Repression of nitrogen fixation in Klebsiella pneumoniae at high temperature

Clostridium perfringens 11268 CDR (Rifr Tcs), the strain transformed in our experiments, was generated by curing a spontaneous, rifampicin-resistant mutant of C. perfringens 11268 (Rifr Tcr). High-temperature growth yielded tetracycline-sensitive, rifampicin-resistant cells which no longer contained pCW3, a 42.8-kilobase plasmid. The tetracycline-sensitive, rod-shaped cell was then converted to an L-phase variant by growth in the presence of penicillin G (10 micrograms/ml) and 0.4 M sucrose. After several passages, the antibiotic was removed from the medium, and cells continued to grow as L-phase variants. Another large plasmid, pJU124 (38.8 kilobases), which confers tetracycline resistance, was used for transformation. Transformation of L-phase variants of C. perfringens 11268 CDR (Rifr Tcs) was mediated by polyethylene glycol. Transformation frequency is a nonlinear function of DNA concentration. Restriction analysis showed that the plasmid isolated from the transformants was identical to that supplied. Stable L-phase variants do not revert to rod-shaped cells, but autoplasts can be both transformed and reverted.     

Genetic transformation of rifampicin resistance in Lactobacillus acidophilus

Lactobacillus acidophilus strain 100-33, originally isolated from swine faeces, was transformed to rifampicin resistance with DNA from spontaneous rifampicin-resistant mutants derived from it. Cells of the recipient strain were treated with lysozyme and mutanolysin, mixed with donor DNA and polyethylene glycol and grown on a regeneration medium overnight. After 48 h incubation, the numbers of rifampicin-resistant cells in the populations of regenerated cells were estimated from numbers of colonies. Efficiency of the lysozyme/mutanolysin treatment (the ratio of the number of osmotically fragile cells after the enzyme treatment to the initial cell number) was about 99%. The regeneration frequency of the enzyme-treated cells varied from 5 to 67%. The transformation frequency varied from about 0.2 X 10(-8) to 8.0 X 10(-8) transformants per regenerated cell per microgram DNA. To our knowledge, this method for genetic transformation is the first to be reported for a Lactobacillus strain.     

Replication and expression of plasmid pBR 322 during discontinuous culture of a stringent and relaxed Escherichia coli strain

The E. coli strains CP78 and CP79 carrying the plasmid pBR 322 display similar growth kinetics in discontinuous culture. During limitation of amino acids the stringent strain CP78 is able to synthesize guanosine-5'diphosphate-3'-diphosphate (ppGpp) and guanosine-5'-triphosphate-3' diphosphate, but the relaxed strain can not produce highly phosphorylated guanosine nucleotides. During the logarithmic phase of growth both strains contain similar amounts of plasmid DNA. During amino acid starvation plasmid DNA is amplified in the relaxed strain only, whereas in the stringent strain the plasmid content per cell remains constant. In stationary phase cells of CP78 a higher activity of plasmid-coded beta-lactamase than in CP79 cells was detected. Furthermore, remarkable differences between both strains were observed in the composition of proteins derived from the periplasmic fraction and separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Our results might indicate a negative control of pBR 322 DNA replication by ppGpp during amino acid starvation.     

Zymomonas mobilis CP4: a clarification of strains via plasmid profiles

There has been confusion regarding the nomenclature of cultures of Zymomonas mobilis CP4 (Gonçalves de Lima et al., 1970). Thus five cultures from different laboratories but originally received from a single source (Recife, Brazil) were compared by analysis of their plasmid profiles and the restriction digest patterns of the plasmids. Four cultures of Z. mobilis CP4 showed identical plasmid profiles and restriction digest patterns. One culture of CP4 (ZM4, ATCC 31821), cultured in P.L. Rogers' laboratory in Australia, and cultures derived from it and deposited in connection with recent patents, strain ZM401 (ATCC 31822) and strain ZM481 (ATCC 31823), differed from the first four cultures with respect to both plasmid profiles and restriction digest pattern. The reason for the plasmid differences between the two groups of cultures is unclear, but may have arisen in the original distribution, by natural selection while in continued culture or perhaps by selection of a minor strain in the original culture. In order to clarify the status of the two variant groups, the cultures that possess the same plasmid profile as the CP4 culture currently being distributed from the Recife culture collection are now designated CP4 (and derivatives). The cultures that possess the plasmid profile of the Rogers' CP4 (ZM4) are now designated by the Rogers' laboratory notation as ZM4 (and derivatives) and prior citation to CP4 removed from their nomenclature.     

