osmY, a new hyperosmotically inducible gene, encodes a periplasmic protein in Escherichia coli.

A new osmotically inducible gene in Escherichia coli, osmY, was induced 8- to 10-fold by hyperosmotic stress and 2- to 3-fold by growth in complex medium. The osmY gene product is a periplasmic protein which migrates with an apparent molecular mass of 22 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. A genetic fusion to osmY was mapped to 99.3 min on the E. coli chromosome. The gene was cloned and sequenced, and an open reading frame was identified. The open reading frame encoded a precursor protein with a calculated molecular weight of 21,090 and a mature protein of 18,150 following signal peptide cleavage. Sequencing of the periplasmic OsmY protein confirmed the open reading frame and defined the signal peptide cleavage site as Ala-Glu. A mutation caused by the osmY::TnphoA genetic fusion resulted in slightly increased sensitivity to hyperosmotic stress.     

A plasmid-encoded type IV fimbrial gene of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli associated with localized adherence

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) form adherent microcolonies on the surface of tissue culture cells in a pattern termed localized adherence. Localized adherence requires the presence of a large EPEC adherence factor (EAF) plasmid. Recently a bundle-forming pilus has been described in EPEC possessing the EAF plasmid. An analysis of 22 non-invasive EPEC TnphoA mutants revealed that seven have insertions in the EAF plasmid and are incapable of localized adherence. We report here the mapping of the TnphoA insertions in these mutants. The nucleotide sequence of the gene interrupted in these TnphoA mutants (bfpA) was determined and found to correspond to the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the major structural protein of the bundle-forming pilus. The bfpA gene bears sequence similarities to members of the type IV fimbrial gene family and encodes a potential site for processing by a prepilin peptidase. A plasmid containing bfpA as the only open reading frame directs the synthesis of a protein recognized by antiserum raised against the bundle-forming pilus. TnphoA mutants at this locus are unable to synthesize BfpA, but synthesis is restored by introduction of a plasmid containing the cloned gene. The minimum fragment of DNA required to restore localized adherence is considerably greater than that required to restore BfpA synthesis. BfpA expression, as assessed by alkaline phosphatase activity in bfpA::TnphoA mutants, is affected by temperature and growth medium. These studies describe an EPEC plasmid-encoded fimbrial gene, a candidate for the elusive EPEC adherence factor responsible for localized adherence.     

The lysP gene encodes the lysine-specific permease.

Escherichia coli transports lysine by two distinct systems, one of which is specific for lysine (LysP) and the other of which is inhibited by arginine ornithine. The activity of the lysine-specific system increases with growth in acidic medium, anaerobiosis, and high concentrations of lysine. It is inhibited by the lysine analog S-(beta-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine (thiosine). Thiosine-resistant (Tsr) mutants were isolated by using transpositional mutagenesis with TnphoA. A Tsr mutant expressing alkaline phosphatase activity in intact cells was found to lack lysine-specific transport. This lysP mutation was mapped to about 46.5 min on the E. coli chromosome. The lysP-phoA fusion was cloned and used as a probe to clone the wild-type lysP gene. The nucleotide sequence of the 2.7-kb BamHI fragment was determined. An open reading frame from nucleotides 522 to 1989 was observed. The translation product of this open reading frame is predicted to be a hydrophobic protein of 489 residues. The lysP gene product exhibits sequence similarity to a family of amino acid transport proteins found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, including the aromatic amino acid permease of E. coli (aroP) and the arginine permease of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (CAN1). Cells carrying a plasmid with the lysP gene exhibited a 10- to 20-fold increase in the rate of lysine uptake above wild-type levels. These results demonstrate that the lysP gene encodes the lysine-specific permease.     

Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the gene (citA) encoding a citrate carrier from Salmonella typhimurium.

