嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌抗药性质粒的转化

从堆肥和污泥中分得8株抗药性高温细菌,经电泳检查有质粒存在,对其中1株具有卡那霉素和链霉素抗性的嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌T617-8的质粒DNA,用电镜测得分子量为26.6×10~6道尔顿。T617-8(Km~rSm~r)菌株经溴化乙锭处理后,对卡那霉素敏感,同时质粒消失。为此确证,卡那霉素抗性是由质粒所控制。以T617-8的质粒(Km~r)DNA,对消除质粒后的菌株(Sm~r)的原生质体进行转化,获得了抗卡那霉素和链霉素的转化子。     

嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌pgiB基因上游452bp序列的功能分析

用化学诱变剂N甲基N′硝基N亚硝基胍进行随机诱变,获得了穿梭启动子探测质粒pPGV5的温度抗性突变型pPGV5(tr65),序列分析发现质粒上卡那霉素核苷转移酶基因kan的+238位碱基发生了G→T的单点突变。以来自嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌FDTP3菌株的耐热邻苯二酚2,3双加氧酶基因pheB作为报道基因,构建了转录融合质粒pPGVPB452,用高压电穿孔法将其转化嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌,通过报道蛋白活性的分析,证明了嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌T521菌株的6磷酸葡萄糖异构酶同工酶基因pgiB上游含启动子样序列的425bp片段在嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌中不具有启动子功能。     

嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌启动子克隆载体pFDC4和表达型载体pFDC11的构建

以pPL703的衍生质粒pPGV5为载体,从嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌CU21总DNA的Sau 3A酶切产物中得到1个0.54kb的启动子片段,它能促进载体上的无启动子的cat-86基因在嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌及枯草芽孢杆菌中表达。这一片段以正、反向插入pPGV5载体,都能使重组质粒转化CU21原生质体的效率提高10~(?)至10(?)倍。Southern杂交实验表明,这一启动子片段与Imanaka等报道的来自CU21中的隐蔽性质粒pBS02的能提高转化效率的1.6kb Eco RI片段是同源的。利用所得到的0.54kb Sau 3A片段构建了新的启动子克隆载体pFDC4和表达型载体pFDC11,二者都能以很高的效率转化CU21原生质体。     

脂肪嗜热芽孢杆菌质粒pFD101的限制性内切酶图谱

从脂肪嗜热芽孢杆菌T525中抽提得到的隐蔽性质粒pFD101,经纯化后通过琼脂糖凝胶电泳和电镜观察,确证为cccDNA。经测定,pFD101的分子量为3.83×10~6道尔顿。具有限制酶HindⅢ切点1个、SalⅠ和HpaⅡ切点各2个,没有EcoRI、BamHI和PstⅠ切点。根据限制酶片段的分子量作出了pFD101的简单酶切图。     

枯草杆菌质粒pUB110与大肠杆菌质粒pBR322构建的杂种质粒及其基因表型表达

用EeoRI酶消化pUB 110和pBR 322 DNA,然后以T4 DNA连接酶进行连接,转化大肠杆菌,从转化体中获得pTZ3、pTZ22和pTZ24三个杂种质粒。研究了pTZ22 DNA的分子特性,从BamHI和PstI酶切片段测出其分子量为5.6×10~6道尔顿,并确定其捻接方向。观察了三个杂种质粒的稳定性,研究了其基因表型表达。同源基因均可表达,Ap~r、TC~r基因在枯草杆菌细胞中不能进行异源表型表达,Km~r基因在大肠杆菌细胞中异源表型表达不充分。     

xyLE基因在嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌中的表达

以嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌CU21的表达型质粒pFDC11为载体,插入来自恶臭假单孢菌的编码邻苯二酚2,3-双加氧酶(CatO_2ase)的xylE基因,构建成重组质粒pFDX1转化入CU21受体,在48℃培养时得到了表达产物,表明常温细菌的xylE基因可以在高温菌启动子的带动下在高温菌宿主中表达。采用提高培养温度后选择卡那毒素抗性突变的方法,得到了在55℃及6O℃的CatO_2ase表达量明显提高的变异菌株CU21-161。本文同时报道一种用完整细胞悬浮液测定CatO_2ase活力的方法。     