一株携带质粒的人两歧双歧杆菌的分离与鉴定

目的:分离携带天然质粒的人双歧杆菌.方法:用自制的改良型Blb双歧杆菌选择培养基,从人新鲜粪便分离双歧杆菌,对初步质粒检测阳性的单菌落通过糖发酵试验、(G C)mol%测定和16S rDNA序列分析,进行菌株鉴定.结果:筛选到一株携带天然质粒的人双歧杆菌,编号B200304,在1.0%琼脂糖凝胶上,测得质粒的相对分子质量约为22 kb.通过对该菌株的形态学观察和糖发酵试验等生理生化特征研究,证明该菌株为两歧双歧杆菌(Bifidobacterium bifidum);HPLC法测得其(G C)mol%为55.6,16SrDNA序列分析进一步证实该菌株为两歧双歧杆菌.结论:分离得到一株携带天然质粒的人两歧双歧杆菌新菌株.     

Construction of a novel expression vector in Pseudonocardia autotrophica and its application to efficient biotransformation of compactin to pravastatin, a specific HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor

The novel plasmid vector (pTAOR4-Rev) suitable for gene expression in actinomycete strains of Pseudonocardia autotrophica was constructed from 2 P. autotrophica genetic elements, the novel replication origin and the acetone-inducible promoter. The replication origin was isolated from the endogenous plasmid of strain DSM 43082 and the acetone-inducible promoter was determined by analysis of the upstream region of an acetaldehyde dehydrogenase gene homologue in strain NBRC 12743. P. autotrophica strains transformed with pTAOR4-P450, carrying a gene for cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, expressed P450 from the acetone-inducible promoter, as verified by SDS–PAGE and spectral analysis. The biotransformation test of acetone-induced resting cells prepared from a strain of P. autotrophica carrying pTAOR4 that harbors a compactin (CP)-hydroxylating P450 gene revealed 3.3-fold increased production of pravastatin (PV), a drug for hypercholesterolemia. Biotransformation of CP by the same strain in batch culture yielded PV accumulation of 14.3 g/l after 100 h. The expression vector pTAOR4-Rev and its function-enhancing derivatives provide a versatile approach to industrial biotransformation by Pseudonocardia strains, which can be good hosts for P450 monooxygenase expression.     

甘蔗花叶病毒E株系外壳蛋白基因原核表达载体的构建与表达

目的:用原核表达的方法获取大量带6个His标记的甘蔗花叶病毒E株系(ScMV-E)外壳蛋白(CP)。方法:用带有BamHⅠ和SalⅠ酶切位点的特异引物,以带有多个基因的重组质粒pNUSCP为模板,扩增出片段长度为942bp的ScMV-E外壳蛋白基因,亚克隆到pMD18-T载体上,转化E.coliDH5α,经双酶切检测获得阳性克隆。BamHⅠ和SalⅠ双酶切阳性克隆质粒,回收目的片段ScMV-E的CP基因。把目的片段插入表达载体pET29a( ),转化E.coliBL21(DE3),测序。结果:阳性质粒pET29a-CP在E.coliBL21(DE3)中得到大量特异表达。SDS-PAGE分析表明,该蛋白的相对分子质量约36000,与预测一致。结论:以上方法可以得到带6个His标记的目的蛋白,有利于纯化并获取高纯度的ScMV-E的外壳蛋白。     

Overexpression and purification of a biologically active rifampicin-resistant beta subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase

The gene rpoB (rifD 18), which encodes rifampicin-resistant beta subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase, has been placed on an overexpression plasmid under the control of bacteriophage T7 promoter. Induction of the T7 RNA polymerase gene in the host cells resulted in extensive overproduction of the beta polypeptide. Most of the overproduced material was recovered from cell lysates in insoluble form and was solubilized by extraction with 6 M urea. Purified overproduced beta subunit was added, in molar excess, to urea-denatured rifampicin-sensitive RNA polymerase. Upon removal of urea by dialysis, the reconstituted enzyme became rifampicin-resistant, indicating that overproduced beta subunit can be efficiently assembled into functional holoenzyme.     

