Molecular Cloning of a Gene (Cfp) Encoding the Cytoplasmic Filament Protein P59nc and Its Genetic Relationship to the Snowflake Locus of Neurospora Crassa

P59Nc is a 59-kD polypeptide associated with 8-10-nm diameter cellular filaments in normal Neurospora crassa strains. Abnormally sized and shaped bundles of these structures are present in N. crassa strains carrying mutations at the locus sn (snowflake). By using molecular cloning and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) segregation analysis strategies we show here that sn is not the genetic locus of P59Nc. Several P59Nc cDNAs were cloned from a N. crassa lambda GT11 library after immunoscreening with specific polyclonal anti-P59Nc antibodies. Additional longer cDNAs were obtained from a N. crassa cDNA-lambda ZAP library. When used as probes in Southern blots of total DNA from wild-type strains, multicent-2 (a multiple mutant strain), and snowflake mutants, the P59Nc cDNAs revealed comparable patterns of hybridizing bands for all of the restriction enzymes tested. Analysis of segregation of BclI and ClaI RFLPs, detected in the genomic region of the P59Nc gene (locus cfp: cellular filament polypeptide), among a set of strains designed for RFLP mapping, or among selected progeny of crosses involving a snowflake parent, respectively, indicate that (i) there is in N. crassa a single cfp locus positioned on the right arm of linkage group VII between the locus for and the proximal breakpoint of the translocation T(VII----I)5936; (ii) the sn mutations in the centromere region of chromosome I do not represent translocations of cfp; and (iii) the snowflake mutants possesses a normal copy of the P59Nc gene on their chromosomes VII.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Molecular cloning of a Neurospora crassa carotenoid biosynthetic gene (albino-3) regulated by blue light and the products of the white collar genes.

The albino-3 (al-3) gene of Neurospora crassa, which probably encodes the carotenoid biosynthetic enzyme geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthetase, was cloned. The N. crassa triple mutant al-3 qa-2 aro-9 was transformed to qa-2+ with mixtures of plasmids bearing N. crassa DNA inserts, and the transformants were screened for the al-3+ phenotype. One al-3+ qa-2+ transformant (AL3-1) was examined in detail and shown to contain intact vector sequences integrated into the N. crassa genome. The vector and some flanking sequences were recovered from AL3-1 after restriction, ligation, and selection of chloramphenicol-resistant transformants of Escherichia coli. The flanking sequences were subsequently used to detect the al-3-containing plasmid in the mixture of about 1,800 plasmids. Restriction fragment length polymorphism mapping was carried out to confirm the identity of the cloned fragment. The level of the al-3 mRNA was shown to be increased 15-fold in light-induced (compared with that in dark-grown) wild-type mycelia. The light-dependent increase in al-3 mRNA levels was not observed in presumed regulatory mutant (white collar) strains.     

Detection of mutations and DNA polymorphisms using whole genome Southern Cross hybridization.

We report a general method for the detection of restriction fragment length alterations associated with mutations or polymorphisms using whole genomic DNA rather than specific cloned DNA probes. We utilized a modified Southern Cross hybridization to display the hybridization pattern of all size-separated restriction fragments from wild-type Caenorhabditis elegans to all the corresponding fragments in a particular mutant strain and in a distinct C. elegans variety. In this analysis, almost all homologous restriction fragments are the same size in both strains and result in an intense diagonal of hybridization, whereas homologous fragments that differ in size between the two strains generate an off-diagonal spot. To attenuate the contribution of repeated sequences in the genome to spurious off-diagonal spots, restriction fragments from each genome were partially resected with a 3' or 5' exonuclease and not denatured, so that only the DNA sequences at the ends of these fragments could hybridize. Off-diagonal hybridization spots were detected at the expected locations when genomic DNA from wild-type was compared to an unc-54 mutant strain containing a 1.5 kb deletion or to a C. elegans variety that contains dispersed transposon insertions. We suggest that this modified Southern Cross hybridization technique could be used to identify restriction fragment length alterations associated with mutations or genome rearrangements in organisms with DNA complexities as large as 10(8) base pairs and, using rare-cutting enzymes and pulse-field gel electrophoresis, perhaps as large as mammalian genomes. This information could be used to clone fragments associated with such DNA alterations.     

