Induction of capsular polysaccharide synthesis by rho-fluorophenylalanine in Escherichia coli wild type and strains with altered phenylalanyl soluble ribonucleic acid synthetase

Escherichia coli K-12 strain AB259 can be induced to form capsular polysaccharide (mucoid clones) by dl-p-fluorophenylalanine (FPA; 5 x 10(-6)m on agar plates at 37 C or 8 x 10(-5)m in liquid medium at 30 C). The change was shown to be phenotypic. An increase in enzymes probably involved in capsular polysaccharide synthesis [phosphomannose isomerase (3.3-fold), uridine diphosphate-d-galactose-4-epimerase (2.5-fold), and guanine diphosphate-l-fucose synthetase] was demonstrated as a result of growth in FPA. These increases appear sufficient to account for the increased synthesis of capsular polysaccharide due to growth in FPA. FPA-resistant derivatives of strain AB259 were obtained by selecting mutants on FPA-containing agar or by transducing in an altered phenylalanyl soluble ribonucleic acid synthetase that activates FPA poorly. Mucoid clones were formed by these strains only in the presence of 30 to 1,000 times as much FPA. Among these strains, there was a close correlation between incorporation of FPA-C(14) and induction of capsular polysaccharide synthesis. The results are thus consistent with the following model: FPA is incorporated into the protein product of the R(1) gene (repressor) and alters it sufficiently to allow derepression of several enzymes.     

Effects of temperature and host cell genetic characteristics on the replication of the lipid-containing bacteriophage PR4 in Escherichia coli.

The lipid-containing bacteriophage PR4 is of special intest because it can replicate in various gram-negative bacteria, including Escherichia coli, that carry one of a group of drug resistance plasmids. PR4 grown in E. coli strain PS2R contains about 10% lipid by weight, with the negatively charged phospholipid phosphatidylglycerol being the most abundant lipid in the virion. We now report the following. (i) PR4 attaches to E. coli with an attachment rate constant of Ka approximately 6.2 X 10(-10) ml/min, which is about twice that of the enveloped phage phi6 (to Pseudomonas phaseolicola), but a factor of 5 less than that of phage PM2 (to Pseudomonas BAL-31). (ii) Use of an E. coli glycerol auxotroph indicated that a normal amount of PR4 replication occurs only if glycerol starvation (inhibition of all phospholipid synthesis) begins no earlier than about halfway through the lytic cycle. (iii) Use of an E. coli fatty acid synthesis temperature-sensitive mutant and an E. coli phosphatidylethanolamine synthesis temperature-sensitive mutant indicate that PR4 replication can occur in the absence of either normal fatty acid synthesis or normal phospholipid synthesis if the infection takes place prior to the termination of overall cell growth and the onset of cell death, (iv) Whereas PR4 burst size in nutrient media at 30 degrees C to 42%C is about 40, the burst size at 20 degrees C is less than 3, Temperature-shift experiments show that the temperature late in infection determines the burst size.     

Isolation and characterization of a temperature-sensitive conditional mutant of Escherichia coli altered for the control of phosphate-regulated proteins

We have identified a conditional mutation which confers a ple?otropic phenotype to Escherichia coli cells: no growth at temperature higher than 36 degrees C, an altered control of the synthesis of several phosphate-regulated polypeptides (including alkaline phosphatase, sn-glycerol-3-phosphate binding protein, phosphate binding protein and outer membrane porin protein PhoE) after growth at 36 degrees C and a wild-type phenotype at 30 degrees C. This mutation was located at minute 89.5 on the E. coli chromosome in a gene we have called cpr for conditional phosphate-regulated.     

Production and secretion in Escherichia coli of hepatitis B virus pre-S2 antigen as fusion proteins with beta-lactamase.

The diagnostically important surface antigen pre-S2 of hepatitis B virus was produced in large amounts in the periplasmic space of Escherichia coli. The DNA fragments (pre-S2) coding the pre-S2 antigen were tandemly duplicated or triplicated and ligated in the same reading frame to a fragment containing the promoter and the signal sequence of the alkaline phosphatase-coding gene (phoA) of E. coli. Further, a DNA fragment (bla) coding mature beta-lactamase was joined to the region coding the C terminus of the pre-S2 repeat to stabilize the gene product. Upon induction of the phoA-(pre-S2)3-bla fusion gene, the fusion protein was produced at up to 30% of the total cellular protein. Fractionation of the cellular components and trypsin accessibility of the product showed that the antigen was secreted in the periplasm and formed inclusion bodies there. The signal sequence of alkaline phosphatase was found to be correctly processed in E. coli.     