A cryptic citrate transport gene (citA) from Salmonella typhimurium chromosome was cloned and its nucleotide sequence was determined. The cloned plasmid conferred citrate-utilizing ability on wild-type Escherichia coli, which cannot grow on citrate as the sole source of carbon. The resultant E. coli transformant was able to transport citrate. A 1,302-base-pair open reading frame with a preceding ribosomal binding site was found in the cloned DNA fragment. The 434-amino-acid protein that could be translated from this open reading frame is highly hydrophobic (69% nonpolar amino acid residues), consistent with the fact that the transport protein is an intrinsic membrane protein. The molecular weight of this protein was calculated to be 47,188. The gene sequence determined is highly homologous to those of Cit+ plasmid-mediated citrate transport gene, citA, from E. coli, the chromosomal citA gene from Citrobacter amalonaticus and the chromosomal cit+ gene from Klebsiella pneumoniae. The hydropathy profile of the deduced amino acid sequence suggests that this carrier has 12 hydrophobic segments, which may span the membrane lipid bilayer.     

Identification of a Serratia entomophila genetic locus encoding amber disease in New Zealand grass grub (Costelytra zealandica).

Serratia entomophila UC9 (A1MO2), which causes amber disease in the New Zealand grass grub Costelytra zealandica, was subjected to transposon (TnphoA)-induced mutagenesis. A mutant (UC21) was found to be nonpathogenic (Path-) to grass grub larvae in bioassays and was shown, by Southern hybridization, to contain a single TnphoA insertion. This mutant failed to adhere to the gut wall (Adn-) of the larvae and also failed to produce pili (Pil-). A comparative study of the total protein profiles of wild-type S. entomophila UC9 and mutant UC21 revealed that the mutant lacked an approximately 44-kDa protein and overexpressed an approximately 20-kDa protein. Transfer of cosmids containing homologous wild-type sequences into mutant strain UC21 restored wild-type phenotypes (Path+, Pil+, and Adn+). One of the complementing cosmids (pSER107) conferred piliation on Pil- Escherichia coli HB101. The TnphoA insertion in UC21 was mapped within an 8.6-kb BamHI fragment common to the complementing cosmids, and we designated this gene locus amb-1. Six gene products with molecular masses of 44, 36, 34, 33, 20, and 18 kDa were detected in E. coli minicells exclusive to the cloned 8.6-kb fragment (pSER201A). The 44-kDa gene product was not detected in E. coli minicells containing the cloned mutant fragment. Saturation mutagenesis of this fragment produced four unlinked insertional mutations with active fusions to TnphoA. These active fusions disrupted the expression of one or more gene products encoded by amb-1. The 8.6-kb fragment cloned in the opposite orientation (pSER201B) expressed only a 20-kDa protein. We propose that these are the products of structural and/or regulatory genes involved in adhesion and/or piliation which are prerequisites in the S. entomophila-grass grub interaction leading to amber disease.     

Identification of the Escherichia coli sohB gene, a multicopy suppressor of the HtrA (DegP) null phenotype.

We cloned and sequenced the sohB gene of Escherichia coli. The temperature-sensitive phenotype of bacteria that carry a Tn10 insertion in the htrA (degP) gene is relieved when the sohB gene is present in the cell on a multicopy plasmid (30 to 50 copies per cell). The htrA gene encodes a periplasmic protease required for bacterial viability only at high temperature, i.e., above 39 degrees C. The sohB gene maps to 28 min on the E. coli chromosome, precisely between the topA and btuR genes. The gene encodes a 39,000-Mr precursor protein which is processed to a 37,000-Mr mature form. Sequencing of a DNA fragment containing the gene revealed an open reading frame which could encode a protein of Mr 39,474 with a predicted signal sequence cleavage site between amino acids 22 and 23. Cleavage at this site would reduce the size of the processed protein to 37,474 Mr. The predicted protein encoded by the open reading frame has homology with the inner membrane enzyme protease IV of E. coli, which digests cleaved signal peptides. Therefore, it is possible that the sohB gene encodes a previously undiscovered periplasmic protease in E. coli that, when overexpressed, can partially compensate for the missing HtrA protein function.     