Cloning of methylated transforming DNA from Neurospora crassa in Escherichia coli.

An arg-2 mutant of Neurospora crassa was transformed to prototrophy with a pBR322-N. crassa genomic DNA library. Repeated attempts to recover the integrated transforming DNA or segments thereof by digestion, ligation, and transformation of Escherichia coli, with selection for the plasmid marker ampicillin resistance, were unsuccessful. Analyses of a N. crassa transformant demonstrated that the introduced DNA was heavily methylated at cytosine residues. This methylation was shown to be responsible for our inability to recover transformants in standard strains of E. coli; transformants were readily obtained in a strain which is deficient in the two methylcytosine restriction systems. Restriction of methylated DNA in E. coli may explain the general failure to recover vector or transforming sequences from N. crassa transformants.     

Genetic analysis of type 5 capsular polysaccharide expression by Staphylococcus aureus.

Capsules are produced by over 90% of Staphylococcus aureus strains, and approximately 25% of clinical isolates express type 5 capsular polysaccharide (CP5). We mutagenized the type 5 strain Reynolds with Tn918 to target genes involved in CP5 expression. From a capsule-deficient mutant, we cloned into a cosmid vector an approximately 26-kb EcoRI fragment containing the transposon insertion. In the absence of tetracycline selection, Tn918 was spontaneously excised, thereby resulting in a plasmid containing 9.4 kb of S. aureus DNA flanking the Tn918 insertion site. The 9.4-kb DNA fragment was used to screen a cosmid library prepared from the wild-type strain. Positive colonies were identified by colony hybridization, and a restriction map of one clone (pJCL19 with an approximately 34-kb insert) carrying the putative capsule gene region was constructed. Fragments of pJCL19 were used to probe genomic DNA digests from S. aureus strains of different capsular serotypes. Fragments on the ends of the cloned DNA hybridized to fragments of similar sizes in most of the strains examined. Blots hybridized to two fragments flanking the central region of the cloned DNA showed restriction fragment length polymorphism. A centrally located DNA fragment hybridized only to DNA from capsular types 2, 4, and 5. DNA from pJCL19 was subcloned to a shuttle vector for complementation studies. A 6.2-kb EcoRI-ClaI fragment complemented CP5 expression in a capsule-negative mutant derived by mutagenesis with ethyl methanesulfonate. These experiments provide the necessary groundwork for identifying genes involved in CP5 expression by S. aureus.     

Mutations affecting assembly and stability of tubulin: evidence for a nonessential beta-tubulin in CHO cells.

Eight strains of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells having an assembly-defective beta-tubulin were found among revertants of strain Cmd 4, a mutant with a conditional lethal mutation in a beta-tubulin gene (F. Cabral, M. E. Sobel, and M. M. Gottesman, Cell 20:29-36, 1980). The altered beta-tubulins in these strains have electrophoretically silent alterations or, in some cases, an increase or a decrease in apparent molecular weight based on their migration in two-dimensional gels. The identity of these variant proteins as beta-tubulin was confirmed by peptide mapping, which also revealed the loss of distinct methionine-containing peptides in the assembly-defective beta-tubulins of lower apparent molecular weight. The altered mobility of these beta-tubulin polypeptides was not the result of a posttranslational modification, since the altered species could be labeled in very short incubations with [35S]methionine and were found among in vitro-translated polypeptides by using purified mRNA. In at least one strain, an altered DNA restriction fragment could be demonstrated, suggesting that an alteration occurred in one of the structural genes for beta-tubulin. Assembly-defective beta-tubulin was unstable and turned over with a half-life of only 1 to 2 h in exponentially growing cells. This rapid degradation of a tubulin gene product resulted in approximately 30% lower steady-state levels of both alpha- and beta-tubulin yet did not affect the growth rate of the cells or the distribution of the microtubules as judged by immunofluorescence microscopy. These results argue that CHO cells possess a beta-tubulin gene product that is not essential for survival.     

