Functional complementation between chromosomal and plasmid mutagenic DNA repair genes in bacteria

Summary The umuDC operons of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium and the analogous plasmid operons mucAB and impCAB have been previously characterized in terms of their roles in DNA repair and induced mutagenesis by radiation and many chemicals. The interrelationships of these mutagenic DNA repair operons were examined in vivo in functional tests of interchangeability of operon subunits in conferring UV resistance and UV mutability phenotypes to wild-type S. typhimurium and umu mutants of E. coli. This approach was combined with DNA and protein sequence comparisons between the four operons and a fifth operon, samAB, from the S. typhimurium LT2 cryptic plasmid. Components of the E. coli and S. typhimurium umu operons were reciprocally interchangeable whereas impCA and mucA could not function with umuC in either of these species. mucA and impB could also combine to give a mutagenic response to UV. These active combinations were associated with higher degrees of conservation of protein sequence than in other heterologous gene combinations and related to specific regions of sequence that may specify subunit interactions. The dominance of the E. coli umuD44 mutation over umuD was revealed in both wild-type E. coli and S. typhimurium and also demonstrated against impCAB. Finally interspecies transfer showed that the apparently poor activity of the S. typhimurium umuD gene in situ is not the result of an inherent defect in umuD but is due to the simultaneous presence of the S. typhimurium umuC sequence. It is suggested that the limitation of umuD activity by umuC in S. typhimurium is the basis of the poor induced mutability of this organism.     

Organization of Lrp-binding sites upstream of ilvlH in Salmonella typhimurium

Lrp, a major regulatory protein in Escherichia coli, controls the expression of numerous operons, including ilvlH. Lrp binds to six sites upstream of ilvlH, and Lrp binding is required for ilvlH expression. We show here that an Lrp-like protein is also present in Salmonella typhimurium. This protein can bind both E. coli and S. typhimurium ilvlH DNA, as can E. coli Lrp. Methidiumpropyl-EDTA footprinting studies were performed with purified E. coli Lrp and S. typhimurium ilvlH DNA. Six binding sites were defined, three of them being similar to corresponding sites in E. coli, and three being organized differently. A consensus derived from six S. typhimurium sites is compatible with that derived from a similar analysis of E. coli sequences.     

Selective cloning of genes encoding RNase H from Salmonella typhimurium, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli rnh mutant

Summary We have cloned genes encoding RNase H from Escherichia coli rnh mutants, Salmonella typhimurium and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Selection was accomplished by suppression of the temperature-sensitive growth phenotype of Escherichia coli strains containing the rnh-339::cat and either recB270 (Ts) or recC271 (Ts) mutations. RNases H from E. coli and S. typhimurium contained 155 amino acid residues and differed at only 11 positions. The S. cerevisiae and E. coli RNases H were about 30% homologous. A comparison of the amino acid sequences of several RNases H from cellular and retroviral sources revealed some strongly conserved regions as well as variable regions; the carboxyl-terminus was particularly variable. The overlapping, divergent promoter gene organization found in E. coli was observed to be present in S. typhimurium.     

Growth of coliphage BF23 on rough strains of Salmonella typhimurium: the bfe locus

Summary Coliphage BF23 develops in Salmonella typhimurium rough strains. The phage is neither restricted nor modified by S. typhimurium. The growth patterns of the phage were slightly different in S. typhimurium than in Escherichia coli, although phage propagated on S. typhimurium is identical to the phage propagated in E. coli by several criteria used. Mutants of S. typhimurium resistant to BF23 were isolated and found to map (by P22-and Plmediated transduction) in the same position as bfe mutants of E. coli. The order of genes was: metB-argC-bfe-rif-purD-metA.Phage BF23 does not form plaques on smooth S. typhimurium strains, since the phage fails to adsorb irreversibly to smooth cells. Nevertheless, on solid agar, the phage prevents growth of many (but not all) smooth strains. Moreover, UV-and alkali-inactivated phage BF23, although unable to form plaques on sensitive hosts, retains the ability to prevent growth of the host on solid medium. This ability is sensitive to protease and resistant to DNAse and RNase. Heat treatment of the phage causes rapid loss of the cell-growth-preventing-ability whereas the ability to form plaques is lost much more slowly. These results lead to a proposal that phage BF23 virions carry a colicin-like factor that kills sensitive cells.     

