Natural plasmid transformation in a high-frequency-of-transformation marine Vibrio strain.

The estuarine bacterium Vibrio strain DI-9 has been shown to be naturally transformable with both broad host range plasmid multimers and homologous chromosomal DNA at average frequencies of 3.5 X 10(-9) and 3.4 X 10(-7) transformants per recipient, respectively. Growth of plasmid transformants in nonselective medium resulted in cured strains that transformed 6 to 42, 857 times more frequently than the parental strain, depending on the type of transforming DNA. These high-frequency-of-transformation (HfT) strains were transformed at frequencies ranging from 1.1 X 10(-8) to 1.3 X 10(-4) transformants per recipient with plasmid DNA and at an average frequency of 8.3 X 10(-5) transformants per recipient with homologous chromosomal DNA. The highest transformation frequencies were observed by using multimers of an R1162 derivative carrying the transposon Tn5 (pQSR50). Probing of total DNA preparations from one of the cured strains demonstrated that no plasmid DNA remained in the cured strains which may have provided homology to the transforming DNA. All transformants and cured strains could be differentiated from the parental strains by colony morphology. DNA binding studies indicated that late-log-phase HfT strains bound [3H]bacteriophage lambda DNA 2.1 times more rapidly than the parental strain. These results suggest that the original plasmid transformation event of strain DI-9 was the result of uptake and expression of plasmid DNA by a competent mutant (HfT strain). Additionally, it was found that a strain of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, USFS 3420, could be naturally transformed with plasmid DNA. Natural plasmid transformation by high-transforming mutants may be a means of plasmid acquisition by natural aquatic bacterial populations.     

不同培养时期的大肠杆菌和枯草芽孢杆菌间发生的跨属自然遗传转化

携带穿梭质粒的大肠杆菌与作为受体的枯草芽孢杆菌分别培养至不同生长阶段混合均匀后静置40min,涂布选择性平板,37℃培养30h后得到一定数目的转化子,DNaseⅠ敏感实验证实质粒是通过自然遗传转化而非其它形式发生转移。实验发现大肠杆菌可以在特定生长时期向胞外分泌DNA,并且在对数期具有最高的提供质粒的能力,而生长后期的细胞因为体系中DNase量的增加转化频率下降。进一步的研究发现枯草芽孢杆菌在营养丰富的LB培养基中也具有与基本培养基中相当的转化能力,并且在对数生长前期具有较高的转化频率。     

Intergeneric conjugation between Escherichia coli and Streptomyces species.

We have constructed Escherichia coli-Streptomyces shuttle plasmids which are capable of conjugal transfer from E. coli to Streptomyces spp. These plasmids contained the pBR322 and pIJ101 origins of replication and the RK2 (IncP) origin of transfer. The transfer of plasmid was specifically dependent the presence of a 760-base-pair, cis-acting, oriT-containing fragment and on RP4 (IncP) functions supplied in trans. Conditions of mating and selection of exconjugants were analyzed with Streptomyces lividans as recipient. Plasmid transfer to other Streptomyces species was also demonstrated.     

溶藻弧菌质粒pVAE259全序列测定与分子生物学特征分析

【目的】获得溶藻弧菌环状质粒pVAE259全序列,分析其分子生物学特征并探索该质粒可能具备的功能。【方法】使用酶切、克隆测序的方法获得pVAE259的全序列,利用软件分析DNA序列和可能的编码蛋白,推测质粒的生物学信息。【结果】pVAE259为闭合环状质粒,全长6,075 bp,GC含量为42.16%。在NCBI中比对发现pVAE259与Vibriosp.41隐蔽性质粒pPS41具有较高的相似性。我们在序列中找到一个oriT位点,另外全序列的4118-5494 bp推测为质粒复制区域。pVAE259中存在7个氨基酸序列长度大于100的开放式阅读框(ORF):ORF1-ORF7。其中ORF1编码蛋白属于释放酶超级家族(Relaxase Super-family)蛋白,在NCBI数据库中它与大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)的MobA-like蛋白最相似;ORF2编码蛋白属于复制酶超级家族(Replicase Super-family),它与嗜麦芽寡养单胞菌(Stenotrophomonas maltophilia)的复制蛋白RepA最相似;ORF5与伸长盐单胞菌(Halomonas elongata)质粒pHE1的转移蛋白MobC相似。【结论】根据上述结果及相关文献分析,pVAE259可能是具有转移能力的质粒,该质粒是否影响宿主菌的表型性状还不清楚。     