Production and secretion in Escherichia coli of hepatitis B virus pre-S2 antigen as fusion proteins with beta-lactamase

The diagnostically important surface antigen pre-S2 of hepatitis B virus was produced in large amounts in the periplasmic space of Escherichia coli. The DNA fragments (pre-S2) coding the pre-S2 antigen were tandemly duplicated or triplicated and ligated in the same reading frame to a fragment containing the promoter and the signal sequence of the alkaline phosphatase-coding gene (phoA) of E. coli. Further, a DNA fragment (bla) coding mature beta-lactamase was joined to the region coding the C terminus of the pre-S2 repeat to stabilize the gene product. Upon induction of the phoA-(pre-S2)3-bla fusion gene, the fusion protein was produced at up to 30% of the total cellular protein. Fractionation of the cellular components and trypsin accessibility of the product showed that the antigen was secreted in the periplasm and formed inclusion bodies there. The signal sequence of alkaline phosphatase was found to be correctly processed in E. coli.     

Gene cloning, overproduction, and characterization of thermolabile alkaline phosphatase from a psychrotrophic bacterium

The gene encoding alkaline phosphatase from the psychrotrophic bacterium Shewanella sp. SIB1 was cloned, sequenced, and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein was purified and its enzymatic properties were compared with those of E. coli alkaline phosphatase (APase), which shows an amino acid sequence identity of 37%. The optimum temperature of SIB1 APase was 50 degrees C, lower than that of E. coli APase by 30 degrees C. The specific activity of SIB1 APase at 50 degrees C was 3.1 fold higher than that of E. coli APase at 80 degrees C. SIB1 APase lost activity with a half-life of 3.9 min at 70 degrees C, whereas E. coli APase lost activity with a half-life of >6 h even at 80 degrees C. Thus SIB1 APase is well adapted to low temperatures. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of SIB1 and E. coli APases suggests that decreases in electrostatic interactions and number of disulfide bonds are responsible for the cold-adaptation of SIB1 APase.     

A signal sequence is not required for protein export in prlA mutants of Escherichia coli.

The prlA/secY gene, which codes for an integral membrane protein component of the Escherichia coli protein export machinery, is the locus of the strongest suppressors of signal sequence mutations. We demonstrate that two exported proteins of E.coli, maltose-binding protein and alkaline phosphatase, each lacking its entire signal sequence, are exported to the periplasm in several prlA mutants. The export efficiency can be substantial; in a strain carrying the prlA4 allele, 30% of signal-sequenceless alkaline phosphatase is exported to the periplasm. Other components of the E.coli export machinery, including SecA, are required for this export. SecB is required for the export of signal-sequenceless alkaline phosphatase even though the normal export of alkaline phosphatase does not require this chaperonin. Our findings indicate that signal sequences confer speed and efficiency upon the export process, but that they are not always essential for export. Entry into the export pathway may involve components that so overlap in function that the absence of a signal sequence can be compensated for, or there may exist one or more means of entry that do not require signal sequences at all.     

A cya deletion mutant of Escherichia coli develops thermotolerance but does not exhibit a heat-shock response

An adenyl cyclase deletion mutant (cya) of E. coli failed to exhibit a heat-shock response even after 30 min at 42 degrees C. Under these conditions, heat-shock protein synthesis was induced by 10 min in the wild-type strain. These results suggest that synthesis of heat-shock proteins in E. coli requires the cya gene. This hypothesis is supported by the finding that a presumptive cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP) binding site exists within the promoter region of the E. coli htpR gene. In spite of the absence of heat-shock protein synthesis, when treated at 50 degrees C, the cya mutant is relatively more heat resistant than wild type. Furthermore, when heat shocked at 42 degrees C prior to exposure at 50 degrees C, the cya mutant developed thermotolerance. These results suggest that heat-shock protein synthesis is not essential for development of thermotolerance in E. coli.     

