Expression of the Bacillus subtilis sacB gene confers sucrose sensitivity on mycobacteria.

Expression in mycobacteria of the structural gene sacB, which encodes the Bacillus subtilis levansucrase, was investigated. sacB expression is lethal to Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium bovis BCG in the presence of 10% sucrose. sacB could thus be used as a counterselectable marker in mycobacteria.     

Allelic exchange in Escherichia coli using the Bacillus subtilis sacB gene and a temperature-sensitive pSC101 replicon

To facilitate efficient allelic exchange of genetic information into a wild-type strain background, we improved upon and merged approaches using a temperature-sensitive plasmid and a counter-selectable marker in the chromosome. We first constructed intermediate strains of Escherichia coli K12 in which we replaced wild-type chromosomal sequences, at either the fimB-A or lacZ-A loci, with a newly constituted DNA cassette. The cassette consists of the sacB gene from Bacillus subtilis and the neomycin (kanamycin) resistance gene of Tn5, but, unlike another similar cassette, it lacks IS1 sequences. We found that sucrose sensitivity was highly dependent on incubation temperature and sodium chloride concentration. The DNA to be exchanged into the chromosome was first cloned into derivatives of plasmid pMAK705, a temperature-sensitive pSC101 replicon. The exchanges were carried out in two steps, first selecting for plasmid integration by standard techniques. In the second step, we grew the plasmid integrates under non-selective conditions at 42 degrees C, and then in the presence of sucrose at 30 degrees C, allowing positive selection for both plasmid excision and curing. Despite marked locus-specific strain differences in sucrose sensitivity and in the growth retardation due to the integrated plasmids, the protocol permitted highly efficient exchange of cloned DNA into either the fim or lac chromosomal loci. This procedure should allow the exchange of any DNA segment, in addition to the original or mutant allelic DNA, into any non-essential parts of the E. coli chromosome.     

Conditional suicide system of Escherichia coli released into soil that uses the Bacillus subtilis sacB gene.

The sacB gene from Bacillus subtilis confers sucrose sensitivity upon gram-negative bacteria. The gene was investigated for use as a potential conditional suicide system for Escherichia coli released into soil. To ensure against the loss of the cell death function encoded under nonselective conditions, the nptI-sacR-B suicide cassette was inserted into the E. coli chromosome by using a circular nonreplicative integration vector. Stability studies yielded no loss of the suicide cassette in the integrated E. coli EL1026 strain. sacB induction in the absence of a selective pressure resulted in a lysis efficiency of up to 99.9%. The microcosm experiments confirmed the ability of the suicide cassette to limit the growth and reduce the survival of E. coli strains released into soil. Sucrose addition to sterile soil resulted in a 10(-3)-fold reduction of the final E. coli population density. sacB induction prevented the proliferation and triggered the rapid disappearance of E. coli from natural soil. Mutation to sucrose tolerance occurred at a frequency of 10(-5), making E. coli EL1026 a potential counterselectable donor strain for gene transfer studies. Specificity and potential adaptability to a wide range of gram-negative bacteria are additional conveniences of this conditional suicide system for the containment and counterselection of engineered microorganisms.     

Cloning structural gene sacB, which codes for exoenzyme levansucrase of Bacillus subtilis: expression of the gene in Escherichia coli.

A clone bearing the structural gene sacB, coding for the exoenzyme levansucrase, was isolated from a library of Bacillus subtilis DNA that was cloned in phage lambda charon 4A on the basis of the transforming activity of the chimeric DNA. This lambda clone also was found to contain the sacR and smo loci. Subcloning the sacB-sacR region in plasmid pBR325 resulted in a clone which directed levansucrase synthesis in Escherichia coli. The nucleotide sequence coding for the secreted protein was localized on the physical map of the cloned DNA.     

Genetic analysis of sacB, the structural gene of a secreted enzyme, levansucrase of Bacillus subtilis Marburg

The structural gene sacB encoding B. subtilis levansucrase, a secreted enzyme, expresses in E. coli. E. coli hosts of the sacB gene are poisoned by sucrose. This property allowed a powerful selection of mutants affected in the cloned gene. The plasmidic mutations were readily introduced in the B. subtilis chromosome. Using a collection of plasmids bearing various deletions extending in sacB we developed a technique of deletion mapping based on plasmid integration in the chromosome of B. subtilis. A generalization of this technique is discussed.     

Markerless deletions of pil genes in Myxococcus xanthus generated by counterselection with the Bacillus subtilis sacB gene.

In-frame deletions of pilA and pilS were constructed in Myxococcus xanthus with a plasmid integration-excision strategy facilitated by sacB. sacB conferred sucrose sensitivity upon its M. xanthus host only when it lay in the same orientation as adjacent M. xanthus genes. Gene orientation also affected the efficiency of sucrose counterselection in the sucrose-sensitive strains. The deltapilA mutant lacked pili and social motility, while the deltapilS mutant showed no defect in either phenotype.     