Operon structure of flagellar genes in Salmonella typhimurium

Summary In Salmonella typhimurium, more than 40 genes have been shown to be involved in flagellar formation and function and almost all of them have been assigned to three regions of the chromosome, termed region I, region II, and region III. In the present study, a large number of transposon-insertion mutants in these flagellar genes were isolated using Tn10 and Mud1. The flaV gene was found to be a strong hot spot for Tn10 insertion. Complementation analysis of the polarity effects exerted by the transposon-insertion mutants defined 13 different flagellar operons; 3 in region I, 4 in region II, and 6 in region III. These results are compared with the reported arrangement of the corresponding genes in Escherichia coli.     

Absence of insertions among spontaneous mutants of Salmonella typhimurium

Summary While insertion sequences (IS) in Escherichia coli transpose frequently to generate spontaneous insertion mutants, such mutations are rare in Salmonella typhimurium: the only documented insertion mutation is a hisD mutation caused by the Salmonella-specific IS element IS200. To obtain more examples of IS200 insertion mutations and to seek additional types of IS elements in Salmonella, we selected and characterized 422 independent, spontaneous His^– mutants and some 2100 additional mutants that are not necessarily independent. None of the mutants showed the absolute polar effect characteristic of insertion mutations or the reversion properties characteristic of insertions (low spontaneous reversion frequency and no reversion induction by chemical mutagens). A few mutants, showing a high spontaneous reversion frequency, were screened physically. No insertion mutations were found. Thus insertion mutations appear to be rare in S. typhimurium, in strong contrast to E. coli and despite the possession in Salmonella of at least one type of insertion element (IS200). These results suggest that in Salmonella transposition of the endogenous elements has been controlled. The transposition ability of the elements may have been reduced or favored target sites removed from the host genome.     

Discontinuity of homology of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium DNA in the lac region

Summary Partial homology of Salmonella typhimurium DNA to Escherichia coli DNA was demonstrated by Southern hybridization blots to exist on either side of the lac operon of E. coli but no homology was detected between S. typhimurium DNA and about 12 kb of E. coli DNA including the lac genes as well as about 5 kb of E. coli DNA between lac and proC. Thus portions of DNA seem to have been either added to the E. coli genome or deleted from the S. typhimurium genome since their divergence from a common ancestor. Although an IS1 element was located near the lac operon of E. coli, the insertional element was shown not to be near any of the junctures of discontinuity of E. coli - S. typhimurium homology near lac.     

Molecular cloning of the Salmonella typhimurium lep gene in Escherichia coli

Summary A system is described which enabled the selection of a heterologous ep gene, encoding signal peptidase I, in Escherichia coli. It is based on complementation of an E. coli mutant, in which the synthesis of signal peptidase I can be regulated. With this system the lep gene of Salmonella typhimurium was cloned and the nucleotide sequence was determined. The S. typhimurium lep gene encodes a protein of 324 amino acids. Expression of the gene in the E. coli mutant resulted in suppression of growth inhibition and in the restoration of processing activity under conditions where synthesis of E. coli signal peptidase I was repressed. The cloned S. typhimurium signal peptidase I had an apparent molecular weight of 36000 daltons, which is in agreement with the calculated molecular weight of 35782 daltons. The system described for selection of the S. typhimurium lep gene may permit the cloning and expression of other heterologous signal peptidase I gen/es.     

Analysis of the cellular functions of Escherichia coli operons and their conservation in Bacillus subtilis

The common assumption of operons as composed of genes that cooperate in a biological process is confirmed here by showing that Escherichia coli operons tend to be composed of genes that belong to the same general class of cellular function. Furthermore, the comparison between the genomic organization of E. coli and that of Bacillus subtilis shows that the genes that are homologous to genes that belong to experimentally characterized E. coli operons tend to cluster in neighboring regions of the genome. This tendency is greater for the subset of E. coli operons whose genes belong to a single functional class. These observations indicate strong evolutionary pressure that, translated into functional constraints, leads to the inclusion of many essential functions in conserved operons and clusters in these two distant species.     

Chromosomal location of gene governing the trehalose utilization in Escherichia coli K12.

Summary Several mutants unable to utilize trehalose were isolated from Escherichia coli. Their genetic analysis led to determine the following gene order on the chromosomal map: pur B-dad R-tre-hem A-trp. Furthermore, the tre gene belongs to the inversion of the trp chromosomal region between E. coli and S. typhimurium.     

Prolonged environmental stress via a two step process selects mutants of Escherichia,Salmonella and Pseudomonas that grow at 54°C

A prolonged incubation of Escherichia, Salmonella or Pseudomonas at 48°C with nalidixic acid selected mutants (T48) able to grow at 48°C. A prolonged incubation at 54°C of the T48 mutants selected mutants (T54) able to grow at 54°C. These mutants were susceptible to the same bacteriophages as the original mesophilic strains. Auxotrophic phenotypes of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium mesophilic parents were demonstrated by these mutants if they were cultivated on minimal agar with cellobiose at 48°C or 54°C or on a minimal agar with glucose at 37°C. The T48 alleles mapped in the gyrA region of E. coli or S. typhimurium chromosome. In S. typhimurium the T54 alleles, which permit growth at 54°C, were shown by cotransductional analysis to be linked to gyrA.     

