The Bacillus subtilis addAB genes are fully functional in Escherichia coli

An Escherichia coli recBCD deletion mutant was transformed with plasmids containing the Bacillus subtilis add genes. The transformants had relatively high ATP-dependent exonuclease- and ATP-dependent helicase activities, and their viability, the ability to repair u.v.-damaged DNA and the recombination in conjugation were nearly completely restored. The B. subtilis Add enzyme did not show Chi-activity in phage lambda recombination. The individual B. subtilis Add proteins were not able to form an enzymatically active complex with the E. coli RecB,C,D proteins, and they could not complement the recB,C,D deficiency. Evidence is presented that only two subunits are involved in the B. subtilis ATP-dependent exonuclease. This is in contrast to E. coli in which the RecBCD enzyme consists of three subunits.     

Cloning of the Bacillus subtilis DLG beta-1,4-glucanase gene and its expression in Escherichia coli and B. subtilis.

The gene encoding beta-1,4-glucanase in Bacillus subtilis DLG was cloned into both Escherichia coli C600SF8 and B. subtilis PSL1, which does not naturally produce beta-1,4-glucanase, with the shuttle vector pPL1202. This enzyme is capable of degrading both carboxymethyl cellulose and trinitrophenyl carboxymethyl cellulose, but not more crystalline cellulosic substrates (L. M. Robson and G. H. Chambliss, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 47:1039-1046, 1984). The beta-1,4-glucanase gene was localized to a 2-kilobase (kb) EcoRI-HindIII fragment contained within a 3-kb EcoRI chromosomal DNA fragment of B. subtilis DLG. Recombinant plasmids pLG4000, pLG4001a, pLG4001b, and pLG4002, carrying this 2-kb DNA fragment, were stably maintained in both hosts, and the beta-1,4-glucanase gene was expressed in both. The 3-kb EcoRI fragment apparently contained the beta-1,4-glucanase gene promoter, since transformed strains of B. subtilis PSL1 produced the enzyme in the same temporal fashion as the natural host B. subtilis DLG. B. subtilis DLG produced a 35,200-dalton exocellular beta-1,4-glucanase; intracellular beta-1,4-glucanase was undetectable. E. coli C600SF8 transformants carrying any of the four recombinant plasmids produced two active forms of beta-1,4-glucanase, an intracellular form (51,000 +/- 900 daltons) and a cell-associated form (39,000 +/- 400 daltons). Free exocellular enzyme was negligible. In contrast, B. subtilis PSL1 transformed with recombinant plasmid pLG4001b produced three distinct sizes of active exocellular beta-1,4-glucanase: approximately 36,000, approximately 35,200, and approximately 33,500 daltons. Additionally, B. subtilis PSL1(pLG4001b) transformants contained a small amount (5% or less) of active intracellular beta-1,4-glucanase of three distinct sizes: approximately 50,500, approximately 38,500 and approximately 36,000 daltons. The largest form of beta-1,4-glucanase seen in both transformants may be the primary, unprocessed translation product of the gene.     

In vivo transfer of genes from Escherichia coli to Bacillus subtilis

Summary Escherichia coli cells, carrying plasmid pRD1 with (a) drug resistance markers from Pseudomonas (km^r, carb^r, tc^r) and (b) the nif-gene group from Klebsiella, were incubated together with Bacillus subtilis cells (str^r), whose cell wall had been disintegrated with lysozyme. Upon plating the cell mixtures onto appropriately supplemented selective medium, multiple drug resistant Bacillus subtilis cells were obtained. Their nature was verified by suitable biochemical tests and checking for the presence of additional genetic markers. The majority of the isolates was unstable. Some however retained multiple drug resistance for longer periods of time, and several produced nitrogenase activity. The data are interpreted as evidence not only for the transfer of the respective genes but also for their expression in the gram-positive recipient cells.Abbreviations pRD1 a hybrid plasmid, renamed by Ray Dixon - pRP4 plasmid from Pseudomonas, originally described by Datta et al., J. Bacteriol 108, 1244 (1971) - km ^r, carb ^r, tc ^r, str ^r resistance against kanamycin, carbenicillin, tetracyclin and streptomycin, respectively - r restriction negative. For other bacterial markers refer to Bachmann, B.J. et al., Bacteriological Reviews 40, 116 (1976)     

Creating new genes by plasmid recombination in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis

Gene shuffling is a way of creating proteins with interesting new characteristics, starting from diverged sequences. We tested an alternative to gene shuffling based on plasmid recombination and found that Bacillus subtilis efficiently recombines sequences with 4% divergence, and Escherichia coli mutS is more appropriate for sequences with 22% divergence.     

Cloning of the debranching-enzyme gene from Thermoanaerobium brockii into Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.