滨藜（Atriplex patens）核糖体失活蛋白基因的克隆和分析

为开发利用新疆野生植物滨藜,采用反转录-多聚酶链式反应(RT-PCR),从滨藜（Atriplex patens）叶中克隆核糖体失活蛋白（ribosome inactivating proteins ,RIPs）基因的完整读码框ORF片段.序列分析表明,该片段大小为843 bp,编码1 条长280个氨基酸肽链, 其中N 端的26个氨基酸是信号肽.滨藜核糖体失活蛋白（ApRIP）属Ⅰ型核糖体失活蛋白.同源性比较分析显示,滨藜RIP与藜科植物藜的核糖体失活蛋白,天花粉蛋白（TCS）和美洲商陆蛋白（PAP）基因序列的同源性分别为82%,41%和55%.氨基酸序列比对和SWISS-MODEL同源模建分析表明,滨藜RIP的3′端氨基酸肽链具有与其它RIP相同的活性中心位点"EAARXKXI".     

猪肌肉素基因的cDNA克隆与表达

从人肌肉素基因出发, 在dbEST数据库中进行同源性搜索, 找到七个有较高同源性的Expressed Sequence Tag(DY426490, CF787546, AJ660979, AJ664670, AJ663820, AJ680159, DN106254)。通过拼接和进一步RT-PCR实验验证, 获得猪肌肉素基因全长cDNA序列, 其全长651 bp, 开放阅读框为54~452 bp, 编码有132个氨基酸。同源性分析结果表明, 与人、小鼠和大鼠的肌肉素基因cDNA编码区(CDS)同源性分别为87.2%、77.6%和77.9%。利用克隆出的猪肌肉素cDNA, 构建表达载体pGEX-4T-1-musclin, 并在BL21大肠杆菌中成功表达和纯化了分子量为38.59 kD的融合蛋白GST-Musclin, 并运用蛋白印迹技术进行鉴定。     

Molecular cloning and characterization of acrA and acrE genes of Escherichia coli.

The DNA fragment containing the acrA locus of the Escherichia coli chromosome has been cloned by using a complementation test. The nucleotide sequence indicates the presence of two open reading frames (ORFs). Sequence analysis suggests that the first ORF encodes a 397-residue lipoprotein with a 24-amino-acid signal peptide at its N terminus. One inactive allele of acrA from strain N43 was shown to contain an IS2 element inserted into this ORF. Therefore, this ORF was designated acrA. The second downstream ORF is predicted to encode a transmembrane protein of 1,049 amino acids and is named acrE. Genes acrA and acrE are probably located on the same operon, and both of their products are likely to affect drug susceptibilities observed in wild-type cells. The cellular localizations of these polypeptides have been analyzed by making acrA::TnphoA and acrE::TnphoA fusion proteins. Interestingly, AcrA and AcrE share 65 and 77% amino acid identity with two other E. coli polypeptides, EnvC and EnvD, respectively. Drug susceptibilities in one acrA mutant (N43) and one envCD mutant (PM61) have been determined and compared. Finally, the possible functions of these proteins are discussed.     

传染性法氏囊病病毒VP3结构蛋白基因在大肠杆菌中的高效表达

传染性法氏囊病病毒（ＩＢＤＶ）是危害养鸡业的重要病原之一,属双股双节段ＲＮＡ病毒科成员,由Ａ和Ｂ两个片段的ｄｓＲＮＡ构成,大小分别约３３００－３４００ｂｐ和２８００－２９００ｂｐ。基因片段Ａ首先编码ＶＰ２－ＶＰ４－ＶＰ３聚合蛋白,然后再断裂成ＶＰ３、...     

Analysis of the entire nucleotide sequence of the cryptic plasmid of Chlamydia trachomatis serovar L1. Evidence for involvement in DNA replication.

Chlamydia trachomatis serovar L1/440/LN possesses a 7498bp plasmid which was designated pLGV440. The plasmid was cloned at the BamH1 site of pAT153 into Escherichia coli and the recombinant plasmid was designated pCTL1. A detailed restriction endonuclease map of pCTL1 was constructed. A fragment of the chlamydial plasmid was shown to function as a promoter in E. coli when placed upstream of the lacZ gene. The entire plasmid was sequenced by the chain termination method. Open reading frames were identified from the resulting consensus sequence together with a candidate for the plasmid origin of replication consisting of four perfect tandem repeats of a 22bp sequence, an A:T rich sequence and an open reading frame which could generate a 34.8kdal product. The predicted polypeptide products of the open reading frames were compared by computer with all reported protein sequences. Homology of the predicted polypeptide product of an open reading frame to the E. coli dnaB protein and the analogous product of gene 12 of bacteriophage P22 is described.     