Sequence divergence of the murB and rrfB genes from Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium

The murB gene of Salmonella typhimurium was cloned and found to be 75% and 82% identical to the DNA and protein sequences, respectively, of the same gene in Escherichia coli. These identities are among the lowest recorded between the two bacteria. Nevertheless, wild-type S. typhimurium murB complemented the known temperature-sensitive E. coli mutant, and wild-type E. coli murB complemented three temperature-sensitive mutants of S. typhimurium. The 5S rRNA gene, rrfB, and the region between murB and rrfB were also cloned and sequenced. The rrfB gene of S. typhimurium differs from rrfB of E. coli in only 2 of 120 nt, but the region between murB and rrfB has diverged greatly and includes a sequence that elosely resembles a repetitive extragenic palindrome of the type normally associated with E. coli. Previous comparisons of gene divergence have suggested that the chromosomal mutation rate is lower in the vicinity of the origin of replication. However, the S. typhimurium murB gene, located 6 map minutes from the origin of replication, is highly substituted at synonymous sites and the sequence between murB and rrfB is significantly modified as well. Thus, murB is an exception to the general observation that genes near the origin of replication show less divergence than do genes elsewhere in the bacterial chromosome.Abbreviations CAI codon adaptation index - REP repetitive extragenic palindrome     

D-Amino acid dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli K12: positive selection of mutants defective in enzyme activity and localization of the structural gene

Summary A method for the positive selection of dadA mutants defective in Dolor-amino acid dehydrogenase has been devised. It consists in isolating mutants resistant to -chroro-Dolor-alanine and screening for mutant colony color on a special agar medium. All 70 Escherichia coli K12 dadA mutants isolated either by this method or by other selection procedures map at a locus which is near to hemA and closely linked with dadR. Since some of the dadA mutants are thermosensitive in Dolor-methionine utilization in vivo and have thermolabile Dolor-amino acid dehydrogenase in vitro, it is proposed that the dadA gene codes for the enzyme structure. The broad substrate specificity, apparent membrane localization, inducibility by alanine, and repressibility by glucose strongly suggest that the Dolor-amino acid dehydrogenase coded by the dadA gene is a species variant of the enzyme described under the same name in Salmonella typhimurium. It may be identical or homologous with the enzymes described under the names alaninase, Dolor-alanine oxidase or Dolor-alanine dehydrogenase in E. coli K12 or B.     

Strong-polar mutations in the transferase gene of the galactose operon in E.coli

Summary A class of mutations in the transferase gene of the galactose operon in E. coli is described, which is strongly polar for the synthesis of kinase. The latter enzyme is made only to the extent of about 0.1% of the amount made in the induced wildtype. This amount is not dependent on the map position of the mutations and the residual synthesis is non-inducible. The mutants thus resemble 0° mutants in the same operon.Epimerase, which is coded for by the gene proximal to the transferase gene with respect to the operator, is made in normal amounts and its synthesis is normally inducible.The mutants do not seem to belong either to the nonsense or to the frameshift class on the basis of reversion pattern, suppressibility, and degree of polarity. The possible nature of the mutations is discussed.     

Deletion-mapping of resistance against chlorate in Klebsiella aerogenes

Summary Chlorate-resistant mutants with deletions have been isolated from Klebsiella aerogenes. Mutants with deletions in the gal-bio region of the genetic map can be divided into 9 groups. From the properties of the various groups of mutants the gene order nic A-aro G-gal-chl D-hut-bio-uvr B-chl A is deduced. Furthermore deletions have been observed in a segment of the chromosome containing nic B, thi B, inl B, and chl G. Thi B and chl G are adjacent but no more information about the gene order in this segment can be given. In both segments a great homology is observed with the corresponding regions of the genetic maps of E. coli and S. typhimurium. Deletions of chl A, chl D or chl G have a pleiotropic effect. Mutants with a deletion of one of these genes do not produce nitrite from nitrate or gas from glucose.     