Complete sequence of virulence plasmid pEIB1 from the marine fish pathogen Vibrio anguillarum strain MVM425 and location of its replication region

AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine the whole DNA sequence of pEIB1, one pJM1-like virulence plasmid from Vibrio anguillarum MVM425 and locate the replication region. METHODS AND RESULTS: DNA sequence of virulence plasmid pEIB1 from V. anguillarum MVM425 was determined using the methods of restriction endonuclease digestion, subcloning, and primer walking. The whole nucleotide sequence of pEIB1 comprises 66,164 bp, encoding 44 open reading frames (>400 bp) containing the genes of DNA replication, biosynthesis and regulation of the siderophore anguibactin and transport of ferric-anguibactin complexes. With no demonstrated replication origin, the Sau3AI partial digested plasmid DNA fragments of pEIB1 were ligated into the BamHI-fragment containing the kanamycin-resistance gene (Kmr). For there is no effective transformation in V. anguillarum, the ligated DNA was first introduced into E. coli JM83, and the transfomants were selected for resistance to kanamycin. It was demonstrated with southern blotting and DNA sequencing that plasmid pEIB7 containing the Sau3AI DNA fragment of pEIB1 (from 12516 to 13957) has the ability to replicate in E. coli JM83 and V. anguillarum MVM425sh. The segregational stability of plasmid pEIB7 kept in 100 and 4% in E. coli JM83 and V. anguillarum MVM425sh respectively when the cells were cultured in 200th generation. In following experiments, we also found that plasmid pEIB7 replicated at a middle-copy number of 10-40 in JM83, while at a high-copy number of 100-300 in MVM425sh. Moreover, pEIB7 can survive in V. alginolyticus, another fish pathogenic. CONCLUSIONS: With the whole DNA sequence of pEIB1 determining, it was found that pEIB1 showed microheterogeneity in its restriction endonuclease patterns with pJM1 though their DNA sequences had slight difference. According to the complete DNA sequence of pEIB1, its replication region was located from 12516 to 13957. And this replication region is compatible to pUC18 (pMB1), pKA3 (pSC101) and p15A: caiE (p15A). SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The worldwide vibriosis marine pathogen V. anguillarum strains contain common virulence, pJM1-like plasmids, independent on the geographical source. The pEIB1 was the second common virulence plasmid, which sequence was determined. Its sequence is highly homologous to pJM1 as they both encode biosynthesis and regulation of the siderophore anguibactin and transport of ferric-anguibactin complexes. Some interesting features as in pJM1 were also identified, such as transposon-like structures. So it can be deferred that the whole DNA sequences of virulent plasmid pEIB1 will be great helpful to future revealing these V. anguillarum virulence-related genes derived during evolution from transposition events or horizontal transfer of genes potentially originating in other organisms. Another result, replication region of pEIB1 locating is the first report about replication of pJM1-like plasmid. This work will be useful for researching pJM1-like plasmid replication mechanism in V. anguillarum.     

Mobilization of a recombinant nonconjugative plasmid at the interface between wastewater and the marine coastal environment

Abstract The ability of aquatic bacteria isolated from habitats around the outlet of treated wastewater in a coastal marine ecosystem to mobilize the nonconjugative recombinant plasmid pCE328 was studied. A total of 208 strains were screened for their large plasmid content; 51 strains carried at least one large plasmid. Of these, 6 strains from wastewater and 8 from the marine environment were able to mobilize pCE328. Mobilizing strains were isolated from all habitats, and the majority belonged to the genus Aeromonas . The frequencies of mobilization in plate mating experiments ranged from 2 × 10⁻⁷ to 4.4 × 10⁻⁵ per donor at 15°C and 20°C. Mobilization occurred at lower frequencies in microcosm experiments. The results suggest that recombinant DNA released at such interfaces may be transferred rapidly to the autochtonous populations through several bacterial species.     