Effects of release factor 1 on in vitro protein translation and the elaboration of proteins containing unnatural amino acids.

An in vitro protein synthesizing system was modified to facilitate the improved, site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins via readthrough of mRNA nonsense (UAG) codons by chemically misacylated suppressor tRNAs. The modified system included an S-30 extract derived from Escherichia coli that expresses a temperature-sensitive variant of E. coli release factor 1 (RF1). Mild heat treatment of the S-30 extract partially deactivated RF1 and improved UAG codon readthrough by as much as 11-fold, as demonstrated by the incorporation of unnatural amino acids into positions 25 and 125 of HIV-1 protease and positions 10 and 22 of E. coli dihydrofolate reductase. The increases in yields were the greatest for those amino acids normally incorporated poorly in the in vitro protein synthesizing system, thus significantly enhancing the repertoire of modified amino acids that can be incorporated into the proteins of interest. The substantial increase in mutant protein yields over those obtained with an S-30 extract derived from an RF1 proficient E. coli strain is proposed to result from a relaxed stringency of termination by RF1 at the stop codon (UAG). When RF1 levels were depleted further, the intrinsic rate of DHFR synthesis increased, consistent with the possibility that RF1 competes not only at stop codons but also at other mRNA codons during peptide elongation. It thus seems possible that in addition to its currently accepted role as a protein factor involved in peptide termination, RF1 is also involved in functions that control the rate at which protein synthesis proceeds.     

3-13C-methionine-labelled E. coli alkaline phosphatase

3-13C-methionine has been biosynthetically incorporated into E. coli alkaline phosphatase using strain CW3747 which is auxotrophic for Met. 13C NMR of the dimeric native enzyme labelled at the eight methionine residues of the primary structure shows a dispersion of resonance signals permitting resolution of at least five methionine environments, none of which coincide with the chemical shift position of free methionine. At acid pH, 13C signal intensity is shifted to a chemical shift consistent with solvent exposure. However, three discrete resonances are observed, suggesting a retention of defined structure. The labelled protein thus can serve as a probe of conformational alterations of the enzyme.     

Nucleotide sequence of the alkaline phosphatase gene of Escherichia coli

The nucleotide sequence of the alkaline phosphatase (APase) gene (phoA) of Escherichia coli strain 294 has been determined. Pre-APase has a total of 471 amino acids (aa) including a signal sequence of 21 aa. The derived aa sequence differs from that obtained by protein sequencing by the presence of aspartic acid instead of asparagine at positions 16 and 36, and glutamic acid instead of glutamine at position 197. Two open reading frames (ORF1 and ORF2) located downstream from phoA or upstream from proC have been found. ORF1 encodes a putative presecretory protein of 106 aa with a signal sequence of 21 or 22 aa. If this protein is actually produced, it may be one of the smallest periplasmic proteins in E. coli.     

Growth defects of Escherichia coli cells which contain the gene of an alpha-amylase from Bacillus coagulans on a multicopy plasmid

An alpha-amylase gene from Bacillus coagulans has previously been cloned in Escherichia coli and shown to direct the synthesis of an enzymically active protein of 60,000 Dal (Cornelis et al., 1982). In one particular E. coli host, strain HB101, amylase was found to accumulate in the periplasmic space. To study the processing and the location of the amylase, plasmid pAMY2 was introduced into E. coli 188 which is a strain constitutive for alkaline phosphatase, a periplasmic marker, and for beta-galactosidase, a cytoplasmic marker. Abnormally large amounts of both alpha-amylase and beta-galactosidase were found in the culture fluid of cells grown in rich medium. Furthermore a severe growth defect was found when cells containing pAMY2 were grown in maltose and glycerol media, while the ability to grow on glucose remained normal. This defect could be reversed by two types of spontaneous mutations. Mutations in the first class are located on the plasmid and correspond to the insertional inactivation of the amylase gene by IS1. Mutations in the second class are located on the host chromosome. These results suggest that the synthesis and export of B. coagulans alpha-amylase is deleterious to E. coli, especially in media containing maltose or glycerol as sole carbon source.     