Pathovar-specific requirement for the Pseudomonas syringae lemA gene in disease lesion formation.

The lemA gene is conserved among strains and pathovars of Pseudomonas syringae. In P. syringae pv. syringae B728a, a causal agent of bacterial brown spot disese of bean, the lemA gene is required for lesion formation on leaves and pods. Using lemA-containing DNA as a probe, we determined that 80 P. syringae pv. syringae strains isolated from bean leaves could be grouped into seven classes based on restriction fragment length polymorphism. Marker exchange mutagenesis showed that the lemA gene was required for lesion formation by representative strains from each restriction fragment length polymorphism class. Hybridization to the lemA locus was detected within six different P. syringae pathovars and within Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Interestingly, a lemA homolog was present and functional within the nonpathogenic strain P. syringae Cit7. We cloned a lemA homolog from a genomic library of P. syringae pv. phaseolicola NPS3121, a causal agent of halo blight of bean, that restored lesion formation to a P. syringae pv. syringae lemA mutant. However, a lemA mutant P. syringae pv. phaseolicola strain retained the ability to produce halo blight disease symptoms on bean plants. Therefore, the lemA gene played an essential role in disease lesion formation by P. syringae pv. syringae isolates, but was not required for pathogenicity of a P. syringae pv. phaseolicola strain.     

用分子生物学技术对草菇进行菌株鉴别

利用AP-PCR和RAPD技术对三个草菇菌株进行鉴别,其结果与用草菇菌株V34基因文库中的中等重复序列为探针进行限制性内切酶长度多态性分析(RFLP),及对编码核糖体5.8SrRNA的DNA(rDNA)进行PCR扩增后的产物进行限制性内切酶长度多态性分析(PCR-RFLP)的结果相一致。这一结果显示出用这四种方法对草菇菌株进行鉴别具有相似的效果。同时用这四种方法构建的分子生物学标记显示出这三个菌株中的两个菌株在遗传上有着较大程度的相似性。     

用富集文库克隆人胰岛素基因组基因

通过构建可富集人胰岛素基因的λ噬菌体文库,克隆了人胰岛素基因组基因．首先从中国人血液白细胞中提取到人基因组ＤＮＡ,用ＥｃｏＲⅠ和ＢｇｌⅡ对基因组ＤＮＡ进行全酶切,经０．４％琼脂糖凝胶电泳,特异回收９．５ｋｂ左右的ＤＮＡ片段．将该片段与λＥＭＢＬ３／ＢａｍＨⅠ臂连接,构建成一个特殊的人基因组λ噬菌体文库（富集文库）,效价为２×１０４．同时采用ＰＣＲ方法及用引物Ⅰ：５′ＧＧＡＣＡＧＧＣＴＡＣＡＴＣＡＧＧＡＡＧＡＧＧ３′,引物Ⅱ：５′ＣＴＧＣＧＴＣＴＡＡＴＴＧＣＡＧＴＡＧＴＴＣ３′,从人基因组ＤＮＡ中扩增出一段含胰岛素基因的１．３６ｋｂＤＮＡ片段,做为放射性标记探针,对文库进行了噬菌斑原位杂交筛选,从１×１０４个噬菌斑中筛选到一个含人胰岛素基因组基因的阳性克隆,并进一步完成了亚克隆和该基因１７３２ｂｐＤＮＡ序列的测定．结果该基因的１７３２ｂｐＤＮＡ序列包括部分５′端和３′端与国外发表的人胰岛素α型等位基因的序列相同     

Identification of a mutation that relieves gamma-glutamyl kinase from allosteric feedback inhibition by proline

