Functional characteristics of plasmids of Shigella sonnei 47 strains

The phenotypic characteristics of Shigella sonnei strain 47 containing 7 plasmids of low molecular weight and 2 plasmids 60-100 Md large have been studied. The strains of Escherichia coli containing the single plasmids or plasmid groups from Shigella sonnei have been obtained by transformation and conjugation. The comparison of phenotypes of the obtained strains has helped to find the plasmid location of the determinants for streptomycin resistance (P7), genes for colicinogenicity and colicin immunity (P5), the enzymes of host cell specificity system Sso47I (P6), Sso47II (P4), and the genes for the conjugative DNA transfer (P9). Escherichia coli strains producing individual restriction enzymes SsoI and SsoII have been isolated.     

Localization of SsoII restriction endonuclease and methylase genes on the map of the P4 plasmid

The restrictional mapping of naturally occurring plasmid P4 from Shigella sonnei 47 strain coding for the SsoII restriction endonuclease and methylase genes has been made. Using the genetic engineering approach the locations of the SsoII host cell specificity system enzymes genes have been determined.     

Mobilization of phase I plasmid in Shigella sonnei and stability of its inheritance in rough strains of Shigella and Escherichia

The plasmid pSS120, determining the synthesis of species specific I phase antigen of Shigella sonnei is mobilized for genetic transfer into E. coli K12 recipient cells with the frequency 12-41%. The frequency depends on the type of mobilized plasmid and recipient strain. The I phase antigen is normally expressed in II phase recipient cells and in E. coli cells. During mobilization pSS120 forms cointegrates representing a recombinant of mobilizing and mobilized plasmids DNA. The study of pSS120 inheritance stability has shown the plasmid to be unstable during culturing of bacteria and to be partially lost from the parent Shigella sonnei strains as well as from the "hybrid" transconjugants obtained. The 60 Md plasmid present in the donor strains of Shigella sonnei is prone to structural fragmentation particularly expressed in Shigella sonnei/E. coli hybrids.     

Cytosine DNA-methylase of a SsoII-type from Shigella sonnei 47 cells

Shigella sonnei 47 cells were found to contain DNA-methylase SsoII which is a modifying component of the system of host specificity of SsoII. The recognition sequence (RS) of methylase SsoII is represented by a five-member palyndromic structure--5'...CCNGG...3'--with a degenerated central nucleotide. Modification of SsoII affords protection of acceptor DNA not only from SsoII type restriction, but also from other restrictases, e. g., Eco RII having an analogous RS but with a less degenerated central nucleotide pair. A simple and rapid procedure for isolation and purification of DNA-methylase ScoII, which employs hydrophobic chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose, has been developed. The enzyme preparation does not contain trace amounts of specific and nonspecific endonucleases and keeps stable on storage in 30% glycerol over a period of one year.     

Experimental production of colicin type V ofShigella sonnei unusual in nature

Col V factor of Fredericq’s strainEscherichia coli 1.7a was mobilized for a transfer by the R (Sm, Cm, Tc, Su) factor ofShigella sonnei strain in three component test. The strainE. coli K13 HfrR (a universal indicator for evidence of colicinogeny) andS. sonnei strain became the recipient of both plasmids.S. sonnei, a producer of colicin V has not been found in natural conditions as yet.     

Possible mechanisms underlying the slow lactose fermentation phenotype in Shigella spp.

A Southern hybridization analysis revealed that the region homologous to Escherichia coli lacZ was present on the chromosomal DNAs of beta-galactosidase-positive Shigella strains, such as Shigella dysenteriae serovar 1 and Shigella sonnei strains, whereas this region was absent from chromosomal DNAs of beta-galactosidase-negative strains of Shigella flexneri and Shigella boydii. We found that the lacY-A region was deficient in S. dysenteriae serovar 1 and believe that this is the reason for the slow fermentation of lactose by this strain. S. sonnei strains possessed the region which hybridized with E. coli lacY-A despite their slow hydrolysis of lactose. The whole lactose-fermenting region was cloned from S. sonnei and compared with the cloned lac operon of E. coli K-12. Both clones directed the synthesis of beta-galactosidase in an E. coli K-12 strain lacking indigenous beta-galactosidase activity (strain JM109-1), and we observed no difference in the expression of beta-galactosidase activity in S. sonnei and E. coli. However, E. coli JM109-1 harboring the lactose-fermenting genes of S. sonnei exhibited the slow lactose fermentation phenotype like the parental strain. S. sonnei strains had no detectable lactose permease activities. E. coli JM109-1 harboring the lactose-fermenting genes of S. sonnei had a detectable permease activity, possibly because of the multicopy nature of the cloned genes, but this permease activity was much lower than that of strain JM109-1 harboring the lac operon of E. coli K-12. From these results we concluded that slow lactose fermentation by S. sonnei is due to weak lactose permease activity.     

