色氨酸操纵子研究进展

色氨酸只能由微生物和植物合成。催化色氨酸分支途径的酶由色氨酸操纵子编码。生物体内色氨酸合成受到严格调控,色氨酸操纵子发挥重要作用。本文综述色氨酸代谢途径及其调节,并对途径工程在色氨酸操纵子改造中的应用进行回顾。     

苏云金芽胞杆菌HD-73菌株sigL基因突变体的特性分析

[目的]通过分析苏云金芽胞杆菌sigL基因突变体的特征,进一步明确sigL基因在苏云金芽胞杆菌中的功能.[方法]测定了苏云金芽胞杆菌HD-73菌株,sigL基因缺失突变菌株和互补菌株在不同营养成分的培养基中的生长曲线以及在不同氮源条件下的生长情况.分别将调控aco操纵子(编码3-羟基丁酮脱氢酶系统)的转录调节基因acoR和调控bkd操纵子(编码催化支链脂肪酸合成的酶系统)的转录调节基因bkdR的启动子与lacZ基因融合,并转入出发菌株和sigL突变体中,测定β-半乳糖苷酶的活性.[结果]sigL突变体不能利用精氨酸、脯氨酸、缬氨酸、异亮氨酸、谷氨酰胺、苯丙氨酸、蛋氨酸、色氨酸为唯一的氮源;β-半乳糖苷酶的活性分析表明:在sigL突变体中acoR基因和bkdR基因的启动子活性降低.序列比对分析表明:Bt中的AcoR和BkdR的蛋白结构域与依赖于σL的转录调节因子的保守序列相似.[结论]苏云金芽胞杆菌中sigL基因的缺失可能阻碍了某些重要碳、氮源参与的代谢途径.在Bt中AcoR和BkdR是依赖于σL的转录调节因子.     

广泛用于基因表达调控研究中的LacZ基因

ＬａｃＺ基因是大肠杆菌乳糖操纵子中的一个基因,１９６９年,美国哈佛大学以Ｂｅｃｋｗｉｔｈ博士为首的研究小组,应用ＤＮＡ分子杂交技术首次分离到该基因。ＬａｃＺ基因编码的ｂｅｔａ－半乳糖苷酶（简称ｂｅｔａ－ｇａｌ）是由４个亚基组成的四聚体,可催化乳糖的水...     

大肠杆菌棉子糖操纵子

大肠杆菌(Escherichiacoli)棉子糖(raf)操纵子位于质粒,它编码能够使大肠杆菌吸收和利用三糖棉子糖的蛋白,即一个主动运输系统(Raf透性酶),α半乳糖苷酶和蔗糖水解酶。raf操纵子包括启动子rafP,调节基因rafR,操纵基因rafO以及rafA,rafB,rafD三个结构基因。这个操纵子由一个阻遏蛋白RafR负控制,同时以环腺苷代谢降解物基因激活蛋白(cAMPCAP)为中介的正调控也参与调节。     

大肠杆菌棉子糖操纵子a-半乳糖苷酶表达的调节控制

大肠杆菌棉子糖操纵子(raf)位于质粒,其第一结构基因rafA编码的a-半乳糖苷酶为诱导酶。Rat操纵子比乳糖操纵子(lac)或蜜二糖操纵子(mel)对诱导物有更严格的结构特异性。该酶被蜜二糖或棉子糖诱导,也被D-半乳糖微弱诱导,但不受乳糖、PNPG等结构相近糖所诱导。A-半乳糖苷酶的酶诱导形成能力在对数生长末期出现高峰。Rat 操纵子基因结构组成及调节与乳糖操纵子相似。以阻遏物为中介的负调控在raf操纵子调节中起主要作用,同时以环腺苷一代谢降解物基因激活蛋白(cAMP-CAP)为中介的正调控也参与调节。当0．4％葡萄糖加入到其它碳源培养基时,该酶表达水平下降至原活力的1／2—1／3。无论诱导或组成型酶的葡萄糖抑制均未见瞬时抑制。腺苷环化酶(cya)缺失或环腺苷受体蛋白(crP)和cya双缺陷菌株的酶表达则分别下降到原活力的9％和2．5％。Cya突变株或葡萄糖对raf操纵子表达的抑制可被cAMP解除,但cya和crP双缺陷菌株仍有葡萄糖抑制,而且这种抑制不为cAMP抵消,表明通过降低cAMp而影响cAMP-CAP复合体形成还不能解释代谢降解物抑制的全部机制。尚无证据说明吲哚类小分子化合物和低浓度尿素对raf操纵子表达的明显作用。     