A 1.75-kb DNA fragment containing the entire Escherichia coli proB+ gene has been sequenced. The proB locus encodes the structural gene for gamma-glutamyl kinase (GK), the enzyme responsible for the first step in proline biosynthesis, and the primary regulatory point of the pathway. We have previously reported the nucleotide (nt) sequence of a mutant proB gene isolated from an E. coli strain resistant to the toxic analog of proline, 3,4-dehydro-DL-proline (DHP). This mutant gene encodes a GK which is refractory to allosteric feedback inhibition by proline (DHPR). Comparison of the proB+ and DHPR proB sequences revealed a single base difference, an A-T to C-G transversion localized at nt position 428 within the amino acid (aa) coding region of proB. This mutation predicts an aa change from glutamic acid in the wild-type (wt) enzyme to alanine in the DHPR enzyme.     

Characterization of highly virulent Escherichia coli strains by ribosomal DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism

Patterns of ribosomal DNA polymorphism were examined to compare carboxylesterase B type B1 strains and B2 strains of Escherichia coli isolated from extra-intestinal infections. DNA from 14 type B2 strains showing the presence of alpha-haemolysin and mannose-resistant haemagglutinin and lethality to mice and 14 type B1 strains lacking these characteristics, was digested with HindIII, EcoRI, BamHI or BglII restriction enzymes and analysed by Southern blotting. The obtained ribotypes clearly differentiated the B2 strains from the B1 strains. These results indicate that genotypes of the highly virulent B2 strains are different from that of the less virulent B1 strains.     

Hybridization analysis of the gene encoding a hemolysin (suilysin) of Streptococcus suis type 2: evidence for the absence of the gene in some isolates

A hemolysin gene was cloned from a virulent strain of Streptococcus suis type 2 strain 1933. Analysis of the gene and its product revealed that it is identical to a previously reported hemolysin (suilysin) of S. suis type 2. Southern hybridization analysis of the digested total genomic DNA from S. suis with the cloned hemolysin DNA sequences as probe indicated that the hemolysin gene is present as a single copy on the genome. Genomic DNA of 63 isolates of S. suis encompassing all known serotypes were examined by DNA hybridization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) studies for the presence of the hemolysin gene homolog. The results of both techniques were identical and demonstrated the absence of the hemolysin gene in some isolates. In DNA hybridization studies, three DNA probes derived from the hemolysin encoding gene were used. Results showed that sequences encoding the C-terminal 257 amino acid residues (Probe 1) were the most conserved and hybridized to a 1.2 kb fragment in 32 (51%) strains and a 4.0 kb fragment in 23 (36%) strains respectively. Thus, Probe 2 hybridized to the DNA of 55 (87%) of the isolates tested. The first probe (Probe 1) comprising almost the entire hemolysin gene and the third probe (Probe 3) which consisted of the N-terminal sequences hybridized only to a 4.0 kb fragment in 23 (36%) of the strains tested. Eight (13%) of the strains tested were hybridization and PCR negative. The hybridization of the C-terminal end sequences (Probe 2) to the 1.2 kb fragment in 32 (51%) of the strains and the lack of hybridization of the probes to eight (13%) strains may suggest the presence of different types of hemolysin molecule in S. suis strains.     

Molecular cloning and expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Neurospora crassa of the invertase gene from Neurospora crassa

A plasmid (named pCN2) carrying a 7.6 kb BamHI DNA insert was isolated from a Neurospora crassa genomic library raised in the yeast vector YRp7. Saccharomyces cerevisiae suco and N. crassa inv strains transformed with pNC2 were able to grow on sucrose-based media and expressed invertase activity. Saccharomyces cerevisiae suco (pNC2) expressed a product which immunoreacted with antibody raised against purified invertase from wild type N. crassa, although S. cerevisiae suc+ did not. The cloned DNA hybridized with a 7.6 kb DNA fragment from BamHI-restricted wild type N. crassa DNA. Plasmid pNC2 transformed N. crassa Inv- to Inv+ by integration either near to the endogenous inv locus (40% events) or at other genomic sites (60% events). It appears therefore that the cloned DNA piece encodes the N. crassa invertase enzyme. A 3.8 kb XhoI DNA fragment, derived from pNC2, inserted in YRp7, in both orientation, was able to express invertase activity in yeast, suggesting that it contains an intact invertase gene which is not expressed from a vector promoter.     