Nucleotide sequence of the gene for alkaline phosphatase of Thermus caldophilus GK24 and characteristics of the deduced primary structure of the enzyme

The gene encoding Thermus caldophilus GK24 (Tca) alkaline phosphatase was cloned into Escherichia coli. The primary structure of Tca alkaline phosphatase was deduced from its nucleotide sequence. The Tca alkaline phosphatase precursor, including the signal peptide sequence, was comprised of 501 amino acid residues. Its molecular mass was determined to be 54? omitted?760 Da. On the alignment of the amino acid sequence, Tca alkaline phosphatase showed sequence homology with the microbial alkaline phosphatases, 20% identity with E. coli alkaline phosphatase and 22% Bacillus subtilis (Bsu) alkaline phosphatases. High sequence identity was observed in the regions containing the Ser-102 residue of the active site, the zinc and magnesium binding sites of E. coli alkaline phosphatase. Comparison of Tca alkaline phosphatase and E. coli alkaline phosphatase structures suggests that the reduced activity of the Tca alkaline phosphatase, in the presence of zinc, is directly involved in some of the different metal binding sites. Heat-stable Tca alkaline phosphatase activity was detected in E. coli YK537, harboring pJRAP.     

Secretion of Alkaline Phosphatase Subunits by Spheroplasts of Escherichia coli

Under conditions that permitted continued protein synthesis, spheroplasts of Escherichia coli were unable to form active alkaline phosphatase, although they synthesized protein that was antigenically related to alkaline phosphatase subunits. This cross-reacting protein was primarily detected in the medium of the spheroplast culture, and it had properties that closely resembled those of the alkaline phosphatase subunit. These results suggest that formation of the active alkaline phosphatase dimer by intact E. coli cells proceeds by a pathway in which inactive subunits released from polyribosomes diffuse through the bacterial cell membrane to a periplasmic space where subsequent dimerization to active enzyme occurs. This pathway provides a possible mechanism for the specific localization of this enzyme to the E. coli periplasmic space.     

Plasmid expression vectors with elements of the E. coli alkaline phosphatase gene

A family of plasmid expression vectors, containing fragments of the E. coli alkaline phosphatase gene (phoA), has been constructed for the lambda PR promoter-directed thermoinducible superproduction of fusions of heterologous polypeptides to the N- or C-terminus of E. coli alkaline phosphatase and its leader peptide. Effective expression and export to periplasm of resulting fusion proteins, which may retain enzymatic activity of the phosphatase, has been shown.     

Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of a phoA gene encoding a phosphate-irrepressible alkaline phosphatase of Zymomonas mobilis

The Zymomonas mobilis phoA gene, encoding a phosphate-irrepressible alkaline phosphatase (ZAPase), was cloned and its expression was studied in phoA mutants of Escherichia coli. The ZAPase was recovered in the soluble fraction of E. coli. The enzyme was synthesized constitutively and its synthesis not repressed by phosphate, unlike the phoA gene of E. coli. The phoA gene of Z. mobilis was mutagenized by Mini Mu PR13 and the mutated gene crossed into Z. mobilis in order to obtain phoA mutants by reverse genetics. Although Z. mobilis mutants with Mini Mu PR13 integrated in the chromosome were obtained, none had an allele replacement for none was defective in ZAPase.     

Identification of a phosphofructokinase-encoding gene from Streptococcus thermophilus CNRZ1205--a novel link between carbon metabolism and gene regulation?

In order to isolate genes encoding so-called Two-Component Regulatory Systems from the lactic acid bacterium Streptococcus thermophilus, a cloning strategy was employed based on suppression of the alkaline phosphatase-negative phenotype displayed by the Escherichia coli strain ANCC22. Several suppressing clones were obtained which were shown to produce alkaline phosphatase activity. Sequence analysis of four of these clones revealed the presence of overlapping DNA inserts representing two ORFs, designated pfkT and pykT, whose deduced protein products exhibit significant similarity to phosphofructokinases and pyruvate kinases, respectively, from a variety of bacteria. A plasmid bearing pfkT was shown to complement a phosphofructokinase-negative mutant of E. coli, showing that this gene indeed specifies phosphofructokinase activity. It was shown that suppression of the alkaline phosphatase-negative phenotype of E. coli ANCC22 due to the presence of pfkT is caused by modulation of the intracellular level of acetyl phosphate.