铜绿假单胞菌中一个新的吩嗪合成调节基因

[目的]在次抑制浓度四环素条件下,研究铜绿假单胞菌phzAl操纵子的调节基因及调节途径.[方法]对转座突变库中phaAl操纵子表达发生变化的突变体,进行随机PCR、基因测序及比对,确定突变位点.并以发光杆菌的荧光素酶基因操纵子luxCDABE为报道基因,研究基因调节作用及调节路径.[结果]在两株突变体PAM0487和PAM0487R中phzAl操纵子的表达降低,这两株突变体的突变基因确定为假定钼元素转运蛋白调节子PA0487基因.[结论]PA0487是phzAl操纵子表达的一个新的正向调节子,并对密度感应系统相关基因的表达有凋节作用.     

大肠杆菌棉子糖操纵子

大肠杆菌（Ｅscherichia coli）棉子糖（raf）操纵子位于质粒,它编码能够使大肠杆菌吸收和利用三糖棉子糖的蛋白,即一个主动运输系统（Ｒaf透性酶）,α－关乳糖苷酶和蔗糖水解酶。raf操纵子包括启动子rafP,调节基因rafR,操纵基因rafO以及rafA,rafB,rafD三个结构基因。这个操纵子一个阻遏蛋白RafR负控制,同时以环腺苷－代谢降解物基因激活蛋白（cAMP-CAP）为中介的正调控也参与调节。     

苏云金芽胞杆菌G03 spoIVF操纵子敲除对芽胞和晶体形成的影响

spoIVF是一个普遍存在于芽胞杆菌中的操纵子。在枯草芽胞杆菌中,它编码的两个蛋白是芽胞形成所必需的。采用基因重组技术敲除了苏云金芽胞杆菌G03菌株中的spoIVF操纵子,构建了spoIVF缺失株G03(spoIVF-)。研究表明:该突变株丧失了形成芽胞和晶体的能力。lacZ基因与cry1Aa基因的启动子融合表达分析发现:突变株中的cry1Aa基因的活性严重降低。利用载体pSTK携带spoIVF操纵子在突变株中的表达,使突变株部分恢复了产胞和形成杀虫晶体蛋白的能力。这说明spoIVF操纵子是所必需的,同时该操纵子还影响σE因子控制的cry1Aa基因表达。     

Aspartate transcarbamoylase genes of Pseudomonas putida: requirement for an inactive dihydroorotase for assembly into the dodecameric holoenzyme.

The nucleotide sequences of the genes encoding the enzyme aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) from Pseudomonas putida have been determined. Our results confirm that the P. putida ATCase is a dodecameric protein composed of two types of polypeptide chains translated coordinately from overlapping genes. The P. putida ATCase does not possess dissociable regulatory and catalytic functions but instead apparently contains the regulatory nucleotide binding site within a unique N-terminal extension of the pyrB-encoded subunit. The first gene, pyrB, is 1,005 bp long and encodes the 334-amino-acid, 36.4-kDa catalytic subunit of the enzyme. The second gene is 1,275 bp long and encodes a 424-residue polypeptide which bears significant homology to dihydroorotase (DHOase) from other organisms. Despite the homology of the overlapping gene to known DHOases, this 44.2-kDa polypeptide is not considered to be the functional product of the pyrC gene in P. putida, as DHOase activity is distinct from the ATCase complex. Moreover, the 44.2-kDa polypeptide lacks specific histidyl residues thought to be critical for DHOase enzymatic function. The pyrC-like gene (henceforth designated pyrC') does not complement Escherichia coli pyrC auxotrophs, while the cloned pyrB gene does complement pyrB auxotrophs. The proposed function for the vestigial DHOase is to maintain ATCase activity by conserving the dodecameric assembly of the native enzyme. This unique assembly of six active pyrB polypeptides coupled with six inactive pyrC' polypeptides has not been seen previously for ATCase but is reminiscent of the fused trifunctional CAD enzyme of eukaryotes.     