Analysis of the SAG5 locus reveals a distinct genomic organisation in virulent and avirulent strains of Toxoplasma gondii

We have recently characterised, in the virulent strain RH of Toxoplasma gondii, three glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored surface antigens related to SAG1 (p30) and encoded by highly homologous, tandemly arrayed genes named SAG5A, SAG5B and SAG5C. In the present study, we compared the genomic organisation of the SAG5 locus in strains belonging to the three major genotypes of T. gondii. Southern blot analysis using a SAG5-specific probe produced two related but distinct hybridisation patterns, one exclusive of genotype I virulent strains, the other shared by avirulent strains of either genotype II or genotype III. To understand the molecular bases of this intergenotypic heterogeneity, we cloned and sequenced the SAG5 locus in the genotype II strain Me49. We found that in this isolate the SAG5B gene is missing, with SAG5A and SAG5C laying contiguously. This genomic arrangement explains the hybridisation profiles observed for all the avirulent strains examined and indicates that the presence of SAG5B is a distinctive trait of genotype I. Furthermore, we identified two novel SAG1-related genes, SAG5D and SAG5E, mapping respectively 1.8 and 4.0 kb upstream of SAG5A. SAG5D is transcribed in tachyzoites and encodes a polypeptide of 362 amino acids sharing 50% identity with SAG5A-C, whereas SAG5E is a transcribed pseudogene. We also evaluated polymorphisms at the SAG5 locus by comparing the coding regions of SAG5A-E from strains representative of the three archetypal genotypes. In agreement with the strict allelic dimorphism of T. gondii, we identified two alleles for SAG5D, whereas SAG5A, SAG5C and SAG5E were found to be three distinct nucleotide variants. The higher intergenotypic polymorphism of SAG5A, SAG5C and SAG5E suggests that these genes underwent a more rapid genetic drift than the other members of the SAG1 family. Finally, we developed a new PCR–restriction fragment length polymorphism method based on the SAG5C gene that is able to discriminate between strains of genotype I, II and III by a single endonuclease digestion.     

Molecular cloning of a gene region from Bradyrhizobium japonicum essential for lipopolysaccharide synthesis

The gene region cloned from a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mutant carrying the Tn5 and flanking DNA sequences was used as a probe to screen a gene bank prepared from wild-type Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain 61A101C and to isolate the corresponding wild-type LPS-gene region. By cross-hybridization experiments the LPS-gene region did not appear to be closely linked to previously cloned nodulation genes. A detailed restriction map of the LPS-gene region (5.5-kb EcoRI genomic fragment) was established and the mutation site was localized to be in a 300-bp PvuI/PstI restriction fragment. In genomic Southern-blot analysis of various rhizobia, the LPS-gene region was found to be conserved among all the slow-growing bradyrhizobia, but not the fast-growing rhizobia. The different groups of slow-growing bradyrhizobia are polymorphic for restriction-fragment length at the LPS-gene region.     

Remi-RFLP Mapping in the Dictyostelium Genome

A set of 147 Dictyostelium discoideum strains was constructed by random integration of a vector containing rare restriction sites. The strains were generated by transformation using restriction enzymemediated integration (REMI) which results in the integration of linear DNA fragments into randomly distributed genomic restriction sites. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was generated in a single genomic site in each strain. These REMI-RFLP strains were used to confirm gene linkages previously supported by two other physical mapping techniques: yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) contig construction, and megabase-scale restriction mapping. New linkages were uncovered when two or more hybridization probes identified the same RFLP fragments. Probes for 100 genes have marked 53% of the RFLPs, representing greater than 22 Mb of the 40 Mb Dictyostelium genome. Alignment of these and other large fragments along each chromosome should lead to a complete physical map of the Dictyostelium genome.