Stability of a recombinant plasmid carrying a-amylase gene in Bacillus subtilis

Plasmid pSB6 is a streptococcal recombinant plasmid carrying the a-amylase gene of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and the chloramphenicol resistance gene. The segregational and structural instabilities of this plasmid were examined under non-selective conditions in Bacillus subtilis. These instabilities were modelled according to a kinetic expression derived from the difference in the growth between plasmid-bearing and plasmid-free cells. This plasmid showed slight segregational instability and much higher levels of structural instability under the conditions examined.     

Stability of a recombinant plasmid carrying a-amylase gene in Bacillus subtilis

Plasmid pSB6 is a streptococcal recombinant plasmid carrying the a-amylase gene of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and the chloramphenicol resistance gene. The segregational and structural instabilities of this plasmid were examined under non-selective conditions in Bacillus subtilis. These instabilities were modelled according to a kinetic expression derived from the difference in the growth between plasmid-bearing and plasmid-free cells. This plasmid showed slight segregational instability and much higher levels of structural instability under the conditions examined.     

转枯草芽孢杆菌植酸酶基因烟草对不同介质中植酸磷的吸收利用

利用转入枯草芽孢杆菌植酸酶基因的不同烟草株系,分别在无菌培养基、砂培和土培试验中研究了转植酸酶基因烟草对植酸磷的吸收和利用.结果表明,在无菌培养基试验中,所有转植酸酶基因烟草对植酸磷的吸收利用能力均显著高于野生型,其生物量比野生型提高了3.6～10.7倍,总磷吸收量提高了2.2～4.6倍;在沙培和土培中,转植酸酶基因烟草对植酸磷的吸收利用与野生型相比,生物量和总磷吸收量差异不显著.这说明转植酸酶基因在无菌条件下可以提高植物吸收利用植酸磷的能力,但是在自然条件下,由于微生物分解或矿物固定等原因,其作用不稳定,需要进一步研究克服土壤中的限制因素,才能使转基因植物充分发挥作用.     

Study of the 210-degree region of the Bacillus subtilis chromosome using recombinant plasmids

The 210 degrees region of Bacillus subtilis DNA containing the rib operon and genes for the first (dapA) and last (lysA) steps of lysine biosynthesis was cloned. PstI fragments of B. subtilis m.m. 4.7 MD DNA containing the lys and the proximal part of rib operon were isolated from different B. subtilis strains (SB25 and SHgW) and shown to have the same restriction and genetic maps. The restriction mapping of EcoRI fragment of B. subtilis m.m. 6.3 MD DNA containing the rib operon has been carried out.     

Integration of various plasmids into the Bacillus subtilis chromosome

Some features of integration of temperature-sensitive pE194, pGG10 and pGG20 plasmids into the Bacillus subtilis chromosome were studied. Several auxotrophic mutations were obtained using insertion of these plasmids into the chromosome. The sites of plasmids for illegitimate recombination were determined. It was shown that the integration into the Bac. subtilis chromosome is characteristic not only for the plasmid pE194 but is the property of Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pC194 and Escherichia coli pBR322 plasmid. The influence of different Bac. subtilis rec mutations on the frequency of integration was studied.     

Enhanced expression of an endoglucanase in Bacillus subtilis by using the sucrose-inducible sacB promoter and improved properties of the recombinant enzyme

An endoglucanase from Bacillus akibai I-1 was successfully overexpressed in Bacillus subtilis 168 and the expression level of the recombinant enzyme was greatly enhanced by using the sucrose-inducible sacB promoter. The endoglucanase activity in the culture supernatant of recombinant B. subtilis by using itself promoter (HpaII) in plasmid pMA5 was 3U/ml. Interestingly, with the addition of sacB promoter at downstream from the HpaII promoter or the replacement of HpaII promoter by the sacB promoter, the endoglucanase activities reached 62 and 60U/ml, respectively, under the optimal culture conditions. These results demonstrated that the sacB promoter might be more efficient for the expression of the endoglucanase than the HpaII promoter. More interestingly, the purified native enzyme had broad pH stability, good thermostability and resistibility to various metal ions and chelating agents examined, while the recombinant enzyme had improved resistibility to SDS, which was stable in 0.2% (w/v) laundry detergent and thus showed great potential in detergents industry.     

