The Psu protein of bacteriophage P4 is an antitermination factor for rho-dependent transcription termination

A 0.7-kbp DNA fragment from bacteriophage P4 that contained the polarity suppression (psu) gene was cloned in an expression plasmid. Induction of the plasmid-borne psu gene resulted in the overproduction of a protein having the biological properties of the P4-induced polarity suppressor. In vivo, Psu protein acted in trans to suppress rho-dependent polarity in the late genes of an infecting P2 phage, in plasmid operons, and in the host chromosome. Psu action did not require the presence of other P2 or P4 phage genes. Psu caused efficient readthrough (antitermination) by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase at the rho-dependent terminators tR1 and TIS2, individually and in tandem, but did not affect termination at rho-independent sites. Neither the conserved antitermination sequence boxA nor any unique promoter or utilization sequence was required for Psu activity.     

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。     

Overproduction of Escherichia coli NusA protein

The nusA gene of Escherichia coli has been cloned into the plasmid vector pKC30 under the control of the inducible lambda pL promoter. When a strain carrying this plasmid is induced, NusA protein is overproduced more than 100-fold and constitutes 20-30% of the total cellular protein. The NusA protein purified from this strain appears identical to authentic NusA protein in its migration on SDS polyacrylamide gels and on isoelectric focusing gels. It is also able to function properly in in vitro termination and antitermination assays and in its ability to bind to E. coli core RNA polymerase.     

Control of cloned gene expression by promoter inversion in vivo: construction of the heat-pulse-activated att-nutL-p-att-N module

We have constructed a prototype of gene-expression plasmids with three novel properties: its "OFF phase" is absolute in all common hosts because the expression promoter is facing away from the studied gene and is blocked by a strong terminator; the "ON phase" is attained by the rapid and efficient inversion of the promoter; only a short heat pulse or exposure to other inducing agents is required to initiate this two-stage process. In the first stage, synthesis of the phage lambda Int protein is induced by the transient derepression of the properly engineered lambda xis- cIts857 prophage. In the immediately following second stage, Int causes inversion of a promoter cloned between the inverted ----P'OP phage att site and the normally oriented ----delta PO delta P' pseudo-bacterial att site. The inverted promoter can now control the expression of the studied gene and also of the lambda N gene cloned in tandem. The N product, in conjunction with the nutL site placed downstream of the promoter, permits efficient antitermination of any terminators present in the att sites, in the plasmid or in the cloned DNA, making this system efficient and of practical value. Employing the promoter-inverting plasmid, it was possible to obtain rapid onset and a high level of galactokinase synthesis from the cloned galK gene. Only a transient, 10-min induction at 42 degrees C was employed, permitting protein synthesis at 30 degrees C, which might be of importance for thermosensitive products. Furthermore, the entire promoter-inversion module can be transferred to any plasmid as a 1.3-kb AvaI-ClaI fragment (see Fig. 1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Low-copy-number plasmid-cloning vectors amplifiable by derepression of an inserted foreign promoter

By insertion of a DNA fragment, containing the phage lambda pR promoter and the pM-promoted cI857 allele of the lambda repressor gene, in plasmid R1 upstream of the replication control genes, cloning vectors have been constructed which are present in one copy per chromosome at temperatures below 37 degrees C, and which display uncontrolled replication at 42 degrees C. Derivatives have been made which carry the R1 par region, stabilizing the plasmid at low temperature when grown in the absence of selection pressure. Cells harbouring these plasmids stop growing after 1-2 h incubation at 42 degrees C, and at this time 50% of the total DNA in the cells is plasmid DNA corresponding to more than 1000 plasmid molecules per cell. Concomitant with plasmid amplification at the high temperature, synthesis of plasmid-coded gene products is amplified, and these vectors can therefore be utilized for obtaining greatly enhanced yields of gene products that may be detrimental to the host cell when present in large amounts.     

