in different growth phases, namely, the highest relative gene expression level was in the end exponential growth phase in the case of L. sakei CTC 494 and in the mid-exponential growth phase of L. sakei 23K. Also, the environmental pH influenced the relative expression level of the arc operon, as shown for L. sakei CTC 494, with the highest relative expression level occurring at the optimal pH for growth (pH 6.0). Deviations from this optimal pH (pH 5.0 and pH 7.0) resulted in an overall decline of the relative expression level of all genes of the arc operon. Furthermore, a differential relative expression of the individual genes of the arc operon was found, with the highest relative gene expression occurring for the first two genes of the arc operon (arcA and arcB). Finally, it was shown that some L. sakei strains were able to convert agmatine into putrescine, suggesting an operational agmatine deiminase pathway in these strains, a metabolic trait that is undesirable in meat fermentations. This study shows that this metabolic trait is most probably encoded by a previously erroneously annotated second putative arc operon.     

The periplasmic TorT protein is required for trimethylamine N-oxide reductase gene induction in Escherichia coli.

Expression of the Escherichia coli torCAD operon, which encodes the trimethylamine N-oxide reductase system, is regulated by the presence of trimethylamine N-oxide through the action of the TorR response regulator. We have identified an additional gene, torT, located just downstream from the torR gene, which is necessary for torCAD structural operon expression. Insertion within the torT gene dramatically reduced the expression of a torA'-'lacZ fusion, while presence of the gene in trans restored the wild-type phenotype. Overproduction of TorR in a torT strain resulted in partial constitutive expression of the torA'-'lacZ fusion, suggesting that TorR acts downstream from TorT. The torT gene codes for a 35.7-kDa periplasmic protein which presents some homology with the periplasmic ribose-binding protein of E. coli. We discuss the possible role of TorT as an inducer-binding protein involved in signal transduction of the tor regulatory pathway.     

F factor inhibition of conjugal transfer of broad-host-range plasmid RP4: requirement for the protein product of pif operon regulatory gene pifC.

By the use of deletions, point mutations, and gene fusions, we show that the protein product of the F factor pifC gene is responsible for F factor inhibition of plasmid RP4 conjugal transfer. Deletion analysis of pif sequences carried by pSC101-F chimeric plasmids demonstrated that removal of all or part of the pifC coding sequence greatly decreased or abolished the ability of these plasmids to inhibit RP4 transfer. Amber mutations in the pifC gene eliminated inhibition in an Su- host strain but not in and Su+ (supF) host. Plasmids carrying nonpolar pifC mutations did not decrease the efficiency of RP4 transfer when present in trans. Whereas pifC+ plasmids inhibited RP4 transfer, the presence of RP4 in the same cell as F' lac increased F'lac Pif activity approximately 1,000-fold. This effect most likely resulted from the binding of the pifC product to RP4 DNA and concomitant derepression of the F factor pif operon. PifC inhibited trans mobilization of pMS204, a nonconjugative plasmid carrying the RP4 oriT locus, by the RP1 derivative pUB307. pMS204 had no trans effect on pif operon expression, whereas pUB307 increased F'lac Pif expression, as did RP4. Our results suggest that the pifC product inhibits expression of one or more RP4 genes, the products of which are required for conjugal transfer of RP4 and are required in trans for mobilization of nonconjugal RP4 oriT containing plasmids.     

A cis/trans Test of the Effect of the First Enzyme for Histidine Biosynthesis on Regulation of the Histidine Operon

Previous studies showed that when triazolalanine was added to a derepressed culture of a histidine auxotroph, repression of the histidine operon occurred as though histidine had been added (6). However, when triazolalanine was added to a derepressed culture of a strain with a mutation in the first gene of the histidine operon which rendered the first enzyme for histidine biosynthesis resistant to inhibition by histidine, repression did not occur. The studies reported here represent a cis/trans test of this effect of mutations to feedback resistance. Using specially constructed merodiploid strains, we were able to show that the wild-type allele is dominant to the mutant (feedback resistant) allele and that the effect operates in trans. We conclude that the enzyme encoded by the first gene of the histidine operon exerts its regulatory effect on the operon not by acting locally at its site of synthesis, but by acting as a freely diffusible protein.     

The ArsR protein is a trans-acting regulatory protein

The arsR gene encodes the regulatory protein of the plasmid-encoded arsenical resistance operon. A series of in-frame fusions was constructed between the C-terminally truncated arsR gene and the coding region for the mature form of beta-lactamase (blaM). Fusions containing most of the arsR gene were still inducible by arsenicals. Fusions containing less than 102 residues of the 117-residue ArsR protein were constitutive. When a wild-type arsR gene was placed in trans, the constitutive constructs were again inducible. The results demonstrate that the ArsR protein is a trans-acting regulatory protein which controls its own expression.