云南温泉高温菌的研究VII.腾冲酸性高温温泉中的极端嗜热性芽孢杆菌

从腾冲县4个酸性(pH 3.0—5.0)高温(85--96℃)温泉中分离到16株极端嗜热性芽孢杆菌。经鉴定,10株为嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌(Bacillus stear6thermophilus),2株(YN86317和YN86326)为高温凝结芽孢杆菌(Bacillus thermoaoagulans sp. Nov.),4株(YN86325、YN86344、YN86344-2和YN86345)为 Baaillus spp.。     

表面活性剂对嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌产高温蛋白酶的影响

研究了表面活性剂对嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌(Bacillusstearothermophilus)WF146产胞外高温蛋白酶的影响。结果表明,表面活性剂Tween80在0.05%～0.1%(体积比)浓度范围内对WF146产酶有一定的促进作用。在培养基中添加0.1%Tween80可使发酵液酶活提高12.7%,Tween20和TritonX100则抑制嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌WF146产酶。另外,TritonX100抑制嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌WF146生长,而Tween80和Tween20不抑制其生长。     

嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌CU21中有关质粒pFDX163的整合和游离状态的一种新的相转变现象

pFDX1是带有外源基因xyIE的重组质粒。从嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌CU21(pFDX1)出发,提高培养温度后选择卡那霉素抗性突变菌落,得到一个变异株CU21-163。该菌株含有突变质粒pFDX163,它由一个来自宿主基因组的2.0kb的H片段插入pFDX1而构成。pFDX163可通过H片段的同源重组而整合到染色体上。CU21-163包含y、w两类细胞,二者的xyIE基因表达量有明显差异。这两类细胞在分裂过程中呈现一种新的相转变现象,即y细胞的后代中经常出现少数w细胞,w细胞的后代中经常出现少数y细胞。对CU21-163的不同细胞群体的总DNA样品中游离质粒与整合质粒的含量进行了测定,由此推断y细胞含有游离质粒和整合质粒,w细胞只含整合质粒。     

带有启动子DNA的片段在枯草芽孢杆菌中的克隆

用限制性核酸内切酶EcoR1酶切枯草芽孢杆菌168染色体DNA和pPL603质粒DNA然后用T4DNA连接酶连接,转化枯草芽孢杆菌BR151感受态细胞。在每毫升含有10微克氯霉素的SBPY选择培养皿上筛选,得到61个抗氯霉素的转化子。经快速琼脂糖凝胶电泳检测,从61个抗性转化子中得到49个比原载体pPL603质粒分子量大,并带有启动子DNA片段的重组质粒。测定了所有重组质粒表达的不同抗性水平,分析了部分质粒的一些特性,对抗性水平较高的7个重组质粒的分子量进行了测定,并用pBP61重组质粒DNA进行了第二次转化和酶切电泳分析。     

Occurrence of megaplasmids in halobacteria

Sixty-five halobacteria, including culture collection and freshly isolated strains from widely differing geographical areas, were examined for the presence of high molecular weight plasmids by agarose gel electrophoresis. Seventy-five per cent of all the strains were shown to harbour at least one plasmid. In the majority of strains three or four megaplasmids were detected. Approximate molecular weights of the plasmids were in the range < 100 to 300 megadaltons (Mdal). In most culture collection strains, two or three plasmids were demonstrated, except in two in which no plasmid was detected, and in two Haloarcula strains which were found to contain five and eight plasmids; four and six of the latter were more than 100 Mdal. No relationship between the plasmid profile of each strain and its taxonomic assignation nor its isolation source was found. Evidence is presented for the first time on the occurrence of megaplasmids in halobacteria.     

Plasmid composition of Yersinia pestis strains from different natural foci]

The study of the plasmid composition of 246 Y. pestis strains from different natural foci in the USSR and other countries revealed that 173 strains (70%) carried three known plasmids with a molecular weight of about 6, 45-50 and 60 megadaltons (MD) respectively. In 20 strains (8%) obtained from different sources additional cryptic plasmids were detected. In some cases the absence of one or two typical plasmids was observed. Replicon pPst was shown to have quite constant molecular weight (6 MD), whereas plasmids pCad and especially pFra exhibited certain variations of their molecular weight (45-49 MD and 60-149 MD respectively) in strains of different origin.     