Aspartate carbamoyltransferase from the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. Cloning, sequence analysis, enzyme purification and characterization.

The genes coding for aspartate carbamoyltransferase (ATCase) in the extremely thermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius have been cloned by complementation of a pyrBI deletion mutant of Escherichia coli. Sequencing revealed the existence of an enterobacterial-like pyrBI operon encoding a catalytic chain of 299 amino acids (34 kDa) and a regulatory chain of 170 amino acids (17.9 kDa). The deduced amino acid sequences of the pyrB and pyrI genes showed 27.6-50% identity with archaeal and enterobacterial ATCases. The recombinant S. acidocaldarius ATCase was purified to homogeneity, allowing the first detailed studies of an ATCase isolated from a thermophilic organism. The recombinant enzyme displayed the same properties as the ATCase synthesized in the native host. It is highly thermostable and exhibits Michaelian saturation kinetics for carbamoylphosphate (CP) and positive homotropic cooperative interactions for the binding of L-aspartate. Moreover, it is activated by nucleoside triphosphates whereas the catalytic subunits alone are inhibited. The holoenzyme purified from recombinant E. coli cells or present in crude extract of the native host have an Mr of 340 000 as estimated by gel filtration, suggesting that it has a quaternary structure similar to that of E. coli ATCase. Only monomers could be found in extracts of recombinant E. coli or Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells expressing the pyrB gene alone. In the presence of CP these monomers assembled into trimers. The stability of S. acidocaldarius ATCase and the allosteric properties of the enzyme are discussed in function of a modeling study.     

In vivo formation of hybrid aspartate transcarbamoylases from native subunits of divergent members of the family Enterobacteriaceae.

The genes encoding the catalytic (pyrB) and regulatory (pyrI) polypeptides of aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase, EC 2.1.3.2) from several members of the family Enterobacteriaceae appear to be organized as bicistronic operons. The pyrBI gene regions from several enteric sources were cloned into selected plasmid vectors and expressed in Escherichia coli. Subsequently, the catalytic cistrons were subcloned and expressed independently from the regulatory cistrons from several of these sources. The regulatory cistron of E. coli was cloned separately and expressed from lac promoter-operator vectors. By utilizing plasmids from different incompatibility groups, it was possible to express catalytic and regulatory cistrons from different bacterial sources in the same cell. In all cases examined, the regulatory and catalytic polypeptides spontaneously assembled to form stable functional hybrid holoenzymes. This hybrid enzyme formation indicates that the r:c domains of interaction, as well as the dodecameric architecture, are conserved within the Enterobacteriaceae. The catalytic subunits of the hybrid ATCases originated from native enzymes possessing varied responses to allosteric effectors (CTP inhibition, CTP activation, or very slight responses; and ATP activation or no ATP response). However, each of the hybrid ATCases formed with regulatory subunits from E. coli demonstrated ATP activation and CTP inhibition, which suggests that the allosteric control characteristics are determined by the regulatory subunits.     

Aspartate transcarbamylase from the deep-sea hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus abyssi: genetic organization, structure, and expression in Escherichia coli.