The ability of two different Vibrio spp. bacteriophages to infect Vibrio harveyi, Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio mimicus

AIMS: To determine the host range of the Vibrio harveyi myovirus-like bacteriophage (VHML) and the cholera toxin conversion bacteriophage (CTX Phi) within a range of Vibrio cholerae and V. mimicus and V. harveyi, V. cholerae and V. mimicus isolates respectively. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three V. harveyi, eight V. cholerae and five V. mimicus isolates were incubated with VHML and CTX Phi. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determine the presence of VHML and CTX Phi in infected isolates. We demonstrated that it was possible to infect one isolate of V. cholerae (isolate ACM #2773/ATCC #14035) with VHML. This isolate successfully incorporated VHML into its genome as evident by positive PCR amplification of the sequence coding part of the tail sheath of VHML. Attempts to infect all other V. cholerae and V. mimicus isolates with VHML were unsuccessful. Attempts to infect V. cholerae non-01, V. harveyi and V. mimicus isolates with CTX Phi were unsuccessful. CONCLUSIONS: Bacteriophage infection is limited by bacteriophage-exclusion systems operating within bacterial strains and these systems appear to be highly selective. One system may allow the co-existence of one bacteriophage while excluding another. VHML appears to have a narrow host range which may be related to a common receptor protein in such strains. The lack of the vibrio pathogenicity island bacteriophage (VPI Phi) in the isolates used in this study may explain why infections with CTX Phi were unsuccessful. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The current study has demonstrated that Vibrio spp. bacteriophages may infect other Vibrio spp.     

一种快速简便的CaCl2质粒转化方法

介绍一种质粒DNA快速转化方法.质粒DNA加入感受态细胞,冰浴3～10min,涂布预热至37℃的平板,即可获得与常规转化方法相当的转化效率.操作步骤由5步减至2步,时间由2h减至3～10min.同时探讨了Ca2 浓度、4℃保存时间等因素对感受态细胞转化效率的影响     

Horizontal gene transfer of a genetic island encoding a type III secretion system distributed in Vibrio cholerae

Twelve Vibrio cholerae isolates with genes for a type III secretion system (T3SS) were detected among 110 environmental and 14 clinical isolates. T3SS‐related genes were distributed among the various serogroups and pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis of NotI‐digested genomes showed genetic diversity in these strains. However, the restriction fragment length polymorphism profiles of the T3SS‐related genes had similar patterns. Additionally, naturally competent T3SS‐negative V. cholerae incorporated the ca. 47 kb gene cluster of T3SS, which had been integrated into a site on the chromosome by recombination. Therefore, it is suggested that horizontal gene transfer of T3SS‐related genes occurs among V. cholerae in natural ecosystems.     

冷冻复苏法高效转化大肠杆菌

对传统的CaCl2方法进行的质粒转化做出改进,用冷冻复苏法使得CaCl2转化方法更加高效,整个过程仅需2min左右,同时分析了质粒快速转化的必需条件。     

Isolation and characterization of chitinase from a marine bacterium Vibrio sp.

A chitinase was separated from the culture broth of Vibrio sp. 11211 isolated from sediment from the South China Sea. The chitinase was purified 18.3-fold with 33% recovery by ammonium sulphate precipitation and chromatography. The subunit molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated by SDS-PAGE to be about 30kDa. The enzyme showed optimum pH at 6.5 and optimum temperature at 50^°C, and was stable in the pH range of 4 to 9 and at the temperature below 40^°C.     

Exchange of chromosomal markers by natural transformation between the soil isolate,Pseudomonas stutzeri JM300, and the marine isolate,Pseudomonas stutzeri strain ZoBell

Both the soil isolate,Pseudomonas stutzeri JM300, and the marine isolate,Pseudomonas stutzeri strain ZoBell, have been shown previously to be naturally transformable. This study reports the detection of genetic exchange by natural transformation between these two isolates. Transformation frequency was determined by filter transformation procedures. Three independent antibiotic resistance loci were used as chromosomal markers to monitor this exchange event: resistance to rifampicin, streptomycin, and nalidixic acid. The maximum frequencies of transformation were on the order of 3.1 to 3.8×10^-6 transformants per recipient; frequencies over an order of magnitude greater than those for spontaneous antibiotic resistance, although they are lower than those observed for soil: soil or marine: marine strain crosses. This exchange was inhibited by DNase I. Transformation was observed between soil and marine strains, both by filter transformation using purified DNA solutions and when transforming DNA was added in the form of viable donor cells. The results from this study support the close genetic relationship betweenP. stutzeri JM300 andP. stutzeri strain ZoBell. These results also further validate the utility ofP. stutzeri as a benchmark organism for modeling gene transfer by natural transformation in both soil and marine habitats.     