Genetic characteristics of plasmid pAP53 derepressed in transfer functions detected in the cells of an opportunistic E. coli strain

A study was made of plasmid pAP53 derepressed as regards transfer functions (Tra-functions) detected in E. coli strain cells, serogroup 0128, after its labeling with transpozones Tn1 and Tn9. The compatibility tests demonstrated that the plasmid belongs to the incompatibility group FIII and is partially incompatible with the group FII reference-plasmid. Plasmid pAP53 is unable to inhibit Tra-functions of plasmid F'lac and is not inhibited by the fin type genetic regulation on the OP group plasmids under study. At the same time Tra-functions of plasmid pAP53 are inhibited in the presence of pAP41 plasmid, which indicates that this plasmid has a special type of genetic regulation.     

Characterization of rpo-B mutant of a strain of Escherichia coli to confirm its suitability for routine work related to recombinant DNA technology

Rifampicin resistant spontaneous mutant of a popular laboratory strain of Escherichia coli (DH5 alpha) was isolated and found to resist high level of the drug in growth medium. The growth of the isolate was found to be slower than its wild-type counterpart. Its ability to get transformed into drug-resistant state through transformation by chemical means as tested using plasmid DNA from three different size categories, was found to be at par with the wild type. Other properties, viz., alpha-complementation and ability to express foreign gene remained unaltered. The utility of the rifampicin-resistant phenotype as a potential chromosomal genetic marker was demonstrated in a typical conjugation experiment to establish the ability of the mutant to act as recipient strain for a recombinant, mobilizable plasmid DNA molecule with the advantage of drug-mediated, high efficiency selection. Substitution of the wild strain with the mutant for routine experimentations related to recombinant DNA technology was concluded to be appropriate and of advantage.     

Survival of parental and genetically modified derivatives of a soil isolated Pseudomonas fluorescens under nutrient-limiting conditions

Wild type, a rifampicin-resistant mutant and three genetically modified derivatives of the soil isolate Pseudomonas fluorescens R2f were starved in pure cultures for periods of up to 70 d. Cells were starved after harvesting at a point early in the stationary phase of the growth curve and all five strains demonstrated the ability to survive nutrient deprivation and resuscitate rapidly when growth nutrients became available. No difference in total counts and metabolic activity was detected between the strains. Plate counts were similar for all strains up to day 35. Wild type and the rifampicin-resistant mutant strain showed greater recovery than the genetically modified strains on day 70. During the starvation period there was a significant decrease in cell lengths of all five strains, however, there was no significant difference between the strains. The shape of the starved cells varied with the growth phase at which they had been harvested. Cells taken from early stationary phase and starved produced predominantly rod-shaped cells whereas those taken from early log phase and starved produced small round cells. In experiments when the rifampicin-resistant mutant and the genetically modified strain Art-3 were starved at early log phase the cells were significantly smaller than respective cultures not exposed to the nutrient limiting conditions, and there was no significant difference in the response of the two strains. None of the cultures produced ultramicrobacteria, and none of the cultures entered a non-culturable state. Starvation at different cell densities did not affect the recoverability of the cells. The results of this study demonstrate that responses to starvation conditions by the genetically modified and parental strains are similar.     