Direct selection of complementing diploids from PEG-induced fusion of Bacillus subtilis protoplasts

Summary A minimal medium containing horse serum is described on which Bacillus subtilis protoplasts revert to bacillary forms at high frequency (ca. 30%). Used as a plating medium for a mixture of polyethyleneglycol-treated protoplasts from two complementary polyauxotrophic parental strains, it selects the prototrophic fusion products efficently, and also allows isolation of various auxotrophic recombinants. These prototrophs and recombinants amount respectively to 1% and 10% of the regenerated bacteria.We confirm that two types of prototrophs can be isolated after fusion: stable recombinants and complementing diploids, the latter segregating into various types of recombinants. Based on easily recognized colonial aspects, an approximate estimation of the proportion of the two types becomes possible when a spoOA mutation has been introduced in one of the parents. At least 50% of the prototrophic fusion products are complementing diploids. Incidently, the data also settle a controversy by showing the dominance of spoOA mutations in heterozygotic bacteria.This work was supported by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (Contrat L.A. 136).     

Cloning and characterization of two plasmids from Bacillus thuringiensis in Bacillus subtilis

Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israliensis plasmids pTX14-1 and pTX14-3 were cloned and analyzed by Southern blot hybridization for their replication mechanism in Bacillus subtilis. The cloning of pTX14-1 into the replicon deficient vector pBOE335 showed the usual characteristics of single-stranded DNA plasmids, i.e., it generated circular single-stranded DNA and high molecular weight (HMW) multimers. The other plasmid, pTX14-3, behaved differently; it generated neither single-stranded DNA nor HMW multimers. Treatment with rifampicin did not result in the accumulation of single-stranded DNA. However, deletion of an EcoRI-PstI fragment resulted in the accumulation of both single-stranded DNA and HMW multimers. From various deletion derivatives, we have mapped the minus origin and the locus responsible for suppression of HMW multimer formation. Full activity of the minus origin and of the locus suppressing HMW formation was only observed on the native replicon, indicating a coupling to the plus strand synthesis.     

Insertion vectors for construction of recombinant conjugative transposons in Bacillus subtilis and Enterococcus faecalis

The broad-host range of conjugal transfer and the chromosomal location make conjugative transposons (CT) attractive candidates as tools for genetic manipulation of a large variety of bacteria. In this paper we describe insertion vectors capable of integrating into Tn916, the prototype of CT in Gram-positive bacteria. The integration of vectors into a single chromosomal copy of Tn916 was studied both after natural transformation of Bacillus subtilis, and after electroporation in Enterococcus faecalis. Integration occurred either by double or by single crossover, and the integrated DNA segment was shown to be highly stable. All recombinant CT (rCT) were still able to excise from the chromosome to form circular intermediates, the first step of both transposition and conjugal transfer. All classes of rCT generated by insertion vector pSMB47 were capable of conjugal transfer, while using pVMB11 it was possible to generate non-conjugative rCT.     

Cloning of the Bacillus subtilis sulfanilamide resistance gene in Bacillus subtilis

A recombinant plasmid was constructed by ligation of chromosomal DNA from a sulfanilamide-resistant strain of Bacillus subtilis to the plasmid vector pUB110 which specifies neomycin resistance. Recombinant molecules generated in vitro were introduced into a B. subtilis recipient strain which carried the recE4 mutation, and selection was for neomycin-sulfanilamide-resistant transformants. A single colony was isolated containing the recombinant plasmid pKO101. This 6.3-megadalton plasmid simultaneously conferred resistance to neomycin and sulfanilamide when transferred into sensitive Rec+ or Rec- cells by either transduction or transformation.     

Recombination between compatible plasmids containing homologous segments requires the Bacillus subtilis recE gene product.

Plasmid pSL103 was previously constructed by cloning a Trp fragment (approximately 2.3 X 10(6) daltons) from restriction endonuclease EcoRI-digested chromosome DNA of Bacillus pumilus using the neomycin-resistance plasmid pUB110 (approximately 2.8 X 10(6) daltons) as vector and B. subtilis as transformation recipient. In the present study the EcoRI Trp fragment from pSL103 was transferred in vitro to EcoRI fragments of the Bacillus plasmid pPL576 to determine the ability of the plasmid fragments to replicate in B. subtilis. Endonuclease EcoRI digestion of pPL576 (approximately 28 X 10(6) daltons) generated three fragments having molecular weights of about 13 X 13(6) (the A fragment), 9.5 X 10(6) (B fragment, and 6.5 X 10(6) (C fragment). Trp derivatives of pPL576 fragments capable of autonomous replication in B. subtilis contained the B fragment (e.g., pSL107) or both the B and C fragments (e.g., pSL108). Accordingly, the B fragment of pPL576 contains information essential for autonomous replication. pSL107 and pSL108 are compatible with pUB110. Constructed derivatives of the compatible plasmids pPL576 and pUB110, harboring genetically distinguishable EcoRI-generated Trp fragments cloned from the DNA of a B. pumilus strain, exhibited relatively high frequency recombination for a trpC marker when the plasmid pairs were present in a recombination-proficient strain of B. subtilis. No recombination was detected when the host carried the chromosome mutation recE4. Therefore, the recE4 mutation suppresses recombination between compatible plasmids that contain homologous segments.