Plasmid DNA in a groundwater aquifer microcosm -adsorption, DNAase resistance and natural genetic transformation of Bacillus subtilis

Prokaryotes can exchange chromosomal and plasmid genes via extracellular DNA in a process termed genetic transformation. This process has been observed in the test tube for several bacterial species living in the environment but it is not clear whether transformation occurs in natural bacterial habitats. A major constituent of terrestrial environments are solid particles such as quartz, silt and clay, which have considerable surface areas and which make up the solid-liquid interfaces of the habitat. In previous experiments the adsorption of DNA to chemically purified quartz and clay minerals was shown and the partial protection of adsorbed DNA against DNAase I. In a microcosm consisting of natural groundwater aquifer material (GWA) sampled directly from the environment and groundwater (GW) both linear duplex and supercoiled plasmid DNA molecules bound rapidly and quantitatively to the minerals. The divalent cations required to form the association were those present in the GWA/GW microcosm. The association was stable to extended elution over one week at 23°C. Upon adsorption, the DNA became highly resistant against enzymatic degradation. About 1000 times higher DNAase I concentrations were needed to degrade bound DNA to the same extent as DNA dissolved in GW. Furthermore, chromosomal and plasmid DNA bound on GWA transformed competent cells of Bacillus subtilis. However, in contrast to DNA in solution, on GWA the chromosomal DNA was more active in transformation than the plasmid DNA. The studies also revealed that in the transformation of B. subtilis Mg²⁺ can be replaced by Na⁺, K⁺ or NH₄ The observations suggest that in soil and sediment environments, mineral material with inorganic precipitates and organic matter can harbour extracellular DNA leaving it available for genetic transformation.     

Vibrio harveyi: a significant pathogen of marine vertebrates and invertebrates

Vibrio harveyi, which now includes Vibrio carchariae as a junior synonym, is a serious pathogen of marine fish and invertebrates, particularly penaeid shrimp. In fish, the diseases include vasculitis, gastro-enteritis and eye lesions. With shrimp, the pathogen is associated with luminous vibriosis and Bolitas negricans. Yet, the pathogenicity mechanisms are imprecisely understood, with likely mechanisms involving the ability to attach and form biofilms, quorum sensing, various extracellular products including proteases and haemolysins, lipopolysaccharide, and interaction with bacteriophage and bacteriocin-like substances.     

鳗弧菌溶血毒素基因vah4的克隆及表达

目的：对鳗弧菌溶血毒素基因vah4进行克隆与原核表达,为进一步深入研究其免疫原性及VAH4的功能奠定基础。方法：PCR扩增vah4,将扩增的产物连接于测序载体pMD18—T上,经测序反应确定无误后,再将PCR产物与原核表达载体pET-32a构建表达VAH4的重组质粒（pET-32a-VAH4）,经PCR鉴定后,再转入表达宿主大肠杆菌BL21菌株内,对转化菌株进行诱导表达,SDS-PAGE电泳检测。结果：含重组质粒的菌株有表达蛋白,其表达的蛋白质相对分子质量为40kDa,并经Western blot鉴定结果证实该条带即VAH4-His融合蛋白。结论：vah4基因成功克隆至pET-32a质粒内并成功表达,为进一步研究其免疫原性、VAH4的毒性作用效果及作用机制奠定基础。     

Escherichia coli is naturally transformable in a novel transformation system

A novel transformation system, in which neither a nonphysiological concentration of Ca2+ and temperature shifts nor electronic shocks were required, was developed to determine whether Escherichia coli is naturally transformable. In the new protocol, E. coli was cultured normally to the stationary phase and then cultured statically at 37 degrees C in Luria-Bertani broth. After static culture, transformation occurred in bacteria spread on Luria-Bertani plates. The protein synthesis inhibitor chloramphenicol inhibited this transformation process. The need for protein synthesis in plated bacteria suggests that the transformation of E. coli in this new system is regulated physiologically.     