Cloning, nucleotide sequence, and heterologous expression of a high-affinity nickel transport gene from Alcaligenes eutrophus.

High-affinity nickel transport in Alcaligenes eutrophus H16 is mediated by a function designated hoxN. hoxN lies within the hydrogenase gene cluster of megaplasmid pHG1. An insertional mutation at the hoxN locus led to an increased nickel requirement. In this mutant (strain HF260) both autotrophic growth on hydrogen and wild-type level of urease, a nickel-containing enzyme, were dependent on high concentration of nickel in the medium. Studies with a heterologous in vivo expression system revealed that the hoxN locus encodes two proteins with Mr = 30,000 and 28,000. Only the larger polypeptide was essential for nickel transport. The hoxN locus was cloned on a 2.2-kilobase pair fragment. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the hoxN locus revealed an open reading frame with a coding capacity for a protein of 33.1 kDa. The insertion leading to the Nic- phenotype of strain HF260 maps within this open reading frame indicating that it does in fact have coding function. The deduced amino acid sequence of the hoxN gene has several features typical of a hydrophobic integral membrane protein. Alkaline phosphatase fusion proteins produced by insertion of the transposon TnphoA into hoxN gave significant levels of alkaline phosphatase activity indicating that protein HoxN contains periplasmic domains. Taken together, our results suggest that gene hoxN encodes the high-affinity nickel transporter of A. eutrophus.     

Cloning and characterization of the hemA region of the Bacillus subtilis chromosome.

A 3.8-kilobase DNA fragment from Bacillus subtilis containing the hemA gene has been cloned and sequenced. Four open reading frames were identified. The first is hemA, encoding a protein of 50.8 kilodaltons. The primary defect of a B. subtilis 5-aminolevulinic acid-requiring mutant was identified as a cysteine-to-tyrosine substitution in the HemA protein. The predicted amino acid sequence of the B. subtilis HemA protein showed 34% identity with the Escherichia coli HemA protein, which is known to code for the NAD(P)H:glutamyl-tRNA reductase of the C5 pathway for 5-aminolevulinic acid synthesis. The B. subtilis HemA protein also complements the defect of an E. coli hemA mutant. The second open reading frame in the cloned fragment, called ORF2, codes for a protein of about 30 kilodaltons with unknown function. It is not the proposed hemB gene product porphobilinogen synthase. The third open reading frame is hemC, coding for porphobilinogen deaminase. The fourth open reading frame extends past the sequenced fragment and may be identical to hemD, coding for uroporphyrinogen III cosynthase. Analysis of deletion mutants of the hemA region suggests that (at least) hemA, ORF2, and hemC may be part of an operon.     

Characterization of a Legionella pneumophila gene encoding a lipoprotein antigen

A prominent 19 kDa surface antigen of Legionella pneumophila, cloned in Escherichia coli, was found to be intimately associated with peptidoglycan. The DNA region encoding this antigen was mapped on an 11.9 kb plasmid by means of deletion analysis and transposon mutagenesis. PhoA+ gene fusions, gene-rated by TnphoA insertions into this region, confirmed the presence of a gene encoding a secreted protein. PhoA+ transposon insertions were also associated with loss of the 19 kDa antigen in immunoassays using a monoclonal antibody (mAb1E9) and the replacement of the 19 kDa antigen with larger fusion proteins in immunoblots using Legionella immune serum. A 1540bp PstI fragment carrying the gene was sequenced, and the open reading frame encoding the antigen was identified. The gene encodes a polypeptide 176 amino acid residues long and 18913Da in size. The presence of a signal sequence of 22 amino acids with a consensus sequence for cleavage by signal peptidase II indicates that the antigen is a lipoprotein, and striking similarity with peptidoglycan-associated lipoproteins (PALs) from E. coli (51% amino acid homology) and Haemophilus influenzae (55% homology) is noted. We conclude that the 19kDa antigen of L. pneumophila is the structural equivalent of the PAL found in other Gram-negative species and suggest that its post-translational acylation may explain its potency as an immunogen.