The nucleotide sequence of the tyrosinase gene from Streptomyces antibioticus and characterization of the gene product

The sequence of a 1.56-kb DNA fragment containing the tyrosinase gene (mel) from Streptomyces antibioticus was determined and the Mr (30612) and amino acid (aa) sequence of the protein were deduced from the nucleotide (nt) sequence. Intracellular and extracellular tyrosinase from S. antibioticus, transformed with pIJ702 (containing mel), were purified to homogeneity; the Mr (29 500), as determined by Sephadex G-75 chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), was consistent with the value derived from the nt sequence. Edman degradation established that the N-terminal sequence of both the intracellular and extracellular forms of tyrosinase are identical and correspond to the aa sequence derived from the structural gene. In addition, this sequence exhibits striking homology to the N-terminal region of the intracellular and extracellular enzyme purified from Streptomyces glaucescens (Crameri et al., 1982). An additional open reading frame (ORF438) upstream of the mel gene, was also identified that appears to code for a protein (Mr = 14 754) with a putative signal sequence.     

嗜麦芽假单胞菌酪氨酸酶基因在大肠杆菌中的克隆与表达

酪氨酸酶基因（ｍｅｌ）编码的酪氨酸酶是合成黑色素的关键酶。用鸟枪法分离嗜麦芽假单胞菌的ｍｅｌ基因：以ｐＵＣ１８为载体,Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉ ＨＢ１０１为受体菌,在加有一定量的Ａｍｐ和Ｌ－ｔｙｒ的酪素平板上筛选到分泌可溶性黑色素的转化子,所含重组质粒ｐＷＳＹ约７００ｂｐ的外源ＤＮＡ片段上携有ｍｅｌ基因,该片段无ＢａｍＨＩ、ＨｉｎｄＩＩＩ、ＥｃｏＲＩ、ＢｃｌＩ等酶的识别位点。Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ杂交证实此片段确实     

mel基因在酿酒酵母菌中的克隆和表达*

构建了含mel基因的重组质粒pAJM,并转化到酿酒酵母菌中,获得了在平板上产生黑色表型的转化重组子,为酵母菌的遗传操作提供了一种新的选择标记。由于mel基因经酪氨酸产生的黑色素无毒、无害,安全稳定,无需另外加显色化合物或使用特殊的仪器设备,直接在平板上观察结果。因此,是一种便捷、价廉、无污染的新型报告基因。此外,实验中还发现含mel基因的酵母菌生长迅速,这不仅作为报告基因更能显示其优势,而且也为进一步研究其在酵母菌中的功能提出了新的内容。     

Structural stability of heterologous genes cloned in Streptomyces plasmid pIJ702

A recombinant plasmid pWCL1 containing Streptomyces plasmid pIJ702, E. coli plasmid pUC12, and hepatitis B viral surface antigen (HBsAg) gene was stably maintained in E. coli, but exhibited structural instability in S. lividans 1326. The deletions were found ranging from 2.75 to 5.65 kilobases (kb) and most of them occurred within the melanin (mel) gene of pIJ702, resulting in the loss of part of the mel gene sequence plus the insert. The removal of the pUC12 sequence from pWCL1 eliminated the instability. However, pUC12 alone inserted in either orientation on pIJ702 also caused the deletion in S. lividans 1326. The results indicated that the structural instability of hybrid plasmid of pIJ702 depended on the interaction between the mel sequence and the inserted sequence.     

Biosynthesis of hexahydroxyperylenequinone melanin via oxidative aryl coupling by cytochrome P-450 in Streptomyces griseus

Dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) melanins formed from tyrosine by tyrosinases are found in microorganisms, plants, and animals. Most species in the soil-dwelling, gram-positive bacterial genus Streptomyces produce DOPA melanins and melanogenesis is one of the characteristics used for taxonomy. Here we report a novel melanin biosynthetic pathway involving a type III polyketide synthase (PKS), RppA, and a cytochrome P-450 enzyme, P-450mel, in Streptomyces griseus. In vitro reconstitution of the P-450mel catalyst with spinach ferredoxin-NADP(+) reductase/ferredoxin revealed that it catalyzed oxidative biaryl coupling of 1,3,6,8-tetrahydroxynaphthalene (THN), which was formed from five molecules of malonyl-coenzyme A by the action of RppA to yield 1,4,6,7,9,12-hexahydroxyperylene-3,10-quinone (HPQ). HPQ readily autopolymerized to generate HPQ melanin. Disruption of either the chromosomal rppA or P-450mel gene resulted in abolishment of the HPQ melanin synthesis in S. griseus and a decrease in the resistance of spores to UV-light irradiation. These findings show that THN-derived melanins are not exclusive in eukaryotic fungal genera but an analogous pathway is conserved in prokaryotic streptomycete species as well. A vivid contrast in THN melanin biosynthesis between streptomycetes and fungi is that the THN synthesized by the action of a type III PKS is used directly for condensation in the former, while the THN synthesized by the action of type I PKSs is first reduced and the resultant 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene is then condensed in the latter.     