A 40 kb chromosomal fragment encoding Salmonella typhimurium invasion genes is absent from the corresponding region of the Escherichia coli K-12 chromosome

Many Salmonella typhimurium genes are required for bacterial entry into host cells. P22 transduction analysis has localized several invasion loci near minute 59 on the S. typhimurium chromosome. To further characterize the 59–60 min chromosomal region, we determined the physical and genetic map of 85 kb of S. typhimurium DNA between srl and cysC. It was previously shown that some of the invasion genes from this region are not present in Escherichia coli K-12. We examined whether other S. typhimurium genes on the 85 kb of DNA were similarly absent from E. coli We found that a contiguous 40 kb fragment of the S. typhimurium chromosome which encodes invasion genes is absent from the corresponding region of the E. coli K-12 chromosome and may represent a pathogenicity island. We speculate that acquisition of the 40 kb region must have significantly advanced the evolution of Salmonella as a pathogen.     

A genetical and biochemical study of chlorate-resistant mutants ofSalmonella typhimurium

S.typhimurium can form nitrate reductase A, chlorate reductase C, thiosulfate reductase, tetrathionate reductase and formic dehydrogenase. None of these enzymes are formed in chlorate-resistant mutants. Conjugation experiments showed the presence of a strong linkage between thechl andgal markers of the bacterial chromosome. By deletion mapping the gene ordernic A aro G gal bio chl D uvr B chl A was found. Strains with deletions terminating betweenbio anduvr B or betweenuvr B andchl A have a number of aberrant properties. Though resistant against chlorate they reduce nitrate and form gas. After growth with nitrate they form less nitrate reductase than the wild type which may explain the resistance against chlorate. After growth with thiosulfate they form small amounts of thiosulfate reductase and chlorate reductase C. In crosses between anE.coli Hfrchl ⁺ strain and aS.typhimurium chl A strain recombinants were obtained, forming nitrate reductase A and chlorate reductase C. These recombinants do not form gas, which indicates that thechl ⁺ gene fromE.coli does not function normally inS.typhimurium.The author is very gratefull to Miss C. W. Bettenhaussen, Miss W. M. C. Kapteijn and Mr. K. Pietersma for technical assistance. Helpfull suggestions of Dr. P. van de Putte (Medical Biological Laboratory of the National Defence Organization TNO, Rijswijk) are gratefully acknowledged.     

Frameshift lesions induced by oxazolopyridocarbazoles are recognized by the mismatch repair system in Escherichia coli

The simple reversible intercalating agent isopropyl-OPC (iPr-OPC) induces frameshift-1 mutations in Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli. The mutagenic responses of S. typhimurium and E. coli wild-type strains are not proportional to the amount of drug intercalated into double-stranded nucleic acids in living bacteria; it occurs only above a minimum level of binding. The fact that mismatch-repair-deficient (mutS) as well as adenine-methylation-deficient (dam) E. coli mutants are hypermutable at low concentrations of iPr-OPC suggests that the majority of mutants induced by this intercalating drug occur as mismatch-repairable mutations (or lesions) in the newly synthesized DNA strand close to the replication fork.     

Control of arg gene expression in Salmonella typhimurium by the arginine repressor from Escherichia coli K-12

Summary The regulation of synthesis of arg enzymes in Salmonella typhimurium by the arginine repressor of Escherichia coli K-12 has been reevaluated using a strain of S. typhimurium in which the argR gene was rendered nonfunctional by inserting the translocatable tetracyclineresistance element Tn10 into the argR gene. In contrast to previous studies, the introduction of the argR ⁺ allelle of E. coli on an F-prime factor to the argR::Tn10 S. typhimurium strain reduced the synthesis of arg enzymes to essentially wild-type levels. The elevated levels of arg enzymes observed in other hybrid merodiploids may have been the consequence of the formation of hybrid repressor molecules. The readily scoreable phenotype of tetracycline resistance facilitated establishing linkage of cod and argR (0.6% cotransduction) by P22 phage-mediated transduction.     

DNA restriction and modification systems in Salmonella. II. Genetic complementation between the K and B systems of Escherichia coli and the Salmonella typhimurium system SB, with the same chromosomal location

Summary E. coli x S.typhimurium partially diploid hybrids were constructed to investigate the possibility of genetic complementation between the SA and the SB restriction and modification systems of S. typhimurium and the K and B systems of E. coli.An hsdR _K ^- mutation was complemented in a stable hybrid in which the hsd _SA ⁺ -hsd _SB ⁺ -serB ⁺ portion of the S. typhimurium chromosome was integrated at a non-homologous locus. By isolating hsd ^- mutants in that hybrid, it was shown that complementation occured between K and SB, but not between K and SA.Similarly, in a set of F-prime merodiploids bearing the SA, SB and B systems, complementation was observed between B and SB, but not between B and SA.