The gene for an enzyme with single or dual specificity on complex carbohydrates has been transferred from its native host (Thermoanaerobium brockii), a thermophilic anaerobe, into Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Most of the gene coding region is in a 2.2-kilobase PstI fragment that is common to the E. coli and B. subtilis chimeric vectors pCPC902 and pCPC903, respectively. Although the T. brockii debranching enzyme secreted from B. subtilis was unglycosylated and had less thermostability, more enzyme was secreted from B. subtilis (0.80 to 1.0 U/ml) than from T. brockii (0.23 U/ml). E. coli did not export any measurable enzyme. From the fermentation broth of B. subtilis containing pCPC903, three active species of the debranching enzyme were separated; two species are possibly protease digestion products of the larger protein (105,000 molecular weight). Whereas the enzyme can cleave all of the alpha-1----6 glucosidic linkages (and none of the alpha-1----4 bonds) in pullulan, it hydrolyzed mostly alpha-1----4 and very few of the alpha-1----6 linkages in starch. Upon hydrolysis of pullulan by the enzyme, only maltotriose was produced, while starch was digested to various-sized oligomers.     

Expression of secreted guanyl-specific ribonuclease genes from Bacillus intermedius and Bacillus pumilus in Bacillus subtilis cells

Plasmids with whole genes for ribonucleases from B. intermedius (binase) and B. pumilis (RNase Bp) assembled with the whole gene of barstar, a specific intracellular inhibitor, are constructed. The resultant plasmids pMZ55 and pMZ56 effectively express binase and RNase Bp genes in B. subtilis cells. A medium for maximum expression of RNase genes by recombinant strains is developed. The expression of binase and RNase Bp genes in B. subtilis cells is negatively regulated by exogenic inorganic phosphate.     

Production, purification and characterization of beta-1,4-endoglucanase from a novel bacterial strain CTP-09 of a Bacillus sp

Bacillus strain CTP-09 yielded maximum productivity (1120 IU/L.h) of extracellular endoglucanase (CMCase) on 0.5% cellobiose after 10 h fermentation at 55 degrees C. The purified enzyme is mono-meric in nature and exhibits stability up to 80 degrees C and over a pH range (6.0-9.0). Activation energy, enthalpy and entropy of catalysis, and inactivation indicated that this CMCase is highly thermos-table. Purified enzyme possessed high power of defibrillation of textile and was minutely inhibited by anionic detergent and oxidizing agent comparable with inhibition by commercial enzyme. This polypeptide could be exploited for mass production and application in local industries.     

Purification of Intact Flagella from Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis

A procedure is described for the purification of bacterial flagella in the form of a filament-hook-basal body complex (intact flagella) free from detectable cell wall, membrane, or cytoplasmic material. Spheroplasts produced with lysozyme and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid were lysed with Triton X-100, and the flagella were purified by (NH(4))(2)SO(4) precipitation, differential centrifugation, and CsCl gradient centrifugation. As much as 40% of the flagella were recovered, and they contained about one basal body per 4 to 6 mum of flagella. The same procedure developed for Escherichia coli was also successful for purifying intact flagella from Bacillus subtilis.     

Bacillus subtilis phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase genes: cloning and expression in Escherichia coli and B. subtilis.

The genes that encode the two subunits of Bacillus subtilis phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase were cloned from alpha lambda library of chromosomal B. subtilis DNA by specific complementation of a thermosensitive Escherichia coli pheS mutation. Both genes (we named them pheS and pheT, analogous to the corresponding genes of E. coli) are carried by a 6.6-kilobase-pair PstI fragment which also complements E. coli pheT mutations. This fragment directs the synthesis of two proteins identical in size to the purified alpha and beta subunits of the phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase of B. subtilis with Mrs of 42,000 and 97,000, respectively. A recombinant shuttle plasmid carrying the genes caused 10-fold overproduction of functional phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase in B. subtilis.     

Bacillus subtilis chemotaxis: a deviation from the Escherichia coli paradigm

In Escherichia coli, chemotactic sensory transduction is believed to involve phosphoryl transfer for excitation, and changes in receptor methylation for adaptation. In Bacillus subtilis, changes in degree of receptor methylation do not bring about adaptation. Novel methylation reactions are believed to be involved in excitation in B. subtilis. The main chemotaxis proteins of E. coli--CheA, CheB, CheR, CheW and CheY--are present in B. subtilis but play somewhat different roles in the two organisms. Several unique chemotaxis proteins are also present in B. subtilis. Some of the properties of B. subtilis chemotaxis are also seen in Halobacterium halobium, suggesting that there may be a similar underlying mechanism that predates the evolutionary separation of the bacteria from the archaea and eucarya.     

