Distinct control sites located upstream from the levansucrase gene of Bacillus subtilis

The sacR regulatory region, which modulates the expression of sacB, the structural gene for levansucrase, was separated into two parts: an upstream region which carries a constitutive promoter and a downstream region which carries a palindromic structure. Three types of fusions were constructed in which the aphA3 gene coding for kanamycin resistance of Streptococcus faecalis was placed downstream from different deleted sacR regions. Other fusions were constructed by inserting a promoter from phage SPO1 upstream from the sacB gene and part of the sacA region. A third kind of fusion was constructed in which the palindromic structure was flanked by a heterologous promoter and a heterologous structural gene. After introduction of these fusions into the chromosomal DNA of mutants affected in sacB regulation, it was possible to reveal different targets for the regulatory genes sacU, sacQ and sacS: the sacU and sacQ genes act on a region located near or just upstream from the promoter, and the sacS gene, which is involved in the induction process, acts on the palindromic structure.     

Induction of saccharolytic enzymes by sucrose in Bacillus subtilis: evidence for two partially interchangeable regulatory pathways.

Sucrose induces two saccharolytic enzymes in Bacillus subtilis, an intracellular sucrase and an extracellular levansucrase, encoded by sacA and sacB, respectively. It was previously shown that the sacY gene encodes a positive regulator involved in a sucrose-dependent antitermination upstream from the sacB coding sequence. We show here that the sacY product is not absolutely required for sacB induction: a weak but significant induction can be observed in strains harboring a sacY deletion. The sacY-independent induction was altered by mutations located in the sacP and sacT loci but was observed in both sacU+ and sacU32 genetic backgrounds. These results suggest that B. subtilis has two alternative systems allowing sacB induction by sucrose. Both systems also seem to be involved in sacA induction.     

The DNA sequence of the gene for the secreted Bacillus subtilis enzyme levansucrase and its genetic control sites

We present the sequence of a 2 kb fragment of the Bacillus subtilis Marburg genome containing sacB, the structural gene of levansucrase, a secreted enzyme inducible by sucrose. The peptide sequence deduced for the secreted enzyme is very similar to that directly determined by Delfour (1981) for levansucrase of the non-Marburg strain BS5. The peptide sequence is preceded by a 29 amino acid signal peptide. Codon usage in sacB is rather different from that in the sequenced genes of other secreted enzymes in B. subtilis, especially alpha-amylase. Genetic evidence has shown that the sacB promotor is rather far from the beginning of sacB (200 bp or more). The 200 bp region preceding sacB shows some of the features of an attenuator. A preliminary discussion of the putative workings and roles of this attenuator-like structure is proposed. sacRc mutations, which allow constitutive expression of levansucrase, have been located within the 450 bp upstream of sacB. It is shown that sacRc and sacR+ alleles control in cis the expression of the adjacent sacB gene.     

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.     

Expression of levansucrase-beta-galactosidase hybrids inhibits secretion and is lethal in Bacillus subtilis

The lacZ gene of Escherichia coli was fused to several positions downstream from the 5' end of the Bacillus subtilis sacB gene, which encodes levansucrase (LS), a sucrose-inducible extracellular enzyme. Effects of hybrid protein expression in B. subtilis were studied. Several fusions were tested, and two significantly interfered with growth of cells and with LS secretion when induced with sucrose. Chromosomal amplification of the fusions, leading to strong expression of the hybrid proteins, completely blocked LS secretion and was lethal for B. subtilis when expression was induced.     

中性蛋白酶基因诱导型表达分泌载体的构建

利用PCR方法分别扩增出sacB基因的启动子-信号肽序列（sacR）和枯草芽孢杆菌中性蛋白酶的前肽-成熟肽序列,将两者连接后克隆入载体pHP13中,构建了含有中性蛋白酶基因的诱导型表达分泌载体pHP13SN,再将其转化入枯草杆菌DB104,获得基因工程菌DB104(pHP13SN)。中性蛋白酶基因在蔗糖的诱导和sacR的调控下实现了分泌表达,并获得了具有生物学活性的中性蛋白酶。     

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.     

Expression of the Bacillus subtilis sacB gene leads to sucrose sensitivity in the gram-positive bacterium Corynebacterium glutamicum but not in Streptomyces lividans.

The expression of the structural gene (sacB) encoding Bacillus subtilis levansucrase in two gram-positive soil bacteria, Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 and Streptomyces lividans 1326, was investigated. sacB expression in the presence of sucrose is lethal to C. glutamicum but not to S. lividans. While S. lividans secretes levansucrase into the medium, we could show that the enzyme is retained by C. glutamicum cells. Our results imply that the sacB gene can be used as a positive selection system in coryneform bacteria.     

Direct selection of cloned DNA in Bacillus subtilis based on sucrose-induced lethality.

Expression of the Bacillus subtilis or Bacillus amyloliquefaciens sacB gene in the presence of sucrose is lethal for a variety of bacteria. Sucrose-induced lethality can be used to select for inactivation of sacB by insertion of heterologous DNA in sensitive bacteria. This procedure has not been applicable to B. subtilis heretofore because expression of wild-type sacB is not detrimental to B. subtilis. The W29 mutation in the B. amyloliquefaciens sacB gene interferes with processing of the levansucrase signal peptide. The W29 mutation does not affect growth of B. subtilis in media lacking sucrose. However, this mutation inhibited growth of B. subtilis in media containing sucrose. Inactivation of the fructose polymerase activity encoded by sacB indicated that levan production was essential for sucrose-induced lethality. As a result, it was possible to select for cloned DNA in B. subtilis by insertional inactivation of the mutant sacB gene located on a multicopy plasmid vector in medium containing sucrose.     

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.     

Isolation and characterization of levansucrase-encoding gene from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

The gene encoding levansucrase (LVS) from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (sacB[BamP]) was isolated, sequenced and expressed in Bacillus subtilis. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of sacB[BamP] reveals extensive homology with that of the B. subtilis LVS-encoding gene in the promoter and coding region. The sacB[BamP] gene cloned in a multicopy plasmid is induced by sucrose in B. subtilis.