Transcription termination: sequence and function of the rho-independent tL3 terminator in the major leftward operon of bacteriophage lambda

For cloning, assaying the function and sequencing terminators, we have constructed the pD12 plasmid, in which the late promotor p'R of phage lambda controls the expression of the galK gene of the pK03 plasmid of McKenney et al. (1981). The lambda tL3 terminator region was cloned in this plasmid between the promoter and the galK gene, and found to be 90-94% effective in preventing galactokinase expression in both rho+ and rho- hosts. Is is also active in vitro, both in the presence or absence of the rho factor. The termination point is located at 4320 bp to the left of the SL startpoint of the PL-RNA, just downstream of gene exo. We have sequenced 356 bp of the hitherto uncharted lambda DNA to the right of the TaqI cut, which in turn is 110 bp to the right of the b522 deletion at 63.9% lambda. The tL3 terminator has several features common to other rho-independent termination sequences, including an 81% G+C-rich region of 2X8-bp symmetry ("stem") with a 5-bp intervening "loop", partially overlapping and followed by a sequence transcribed into the pyrimidine-rich CCUUUCU-OH 3' terminus of the RNA. The termination point that follows the last U was determined by the S1 mapping technique.     

Transcriptional antitermination activity of the synthetic nut elements of coliphage lambda. I. Assembly of the nutR recognition site from boxA and nut core elements

An active nutR antiterminator was reconstructed from two synthetic modules, one containing the 8-bp boxA (5'-CGCTCTTA) and the other the 17-bp nutR core (5'-AGCCCTGAAAAAGGGCA) sequence. The modules were synthesized with HindIII cohesive ends, which upon annealing and ligation created an 8-bp spacer (5'-CAAAGCTT) between the boxA and nutR core. The 8-bp length was the same as in the native nutR (5'-CACATTCC), but the sequence showed less than 38% homology. The antitermination mediated by the synthetic nutR, was 68-80% efficient when tested in the pp-nutR-N-tL1-galK expression plasmid, analogous to that used by Drahos and Szybalski [Gene, 16 (1981) 261-274]. The cloned boxA by itself has no activity, while the nutR core alone shows only marginal (5-10%) antiterminator function. Increasing the distance between boxA and the nutR core from 8 bp to 20-28 bp, i.e., by one to two turns of the DNA helix (about 10 bp per turn), has little effect on the antiterminator function, whereas use of spacers with length about halfway between 8 and 20 bp results in reduced antitermination. It appears that both the sequences and spacial arrangement of the boxA and nut elements are important for efficient antiterminator function.     

Transcriptional antitermination activity of the synthetic nut elements of coliphage lambda. I. Assembly of the nutR recognition site from boxA and nut core elements

An active nutR antiterminator was reconstructed from two synthetic modules, one containing the 8-bp boxA (5'-CGCTCTTA) and the other the 17-bp nutR core (5'-AGCCCTGAAAAAGGGCA) sequence. The modules were synthesized with HindIII cohesive ends, which upon annealing and ligation created an 8-bp spacer (5'-CAAAGCTT) between the boxA and nutR core. The 8-bp length was the same as in the native nutR (5'-CACATTCC), but the sequence showed less than 38% homology. The antitermination mediated by the synthetic nutR was 68-80% efficient when tested in the pp-nutR-N-tL1-galK expression plasmid, analogous to that used by Drahos and Szybalski [Gene, 16 (1981) 261-274]. The cloned boxA by itself has no activity, while the nutR core alone shows only marginal (5-10%) antiterminator function. Increasing the distance between boxA and the nutR core from 8 bp to 20-28 bp, i.e., by one to two turns of the DNA helix (about 10 bp per turn), has little effect on the antiterminator function, whereas use of spacers with length about halfway between 8 and 20 bp results in reduced antitermination. It appears that both the sequences and spacial arrangement of the boxA and nut elements are important for efficient antiterminator function.     

