Transient regulation of protein synthesis in Escherichia coli upon shift-up of growth temperature.

Synthesis of total cellular proteins of Escherichia coli was studied upon transfer of a log-phase culture from 30 (or 37) to 42 degrees C. Cells were pulse-labeled with [3H]leucine, and the labeled proteins were analyzed by gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The rates of synthesis of at least five protein chains were found to increase markedly (5- to 10-fold) within 5 min after temperature shift-up and gradually decrease to the new steady-state levels, in contrast to the majority of proteins which gradually increase to the steady-state levels (about 1.5-fold the rate at 30 degrees C). Temperature shift-down did not cause any appreciable changes in the pattern of protein synthesis as detected by the present method. Among the proteins greatly affected by the temperature shift-up were those with apparent molecular weights fo 87,000 (87K), 76K, 73K, 64K, and 61K. Two of them (64K and 61K) were found to be precipitated with specific antiserum against proteins that had previously been shown to have an adenosine triphosphatase activity. The bearings of these findings on bacterial adaptation to variation in growth temperature are discussed.     

Unusual synthesis by the Escherichia coli CCA-adding enzyme

The tRNA 3' end contains the conserved CCA sequence at the 74-76 positions. The CCA sequence is synthesized and maintained by the CCA-adding enzymes. The specificity of the Escherichia coli enzyme at each of the 74-76 positions was investigated using synthetic minihelix substrates that contain permuted 3' ends. Results here indicate that the enzyme has the ability to synthesize unusual 3' ends. When incubated with CTP alone, the enzyme catalyzed the addition of C74, C75, C76, and multiple Cs. Although the addition of C74 and C75 was as expected, that of C76 and multiple Cs was not. In particular, the addition of C76 generated CCC, which would have conflicted with the biological role of the enzyme. However, the presence of ATP prevented the synthesis of CCC and completely switched the specificity to CCA. The presence of ATP also had an inhibitory effect on the synthesis of multiple Cs. Thus, the E. coli CCA enzyme can be a poly(C) polymerase but its synthesis of poly(C) is regulated by the presence of ATP. These features led to a model of CCA synthesis that is independent of a nucleic acid template. The synthesis of poly(C) by the CCA-adding enzyme is reminiscent of that of poly(A) by poly(A) polymerase and it provides a functional rationale for the close sequence relationship between these two enzymes in the family of nucleotidyltransferases.     

大肠杆菌角鲨烯合成途径的构建与调控

角鲨烯因其具有良好的抗氧化功能而被广泛应用于食品、医药、化妆品、工业应用等领域。本实验在大肠杆菌中构建角鲨烯合成途径,通过对其合成途径中关键限速酶(1-脱氧-D-木酮糖-5-磷酸合酶和异戊烯基二磷酸异构酶)过表达的方法进行初步调控,使角鲨烯的产量提升了近三倍。之后采用单因素试验对其发酵培养基和培养条件进行优化,以此来提高角鲨烯的产量。优化发酵条件后,使用最优发酵培养基——TB培养基,在最佳发酵条件:37℃,220r/min培养至OD600约为1.2时加入终浓度为0.1mmol/L的IPTG诱导剂,25℃条件下诱导48h,角鲨烯产量可达73.88mg/L。     

Osmotic regulation of PhoE porin synthesis in Escherichia coli.

In Escherichia coli, adaptation to hyperosmotic conditions alters the expression of the outer membrane porins OmpF and OmpC. The amount of PhoE porin, which is normally induced by phosphate deprivation, was greatly reduced in cells adapted to high-osmolarity conditions. Osmoregulation of PhoE operated independently of the activity of the PhoR phosphate sensor and did not involve cross-talk from the homologous osmosensor EnvZ. PhoE synthesis was partially restored by additional copies of the positive regulator phoB+ and by the osmoprotectant glycine betaine.     

Lack of regulation of the modification-dependent restriction enzyme McrBC in Escherichia coli

Restriction alleviation (RA) by the type I restriction enzyme EcoKI is caused by treatments that damage DNA. RA is due to proteolysis of the EcoKI HsdR subunit by the ClpXP ATP-dependent protease. Here we show that the modification-dependent enzyme McrBC is not subject to RA, although it is moderately sensitive to ClpAP.     

Positive regulation of the Escherichia coli glycine cleavage enzyme system.

A new mutation in Escherichia coli, designated gcvA1, that results in noninducible expression of both gcv and a gcvT-lacZ gene fusion was isolated. A plasmid carrying the wild-type gcvA gene complemented the mutation and restored glycine-inducible gcv and gcvT-lacZ gene expression. These results suggest that gcvA encodes a positive-acting regulatory protein that acts in trans to increase expression of gcv.     

Differential regulation by cyclic AMP of starvation protein synthesis in Escherichia coli

Of the 30 carbon starvation proteins whose induction has been previously shown to be important for starvation survival of Escherichia coli, two-thirds were not induced in cya or crp deletion mutants of E. coli at the onset of carbon starvation. The rest were induced, although not necessarily with the same temporal pattern as exhibited in the wild type. The starvation proteins that were homologous to previously identified heat shock proteins belonged to the latter class and were hyperinduced in delta cya or delta crp mutants during starvation. Most of the cyclic AMP-dependent proteins were synthesized in the delta cya mutant if exogenous cyclic AMP was added at the onset of starvation. Furthermore, beta-galactosidase induction of several carbon starvation response gene fusions occurred only in a cya+ genetic background. Thus, two-thirds of the carbon starvation proteins of E. coli require cyclic AMP and its receptor protein for induction; the rest do not. The former class evidently has no role in starvation survival, since delta cya or delta crp mutants of either E. coli or Salmonella typhimurium survived starvation as well as their wild-type parents did. The latter class, therefore, is likely to have a direct role in starvation survival. This possibility is strengthened by the finding that nearly all of the cya- and crp-independent proteins were also induced during nitrogen starvation and, as shown previously, during phosphate starvation. Proteins whose synthesis is independent of cya- and crp control are referred to as Pex (postexponential).     

An unusual type of regulation of malate oxidase synthesis in Escherichia coli.

Mutants of $\text{E.}\text{coli}$ which lack the activity of NAD-specific malate dehydrogenase show the presence of a FAD-dependent malate oxidase which can be assayed using ferricyanide as an electron acceptor. Cells which acquire the ability to form malate dehydrogenase cease to produce detectable levels of malate oxidase. Activity of malate dehydrogenase is definitely required to suppress synthesis of malate oxidase. The substrate and product of malate dehydrogenase, L-malate and oxalacetate, respectively, are apparently not involved in the regulation of malate oxidase. Presence of high derepressed levels of malate oxidase in malate dehydrogenase deficient mutants are determined by a gene linked closely to $\text{argG}$ locus. Malate oxidase is produced in small amounts in minimal-glucose medium, but in high concentrations in complex medium. The peak levels are reached in early log phase of growth after which there is a dramatic drop with the approach of stationary phase.