In vivo andin vitro cloning and phenotype characterization of tellurite resistance determinant conferred by plasmid pTE53 of a clinical isolate ofEscherichia coli

A determinant encoding resistance against potassium tellurite (Te(r)) was discovered in a clinical isolate of Escherichia coli strain KL53. The strain formed typical black colonies on solid LB medium with tellurite. The determinant was located on a large conjugative plasmid designated pTE53. Electron-dense particles were observed in cells harboring pTE53 by electron microscopy. X-Ray identification analysis identified these deposits as elemental tellurium and X-ray diffraction analysis showed patterns typical of crystalline structures. Comparison with JCPDS 4-0554 (Joint Committee on Powder Diffraction Standards) reference data confirmed that these crystals were pure tellurium crystals. In common with other characterized Te(r) determinants, accumulation studies with radioactively labeled tellurite showed that reduced uptake of tellurite did not contribute to the resistance mechanism. Tellurite accumulation rates for E. coli strain AB1157 harboring pTE53 were twice higher than for the plasmid-free host strain. In addition, no efflux mechanism was detected. The potassium tellurite resistance determinant of plasmid pTE53 was cloned using both in vitro and in vivo techniques in low-copy-number vectors pACYC184 and mini-Mu derivative pPR46. Cloning of the functional Te(r) determinant into high-copy cloning vectors pTZ19R and mini-Mu derivatives pBEf and pJT2 was not successful. During in vivo cloning experiments, clones with unusual "white colony" phenotypes were found on solid LB with tellurite. All these clones were Mucts62 lysogens. Their tellurite resistance levels were in the same order as the wild type strains. Clones with the "white" phenotype had a 3.6 times lower content of tellurium than the tellurite-reducing strain. Transformation of a "white" mutant with a recombinant pACYC184 based Te(r) plasmid did not change the phenotype. However, when one clone was cured from Mucts62 the "white" phenotype reverted to the wild-type "black" phenotype. It was suggested that the "white" phenotype was the result of an insertional inactivation of an unknown chromosomal gene by Mucts62, which reduced the tellurite uptake.     

Phenotypic reversion of cisplatin resistance in human cells accompanies reduced host cell reactivation of damaged plasmid

Revertant cell lines were established from cisplatin (CP) resistant HeLa cells. Expression of CP damaged plasmid DNA carrying bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene after transfection into cells was measured. Revertant cells showed reduced host cell reactivation of damaged plasmid, as compared to resistant cells. Addition of aphidicolin, an inhibitor for DNA polymerase alpha, to resistant cells effectively blocked enhanced plasmid reactivation and acquired resistance. The results are consistent with the notion that cellular ability in repair CP-damaged DNA is a mechanism for CP resistance.     

Coagulin, a bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance produced by Bacillus coagulans I4

A protease-sensitive antibacterial substance produced by Bacillus coagulans I₄ strain, isolated from cattle faeces, was classified as a bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance and named coagulin. The inhibitory spectrum included B. coagulans and unrelated bacteria such as Enterococcus , Leuconostoc , Oenococcus , Listeria and Pediococcus . Coagulin was stable at 60 °C for 90 min, at a pH ranging from 4 to 8 and appeared to be unaffected by α-amylase, lipase or organic solvents (10% v/v). Coagulin exhibited a bactericidal and a bacteriolytic mode of action against indicator cells. The apparent molecular mass was estimated to be about 3–4 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The B. coagulans I₄ strain harbours a plasmid, pI₄, approximately 14 kb in size. Novobiocin curing experiments yielded two derivatives that no longer produced the bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance. Plasmid content of these two derivatives showed that one had lost pI₄,whereas the second harboured a deleted form of this plasmid, thus suggesting a plasmid location for the genes for coagulin production.     

Identification and quantification of viable Bifidobacterium breve strain Yakult in human faeces by using strain-specific primers and propidium monoazide

Aims: To develop a quick and accurate PCR‐based method to evaluate viable Bifidobacterium breve strain Yakult (BbrY) in human faeces. Methods and Results: The number of BbrY in faeces was detected by using strain‐specific quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR) derived from a randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis. And using propidium monoazide (PMA) treatment, which combined a DNA‐intercalating dye for covalently linking DNA in dead cells and photoactivation, only viable BbrY in the faeces highly and significantly correlated with the number of viable BbrY added to faecal samples within the range of 10⁵–10⁹ cells per g of faeces was enumerated. After 11 healthy subjects ingested 10·7 log CFU of BbrY daily for 10 days, 6·9 (±1·5) log CFU g^?1 [mean (±SD)] of BbrY was detected in faeces by using strain‐specific transgalactosylated oligosaccharide–carbenicillin (T‐CBPC) selective agar medium. Viable BbrY detected by qPCR with PMA treatment was 7·5 (±1·0) log cells per g and the total number (viable and dead) of BbrY detected by qPCR without PMA treatment was 8·1 (±0·8) log cells per g. Conclusions: Strain‐specific qPCR with PMA treatment evaluated viable BbrY in faeces quickly and accurately. Significance and Impact of the Study: Combination of strain‐specific qPCR and PMA treatment is useful for evaluating viable probiotics and its availability in humans.     