霍乱弧菌脂多糖O抗原基因在大肠杆菌中的克隆及表达

经典生物型及埃尔托生物型霍乱弧菌的染色体DNA片段分别与载体质粒pUC18,B.S(M13~+)进行克隆,从克隆株中筛选到能表达霍乱弧菌脂多糖O抗原基因的重组子。它们所表达的脂多糖O抗原具有很好的抗原性及免疫原性,其重组质粒pMG-301、pMG-302经酶切分析表明,外源片段大小分别为8.4kb,7.6kb,较文献报道的16kb要小,而且基因结构之间也存在很大差异。     

Efficient extracellular production of hybrid E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin B subunits in a marine vibrio

Abstract Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit (EtxB) has been proposed as a potential protein carrier for the delivery of heterologous peptides to target cells, particularly for the oral delivery of epitopes to the mucosal immune system. In this study, two extensions to the C-terminus of EtxB were genetically engineered that correspond to a well-characterized neutralising epitope of glycoprotein D from herpes simplex virus (EtxB-gD) and to the C-terminal nine amino acids from the 38 kDa subunit of HSV-encoded ribonucleotide reductase (EtxB-R2). Here we describe the extracellular secretion of the two hybrid EtxBs from a marine Vibrio harbouring a broad-host range inducible expression vector containing the hybrid genes. Large amounts of intact fusion proteins (15–20 mg per liter of culture) were secreted into the medium upon induction. These hybrid proteins maintained the receptor-binding activity of the native toxin as well as being cross-reactive with anti-EtxB and anti-heterologous peptide monoclonal antibodies.     

Transfer and expression of a hydrocarbon-degrading plasmid pHCL from Pseudomonas putida to marine bacteria

Transfer of a catabolic plasmid from Pseudomonas putida to indigenous marine bacteria and obligate halophilic bacteria was carried out under both in vitro and in situ conditions. The marine recipients, which could not otherwise grow on hydrocarbon substrates, were able to degrade them after the horizontal transfer of the catabolic plasmid from P. putida. Mating conducted on nutrient plates yielded comparatively more transconjugants than in broth mating under laboratory conditions (10⁶ c.f.u./ml). The transconjugants stably maintained the plasmid when they were maintained in seawater amended with selective pressure (antibiotics/Hg (25 g/l) even after 30 days, whereas under non-selective conditions they progressively lost the plasmid after 24 days. The expression of the plasmid in the marine recipients was investigated by gas chromatographic analysis. The overall objective of this study is to evolve a novel strategy for bioremediation of oil spills and the results of the present study suggest that the present approach would offer a better solution for the removal of harmful substances from the environment by avoiding serious interference with the microbial flora of the ecosystem.     

Detection and characterization of natural transformation in the marine bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri strain ZoBell

Soil isolates of Pseudomonas stutzeri have been shown previously to acquire genes by natural transformation. In this study a marine isolate, Pseudomonas stutzeri strain ZoBell, formerly Pseudomonas perfectomarina, was also shown to transform naturally. Transformation was detected by the Juni plate method and frequencies of transformation were determined by filter transformation procedures. Maximum frequencies of transformation were detected for three independent antibiotic resistance loci. Transformation frequencies were on the order of 4×10^-5 transformants per recipient, a frequency over 100 times that of spontancous antibiotic resistance. Transfer of antibiotic resistance was inhibited by DNase I digestion. Marine isolates achieved maximum competence 14 h after transfer of exponential cultures to filters on solid media, although lower levels of competence were detected immediately following filter immobilization. Like soil isolates, P. stutzeri strain ZoBell is capable of cell contact transformation, but unlike soil isolates where transformation frequencies are greater for cell contact transformation as compared to transformation with purified DNA, the maximum frequency of transformation achieved by cell contact in the marine strain was approximately 10-fold less than transformation frequencies with purified DNA. These studies establish the first marine model for the study of natural transformation.This paper is dedicated to John L. Ingraham, Professor Emeritus of Microbiology at the University of California, Davis. Professor Ingraham was the first person to recognize natural transformation in Pseudomonas stutzeri and has continued to contribute to our understanding of the process over the past eight years. This understanding of the genetics of P. stutzeri is only one of the many areas of microbiology to which Professor Ingraham has contributed in his exceptional career