Cloning of Clostridium acetobutylicum genes and their expression in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis

Summary DNA from Clostridium acetobutylicum ABKn8 was partially digested with Sau3A and the fragments obtained were inserted into the unique BamHI site of the cloning vector pHV33. The recombinant plasmids were used to transform Escherichia coli HB101 with selection for ampicillin resistance. A collection of ampicillin-resistant, tetracycline-sensitive clones representative of the Clostridium acetobutylicum genome was made. The clones were shown to carry recombinant plasmids each containing an insert of 2 to 16 kb in size. Several of them complemented the HB101 proA2 or leuB6 auxotrophic mutations. The cloned sequences were shown by Southern blot hybridization to be homologous to the corresponding ABKn8 DNA fragments.     

Cloning and expression of Bacillus subtilis phage DNA methyltransferase genes in Escherichia coli and B. subtilis

The DNA methyltransferase (Mtase) genes of the temperate Bacillus subtilis phages SPR (wild type and various mutants), phi 3T, rho 11 and SP beta have been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and B. subtilis host-plasmid vector systems. Mtase activity has been quantitated in these clones by performing in vitro methylation assays of cell-free extracts. The four-phage Mtase genes differ in the amount of Mtase synthesized when transcribed from their genuine promoters. In B. subtilis as well as in E. coli the SPR Mtase is always produced in smaller amounts than the other phage Mtases. Expression levels of the SPR Mtase are dependent on the strength of the upstream vector promoter sequences. Overproduction of the SPR wild-type and mutant enzymes was achieved in E. coli (inducible expression) by fusions to the lambda pL or the tac promoter and in B. subtilis (constitutive expression) by means of the phage SP02 promoter.     

Amplification of the riboflavin operon genes of Bacillus subtilis in Escherichia coli cells]

Amplification of Bacillus subtilis DNA fragments was performed in Escherichia coli using plasmid RSF2124. The main principle of isolation and cloning hybrid plasmids was described using genes of riboflavin operon as a model. Bac. subtilis DNA was treated with restriction endonuclease EcoR; followed by the agarose gel electrophoretic separation of the resulting fragments. Gels were sliced, DNA was eluted from the corresponding slices and used to transform Bac. subtilis auxotrophs rib A72, rib S110 and rib D107. DNA fraction with the molecular weight 7 . 10(6) daltons restored prototrophy of these mutants. DNA of this fraction was ligated with EcoRI treated plasmid RSF2124 DNA and used for transformation of E. coli rk-mk+. Ampicillin resistant transformants which had lost the colicin production ability, were selected. The presence of riboflavin genes within the hybrid plasmids was detected by transformation of B. subtilis auxotrophs. Three hybrid plasmids (pPR1, pPR2 and pPR3), containing a fragment of Bac. subtilis DNA with the molecular weight 6.8 . 10(-6) daltons including riboflavin operon, were selected. The analysis of the transformation activity of Bac. subtilis DNA and plasmid pPR1 DNA revealed, that there was no restriction activity of Bac. subtilis cells against plasmid DNA amplified in E. coli. Heteroduplex analysis has shown that plasmids pPR1 and pPR2 differ in the orientation of Bac. subtilis DNA fragment. DNA of these plasmids restored prototrophy of the several studied E. coli riboflavin auxotrophs.     

枯草杆菌及大肠杆菌异柠檬酸脱氢酶的酶学性质研究

对枯草杆菌异柠檬酸脱氢酶（BsIDH）、大肠杆菌异柠檬酸脱氢酶（EcIDH）和大肠杆菌异柠檬酸脱氢酶的突变体酶（EmIDH）进行了纯化和酶学性质鉴定。BsIDH和EcIDH对辅酶NADP^＋的特异性与NAD^＋相比,分别是NAD^＋的1330倍和3890倍。而EmIDH对NAD^＋的特异性与NADP^＋相比,是NADP^＋的122倍。因此BsIDH和EcIDH是NADP^＋依赖性异柠檬酸脱氢酶,而EmIDH的辅酶特异性已转换为NAD^＋依赖性。EcIDH、BsIDH和EmIDH对底物异柠檬酸的Km值分别为67.4 μmol/L、60.6 μmol/L和105.6 μmol/L。BsIDH和EcIDH的最适反应pH分别为8.2和8.0,EmIDH的最适pH为7.0。BsIDH和EmIDH的最适反应温度是45℃,EcIDH的最适温度为43℃。三种IDH的活性依赖于不同的二价金属离子的存在,Mn^2＋ 、Mg^2＋存在时酶活性最强,Cu^2＋ 、Ca^2＋ 、Zn^2＋和Ni2＋强烈抑制酶的活性。系统的酶学性质研究为深入认识IDH的催化与调节机制提供了更多依据。