Involvement of a Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-oxidizing Enzyme in the Bacterial Metabolism of PEG

Eighty-seven strains of acetic acid bacteria were surveyed for plasmids by CsCl-ethidium bromide equilibrium centrifugation of cell lysates. Twenty-seven of the 33 strains of Acetobacter were found to harbor plasmid DNA and most strains contained multiple species of low-molecular-weight plasmids. On the other hand, plasmid DNAs were detected in 23 of the 36 strains of Gluconobacter and most of them had molecular weights of more than 5 megadaltons. Of the 18 strains newly isolated from a vinegar factory, some of which were examined taxonomically, 17 contained plasmid DNA. The molecular weights of plasmids detected in this study were in the range of about one to over 17 megadaltons. The plasmids with molecular weights of less than 5 megadaltons were characterized with restriction endonucleases. The physical maps of two plasmids designated as pMV1O1 and pMV102, which were found in the isolated strains, were constructed.     

Plasmids and transposable elements in Salmonella wien.

The plasmids from six clinical strains of Salmonella wien have been characterized. All the S. wien strains were found to carry three types of plasmids: an IncFI R-Tc Cm Km Ap (resistance to tetracycline, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, and ampicillin) plasmid, either conjugative or nonconjugative, of large size (90 to 100 megadaltons); an R-Ap Su Sm (resistance to ampicillin, sulfonamide, and streptomycin) plasmid of 9 megadaltons; and a very small (1.4 megadaltons) cryptic plasmid. The characteristics of conjugative R plasmids, recombinant between F'lac pro and the FI nonconjugative plasmid, indicated that regions coding for the donor phenotype were present on this plasmid. The molecular and genetic features of the R plasmids were very close to those described for the R plasmids isolated from S. wien strains of different origin. This fact supported the hypothesis of a clonal distribution of this serotype in Algeria and Europe. The analysis used to identify transposable elements showed the presence of only TnA elements, which were located on both the R-Tc Cm Km Ap and R-Ap Su Sm plasmids. They contained the structural gene for a TEM-type beta-lactamase and had translocation properties analogous to those reported for other TnA's.     

Identification of a Rhizobium trifolii plasmid coding for nitrogen fixation and nodulation genes and its interaction with pJB5JI, a Rhizobium leguminosarum plasmid

Rhizobium trifolii T37 contains at least three plasmids with sizes of greater than 250 megadaltons. Southern blots of agarose gels of these plasmids probed with Rhizobium meliloti nif DNA indicated that the smallest plasmid, pRtT37a, contains the nif genes. Transfer of the Rhizobium leguminosarum plasmid pJB5JI, which codes for pea nodulation and the nif genes and is genetically marked with Tn5, into R. trifolii T37 generated transconjugants containing a variety of plasmid profiles. The plasmid profiles and symbiotic properties of all of the transconjugants were stably maintained even after reisolation from nodules. The transconjugant strains were placed into three groups based on their plasmid profiles and symbiotic properties. The first group harbored a plasmid similar in size to pJB5JI (130 megadaltons) and lacked a plasmid corresponding to pRtT37a. These strains formed effective nodules on peas but were unable to nodulate clover and lacked the R. trifolii nif genes. This suggests that genes essential for clover nodulation as well as the R. trifolii nif genes are located on pRtT37a and have been deleted. The second group harbored hybrid plasmids formed from pRtT37a and pJB5JI which ranged in size from 140 to ca. 250 megadaltons. These transconjugants had lost the R. leguminosarum nif genes but retained the R. trifolii nif genes. Strains in this group nodulated both peas and clover but formed effective nodules only on clover. The third group of transconjugants contained a hybrid plasmid similar in size to pRtT37b. These strains contained the R. trifolii and R. leguminosarum nif genes and formed N2-fixing nodules on both peas and clover.     

Plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid in strains of Bacillus sphaericus and in Bacillus moritai

Bacillus moritai and six strains of Bacillus sphaericus pathogenic to dipteran larvae were examined for the presence of covalently closed circular (CCC) DNA. The plasmid profiles of the bacteria were analyzed using a cleared lysate electrophoresis technique. Four of the six strains of B. sphaericus examined contained CCC DNA. Strain SSII-1 contained two plasmids (pKA1, pKA2) having molecular weights of about 8.4 and 2.0 megadaltons (MDa). Strains 1404 and 1881 each contained one plasmid, pKA3 and pKA4, respectively. pKA3 had a molecular weight of about 8.2 MDa. pKA4 had a relatively large plasmid with a molecular weight of about 33.5 MDa. Strain K contained five size classes of CCC DNA. The plasmids pKA5, pKA6, pKA7, pKA8, and pKA9 had molecular weights of about 11.4, 10.9, 7.4, 7.0, and 6.4 MDa, respectively. Strains 1593-4 and 1691 were plasmidless and could not be distinguished from each other based on their plasmid profiles. B. moritai ATCC 21042 contained two size classes of CCC duplex DNA; pRF100 had a molecular weight of about 4.6 MDa and pRF101 had a molecular weight of about 2.1 MDa. No phenotype association with any of the isolated plasmids has been determined.     