The genes coding for aspartate transcarbamylase (ATCase) in the deep-sea hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus abyssi were cloned by complementation of a pyrB Escherichia coli mutant. The sequence revealed the existence of a pyrBI operon, coding for a catalytic chain and a regulatory chain, as in Enterobacteriaceae. Comparison of primary sequences of the polypeptides encoded by the pyrB and pyrI genes with those of homologous eubacterial and eukaryotic chains showed a high degree of conservation of the residues which in E. coli ATCase are involved in catalysis and allosteric regulation. The regulatory chain shows more-extensive divergence with respect to that of E. coli and other Enterobacteriaceae than the catalytic chain. Several substitutions suggest the existence in P. abyssi ATCase of additional hydrophobic interactions and ionic bonds which are probably involved in protein stabilization at high temperatures. The catalytic chain presents a secondary structure similar to that of the E. coli enzyme. Modeling of the tridimensional structure of this chain provides a folding close to that of the E. coli protein in spite of several significant differences. Conservation of numerous pairs of residues involved in the interfaces between different chains or subunits in E. coli ATCase suggests that the P. abyssi enzyme has a quaternary structure similar to that of the E. coli enzyme. P. abyssi ATCase expressed in transgenic E. coli cells exhibited reduced cooperativity for aspartate binding and sensitivity to allosteric effectors, as well as a decreased thermostability and barostability, suggesting that in P. abyssi cells this enzyme is further stabilized through its association with other cellular components.     

Escherichia coli aspartate transcarbamylase: a novel marker for studies of gene amplification and expression in mammalian cells.

Eucaryotic expression vectors containing the Escherichia coli pyrB gene (pyrB encodes the catalytic subunit of aspartate transcarbamylase [ATCase]) and the Tn5 phosphotransferase gene (G418 resistance module) were transfected into a mutant Chinese hamster ovary cell line possessing a CAD multifunctional protein lacking ATCase activity. G418-resistant transformants were isolated and analyzed for ATCase activity, the ability to complement the CAD ATCase defect, and the ability to resist high concentrations of the ATCase inhibitor N-(phosphonacetyl)-L-aspartate (PALA) by amplifying the donated pyrB gene sequences. We report that bacterial ATCase is expressed in these lines, that it complements the CAD ATCase defect in trans, and that its amplification engenders PALA resistance. In addition, we derived rapid and sensitive assay conditions which enable the determination of bacterial ATCase enzyme activity in the presence of mammalian ATCase.     

Evolutionary divergence of genes for ornithine and aspartate carbamoyl-transferases--complete sequence and mode of regulation of the Escherichia coli argF gene; comparison of argF with argI and pyrB.

The complete nucleotide sequence of argF is presented, together with that of an operator-constitutive mutant. ArgF is compared with the other gene coding for ornithine carbamoyltransferase (OTCase) in E. coli K-12, argI, and with pyrB, encoding the catalytic monomer of aspartate carbamoyltransferase (ATCase). ArgF and argI appear very closely related having emerged from a relatively recent ancestor gene. The relationship between OTCase and ATCase appears more distant. Nevertheless, the homology observed between the two proteins (mainly in the polar domain) suggests a common origin.     

Aquifex aeolicus aspartate transcarbamoylase, an enzyme specialized for the efficient utilization of unstable carbamoyl phosphate at elevated temperature

Aquifex aeolicus, an organism that flourishes at 95 degrees C, is one of the most thermophilic eubacteria thus far described. The A. aeolicus pyrB gene encoding aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) was cloned, overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and purified by affinity chromatography to a homogeneous form that could be crystallized. Chemical cross-linking and size exclusion chromatography showed that the protein was a homotrimer of 34-kDa catalytic chains. The activity of A. aeolicus ATCase increased dramatically with increasing temperature due to an increase in kcat with little change in the Km for the substrates, carbamoyl phosphate and aspartate. The Km for both substrates was 30-40-fold lower than the corresponding values for the homologous E. coli ATCase catalytic subunit. Although rapidly degraded at high temperature, the carbamoyl phosphate generated in situ by A. aeolicus carbamoyl phosphate synthetase (CPSase) was channeled to ATCase. The transient time for carbamoyl aspartate formation was 26 s, compared with the much longer transient times observed when A. aeolicus CPSase was coupled to E. coli ATCase. Several other approaches provided strong evidence for channeling and transient complex formation between A. aeolicus ATCase and CPSase. The high affinity for substrates combined with channeling ensures the efficient transfer of carbamoyl phosphate from the active site of CPSase to that of ATCase, thus preserving it from degradation and preventing the formation of toxic cyanate.