Expression of the mel gene from Pseudomonas maltophilia in Bacillus thuringiensis

AIMS: The objective of this work was to express a novel mel gene, responsible for melanin formation, in Bacillus thuringiensis. METHODS AND RESULTS: A novel mel gene from Pseudomonas maltophilia was sub-cloned into B. thuringiensis using a shuttle vector plasmid and electroporation. Results revealed that the mel gene was expressed under the control of the CryIIIA promoter in B. thuringiensis and conferred u.v. protection on the recipient strain. CONCLUSIONS: The novel mel gene from Ps. maltophilia expressed in B. thuringiensis conferred u.v. protection on the recipient strain. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Products containing B. thuringiensis for pest control are sensitive to u.v. degradation. As melanin has the ability to act as a u.v. absorber, a recombinant B. thuringiensis strain producing melanin provides a new stability for B. thuringiensis preparations.     

苏云金芽孢杆菌酪氨酸酶基因的克隆表达及应用初探

酪氨酸酶基因编码的酪氨酸酶是生物体合成黑色素的关键酶。采用比较酪氨酸酶的同源保守结构域氨基酸序列的方法设计引物 ,从苏云金芽胞杆菌 (Bacillusthuringiensis) 4D11中通过PCR扩增得到了包含酪氨酸酶基因的DNA片段。将该片段亚克隆到载体pGEM_7zf上并转入大肠杆菌DH5α ,所得到的转化子在添加了L_酪氨酸的LB培养基中能合成可溶性的黑色素。测定该菌株黑色素的产量和在紫外光照射后的菌体活力 ,结果表明该基因产生的黑色素能在一定程度上保护菌体免受紫外辐射     

林可链霉菌黑色素生物合成基因的克隆与表达

以pIJ702的melCl－C2基因为探针杂交林可链霉菌（Streptomyceslincolnensis）78－11染色体DNA,呈现出3．2kb的BamHI片段和2．6kb的SphI片段等一系列阳性条带。构建了含3．0～3．5kbBamHI片段的林可链霉菌78-11基因文库,从中分离克隆了黑色素生物合成基因melCl和melC2,并测定了含有mel基因的重组子pRSB336插入片段的全部DNA顺序。3152bpBamHI片段含有5个开放阅读框架,其中melCl和melC2与链霉菌属三个种的相应基因具有较高的同源性。此外,林可链霉菌78－11的melC2基因产物与人和鼠的酪氨酸酶轻微同源,分别为17．3％和24．5％。种种迹象表明,melCl、melC2和orf3组成黑色素生物合成操纵子结构。为了进一步鉴定上述克隆的林可链霉菌78-11黑色素生物合成基因,构建了分别含有新霉素抗性基因启动子和正反方向mel基因的重组质粒pPZ518和pPZ519,并转化变铅青链霉菌TK23。随机挑选的12个pPZ518转化子在R2YE培养基上均能分泌淡褐色色素,而所有的pPZ519和pES1转化子则都呈白色。     

Sequence analysis of a Staphylococcus aureus gene encoding a peptidoglycan hydrolase activity.

The nucleotide (nt) sequence of a 2.0-kb NheI-XbaI DNA fragment containing a peptidoglycan hydrolase-encoding gene, lytA, tentatively identified as encoding an N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase, from Staphylococcus aureus, was determined. The nt sequencing revealed an open reading frame (ORF) of 1443 bp with a consensus ribosome-binding site located 7 nt upstream from the ATG start codon. The primary amino acid (aa) sequence deduced from the nt sequence revealed a putative protein of 481 aa residues with an Mr of 53815. Comparison of the aa sequence of the ORF with aa sequences in the GenBank data base (version 63, March 1990) revealed that the C-terminal sequence showed significant homology to the C-terminal sequence of lysostaphin from Staphylococcus simulans biovar staphylolyticus.     

嗜麦芽假单胞菌酪氨酸酶基因在类产碱假单胞菌中的转移与表达

类产碱假单胞菌 (Pseudomonaspseudoalcaligenes)是从盐城市农村粪池中采集的自然病死蝇蛆体内分离的具有显著杀蛆作用的细菌 ,野外使用易受阳光中紫外线的影响而失活。黑色素具有很强的抗辐射作用。将构建的含有嗜麦芽假单胞菌酪氨酸酶基因的质粒pWSY导入类产碱假单胞菌体内 ,使后者获得了稳定产生黑色素的能力。Southern杂交实验证实酪氨酸酶基因来源于嗜麦芽假单胞菌。SDS PAGE电泳显示该重组子体内额外表达了一分子量约为 1 8kD的蛋白 ,该蛋白很可能就是重组子表达的酪氨酸酶。经测定 ,重组子抗辐射作用明显增强 ,有效杀蛆时间显著延长 ,对畜、禽安全