Involvement of plasmids in determining bacteriophage sensitivity in Salmonella typhimurium: genetic and physical analysis of phagovar 204

Strains resistant to the action of sulfa drugs and tetracycline were predominant among the antibiotic-resistant Salmonella typhimurium phagovar 204 isolated in Canada. Plasmid DNA was detected in cellular extracts of all strains examined. A number of these plasmids could be placed in specific incompatibility and size classes. Both resistance coding and cryptic plasmids were involved in determining phagovar 204. In one instance, phagovar 204 was derived from phagovar 36 in a two-step conjugation involving independent sulfadiazine and tetracycline resistance plasmids. In another, phagovar 204 was derived directly from phagovar 49 through the introduction of a single tetracycline-streptomycin R plasmid. The phagovar-determining plasmids ranged in size from 3.4 to 72 megadaltons.     

Frequency and characteristics of plasmids in bacteria isolated from deep-sea amphipods

Bacterial strains isolated from deep-sea amphipods were identified, classified, and screened for plasmid content. Plasmids were common, with 11 of 16 isolates carrying one or more plasmids; these ranged in size from 2.9 to 63 megadaltons. Several of the strains demonstrated distinctly different phenotypic traits yet contained plasmids of the same molecular weight. Results of agarose gel electrophoresis, DNA hybridization, and restriction analysis indicate that the plasmids detected in these deep-sea isolates are identical, suggesting that transmission may occur in the deep-sea environment and that plasmids are common in some deep-sea habitats.     

Construction and Properties of Cloning Vectors Based on a 7.2-kb Rhizobium meliloti Cryptic Plasmid

Cloning vectors (pFD1001, pFD1192, pFD1194, and pFD1212) were constructed by extension of the host range of a 7.2-kb Rhizobium meliloti cryptic plasmid (pRm1132f) with the ColE1-based plasmids, pBR322, pACYC177, pACYC 184, pSUP301, or pHC179; mobilization was facilitated by introduction of the ori T region from pRK2, a broad-host-range plasmid. The vector plasmids transferred readily into a wide range of gram-negative bacteria and had relatively low copy number in R. meliloti; two constructs, pFD1001 and pFD1212, were completely stable in R. meliloti isolated from nodules of alfalfa (Medicago sativa). A representative of the vector constructs (pFD1001) could be maintained in R. meliloti in the presence of the broad-host-range shuttle plasmid pRK290. These two vector plasmids could be introduced into R. meliloti, either simultaneously or singly when pRK290 was the resident plasmid; however, entry of pRK290 was blocked when pFD1001 was the resident plasmid. The cloning vectors constructed in this study should prove to be useful for the genetic manipulation of Rhizobium.     

Development of a gene cloning system for the hydrogen-producing marine photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas sp.

Seventy-six strains of marine photosynthetic bacteria were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis for plasmid DNA content. Among these strains, 12 carried two to four different plasmids with sizes ranging from 3.1 to 11.0 megadaltons. The marine photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas sp. NKPB002106 had two plasmids, pRD06S and pRD06L. The smaller plasmid, pRD06S, had a molecular weight of 3.8 megadaltons and was cut at a single site by restriction endonucleases SalI, SmaI, PstI, XhoI, and BglII. Moreover, the marine photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas sp. NKPB002106 containing plasmid pRD06 had a satisfactory growth rate (doubling time, 7.5 h), a hydrogen-producing rate of 0.96 mumol/mg (dry weight) of cells per h, and nitrogen fixation capability. Plasmid pRD06S, however, had neither drug resistance nor heavy-metal resistance, and its copy number was less than 10. Therefore, a recombinant plasmid consisting of pRD06S and Escherichia coli cloning vector pUC13 was constructed and cloned in E. coli. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into Rhodopseudomonas sp. NKPB002106. As a result, Rhodopseudomonas sp. NKPB002106 developed ampicillin resistance. Thus, a shuttle vector for gene transfer was constructed for marine photosynthetic bacteria.