一株双歧杆菌质粒聚合酶基因的PCR扩增和鉴定

目的PCR扩增人双歧杆菌天然质粒的聚合酶基因。方法用改良型MRS双歧杆菌选择培养基,从人新鲜粪便分离长双歧杆菌,PCR扩增长双歧杆菌质粒聚合酶(Bifidobacterium plasmid polymerase,BPP)基因,对BPP基因检测阳性的PCR产物通过序列分析,进行鉴定。结果人长双歧杆菌天然质粒的聚合酶基因PCR扩增后,经1.0%琼脂糖凝胶电泳,测得BPP基因的相对分子质量约为1.9 kb。通过BLAST序列比对分析与GenBank中相应基因同源性为96%。结论成功克隆了1株双歧杆菌天然质粒的聚合酶基因,为构建与双歧杆菌宿主质粒相适应的载体奠定了基础。     

Conjugal transfer of recombinant plasmids into gellan gum-producing and non-producing variants of Pseudomonas elodea ATCC 31461

The conjugal transfer of recombinant plasmids into a gellan gum-producing, rifampicin-resistant strain of Pseudomonas elodea and into one of its non-producing variants, was studied in order to facilitate the cloning of gellan genes. The mobilization frequency of recombinant plasmids derived from pKT240, and of cosmid pJRD215 from Escherichia coli HB101 (hsdM), into the mucoid strain was below the values for the non-mucoid variant and decreased exponentially with plasmid size. Reducing the mating time on solid surfaces led to higher mobilization frequencies. Under optimal conditions, a gene bank (40-50 kb) constructed in the cosmid pJRD215 was efficiently mobilized into Gel- mutants during complementation experiments.     

Self-transmissible plasmid in Zymomonas mobilis carrying antibiotic resistance.

The cryptic plasmid pRUT41 from Zymomonas mobilis was examined for its biological properties. This plasmid was found to be conjugally transferred from Z. mobilis CP4 to Escherichia coli BM21 and to carry genes for antibiotic resistance (gentamicin, kanamycin, and streptomycin). Covalently closed circular plasmid DNA was isolated from eight transconjugants of E. coli BM21. These plasmids were identical in mobility on agarose gels and exhibited the same restriction patterns as the native pRUT41 plasmid isolated from Z. mobilis. The plasmid location of the antibiotic resistance genes was further confirmed by transforming E. coli BM21 with isolated pRUT41 plasmid from strain CP4 and with plasmids from the transconjugants of BM21. Resistance to streptomycin, kanamycin, and gentamicin was tightly linked and transferred together in all cases.     

Self-transmissible plasmid in Zymomonas mobilis carrying antibiotic resistance

The cryptic plasmid pRUT41 from Zymomonas mobilis was examined for its biological properties. This plasmid was found to be conjugally transferred from Z. mobilis CP4 to Escherichia coli BM21 and to carry genes for antibiotic resistance (gentamicin, kanamycin, and streptomycin). Covalently closed circular plasmid DNA was isolated from eight transconjugants of E. coli BM21. These plasmids were identical in mobility on agarose gels and exhibited the same restriction patterns as the native pRUT41 plasmid isolated from Z. mobilis. The plasmid location of the antibiotic resistance genes was further confirmed by transforming E. coli BM21 with isolated pRUT41 plasmid from strain CP4 and with plasmids from the transconjugants of BM21. Resistance to streptomycin, kanamycin, and gentamicin was tightly linked and transferred together in all cases.