In vivo gene electrotransfer into skeletal muscle: effects of plasmid DNA on the occurrence and extent of muscle damage

BACKGROUND: Understanding the mechanisms underlying gene electrotransfer muscle damage can help to design more effective gene electrotransfer strategies for physiological and therapeutical applications. The present study investigates the factors involved in gene electrotransfer associated muscle damage. METHODS: Histochemical analyses were used to determine the extent of transfection efficiency and muscle damage in the Tibialis anterior muscles of Sprague-Dawley male rats after gene electrotransfer. RESULTS: Five days after gene electrotransfer, features of muscle degeneration and regeneration were consistently observed, thus limiting the extent of transfection efficiency. Signs of muscle degeneration/regeneration were no longer evident 21 days after gene electrotransfer except for the presence of central myonuclei. Neither the application of electrical pulses per se nor the extracellular presence of plasmid DNA per se contributed significantly to muscle damage (2.9 +/- 1.0 and 2.1 +/- 0.7% of the whole muscle cross-sectional area, respectively). Gene electrotransfer of a plasmid DNA, which does not support gene expression, increased significantly muscle damage (8.7 +/- 1.2%). When plasmid DNA expression was permitted (gene electrotransfer of pCMV-beta-galactosidase), muscle damage was further increased to 19.7 +/- 4.5%. Optimization of cumulated pulse duration and current intensity dramatically reduced gene electrotransfer associated muscle damage. Finally, mathematical modeling of gene electrotransfer associated muscle damage as a function of the number of electrons delivered to the tissue indicated that pulse length critically determined the extent of muscle damage. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that neither the extracellular presence of plasmid DNA per se nor the application of electric pulses per se contributes significantly to muscle damage. Gene electrotransfer associated muscle damage mainly arises from the intracellular presence and expression of plasmid DNA.     

The ntr genes of Escherichia coli activate the hut and nif operons of Klebsiella pneumoniae

Regulation of the synthesis of glutamine synthetase and of the arginine and glutamine transport systems (Ntr phenotype) in Salmonella have been shown to require two regulatory genes on the C-terminal side of the glnA gene (McFarland et al., 1981). We have cloned a HindIII-EcoRI DNA fragment from Escherichia coli coding for analogous properties with respect to the Ntr phenotype in E. coli. A plasmid containing this E. coli DNA fragment joined to another fragment carrying a cyanobacterial glnA gene (but no functional regulatory genes) was introduced into a Klebsiella pneumoniae mutant with a Gln-Ntr- phenotype, i.e., which could not derepress nitrogenase. The cyanobacterial gene made the Klebsiella strain Gln+ and the E. coli DNA fragment made the strain Ntr+, including the ability to derepress nitrogenase fully. Thus the products of the glnA-linked ntr genes of E. coli can regulate expression of the Ntr-dependent genes of Klebsiella.     

Evolution of human immunoglobulin kappa J region genes

Immunoglobulin kappa chain variable region genes are assembled from two discontinuous DNA segments, a V and a J gene. The J region genes, in addition to encoding amino acid positions 96-108 of the kappa polypeptide chain, also provide sequences required for both DNA and RNA splicing reactions. For purposes of evolutionary comparison and to establish the complexity of the kappa J region locus in man, we have determined an approximately 3000 basepair nucleotide sequence in a cloned human DNA fragment that encodes the germline distinct J region segments. Significant blocks of homology have been tightly maintained between this region and an analogous segment of the mouse genome. In particular, the short sequences, GGTTTTTGT and CACTGTG, thought to be involved in V-J recombination, are the most highly conserved regions (97% homology). In addition, from heteroduplex data and computer analysis of the nucleotide sequences, it is clear that the mouse J3 sequence, a pseudogene, is not present in the human cluster. This can be explained by a duplication event in the mouse J region gene cluster that may have been the result of unequal crossing over between homologous chromosomes.