Thermosensitive H1 plasmids determining citrate utilization.

Twelve thermosensitive H1 plasmids from strains of Salmonella typhi that had caused outbreaks of chloramphenicol-resistant typhoid fever in Vietnam, Thailand and India mediated citrate utilization (Cit+) in a prototrophic Escherichia coli K12 strain but not in the S. typhi strains from which they were derived. Four H1 plasmids from a similar outbreak in Mexico differed from the Far Eastern plasmids in not mediating citrate utlization but in mediating mercury resistance. H1 plasmids resembling the Far Eastern and the Mexican plasmids in regard to citrate utilization and mercury resistance were found in sewage in Britain. Citrate utilization was transferred to eight pathogenic strains of E. coli and to one strain each of Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei. Cultures of Cit+ bacteria grew more rapidly in citrate media at 28 degrees C than at 37 degrees C. Plasmid mutants that were more efficient at utilizing citrate were present in all such cultures--they grew equally well or better at 37 degrees C than at 28 degrees C. None of 222 strains of E. coli or Shigella that contained a variety of different plasmids were able to utilize citrate. This property was not transferred to the prototrophic E. coli K12 strain from Citrobacter (3 strains), Salmonella (39 strains), Proteus (44 strains), Klebsiella pneumoniae (33 strains) or Pseudomonas aeruginosa (44 strains).     

Possible mechanisms underlying the slow lactose fermentation phenotype in Shigella spp.

A Southern hybridization analysis revealed that the region homologous to Escherichia coli lacZ was present on the chromosomal DNAs of beta-galactosidase-positive Shigella strains, such as Shigella dysenteriae serovar 1 and Shigella sonnei strains, whereas this region was absent from chromosomal DNAs of beta-galactosidase-negative strains of Shigella flexneri and Shigella boydii. We found that the lacY-A region was deficient in S. dysenteriae serovar 1 and believe that this is the reason for the slow fermentation of lactose by this strain. S. sonnei strains possessed the region which hybridized with E. coli lacY-A despite their slow hydrolysis of lactose. The whole lactose-fermenting region was cloned from S. sonnei and compared with the cloned lac operon of E. coli K-12. Both clones directed the synthesis of beta-galactosidase in an E. coli K-12 strain lacking indigenous beta-galactosidase activity (strain JM109-1), and we observed no difference in the expression of beta-galactosidase activity in S. sonnei and E. coli. However, E. coli JM109-1 harboring the lactose-fermenting genes of S. sonnei exhibited the slow lactose fermentation phenotype like the parental strain. S. sonnei strains had no detectable lactose permease activities. E. coli JM109-1 harboring the lactose-fermenting genes of S. sonnei had a detectable permease activity, possibly because of the multicopy nature of the cloned genes, but this permease activity was much lower than that of strain JM109-1 harboring the lac operon of E. coli K-12. From these results we concluded that slow lactose fermentation by S. sonnei is due to weak lactose permease activity.     

Genetic and physical characterization of trimethoprim resistance plasmids from Shigella sonnei and Shigella flexneri

Analysis of six Shigella flexneri and four S. sonnei isolates with trimethoprim (Tp) resistance from clinical cases in Ontario has shown that, in all isolates, the Tp resistance is mediated by gene(s) on conjugative, multiple antibiotic-resistance plasmids. The physical and genetic characterization of these plasmids revealed that there are three different Tp resistance plasmids. One group, composed of all six S. flexneri plasmids, consists of plasmids which are about 70 megadaltons (MDa) and inhibit the fertility of an Escherichia coli Hfr strain (Fi+). A representative member of this group, pPT4, demonstrates a weak incompatibility reaction with IncFl plasmid R455-2. Another group, three of the four S. sonnei plasmids, contains plasmids which are about 43 MDa, Fi-, and mediate propagation of phage PRD1. The third group, the remaining S. sonnei plasmid, is 53 MDa, fi+, mediates propagation of phages fd and MS2, and is incompatible with IncFII plasmid R100. These plasmids also have been differentiated by restriction endonuclease fragment profiles. Analysis of pPT4 has revealed that the Tp resistance of this plasmid is transposable. The transposon, Tn536, is different from previously described Tp resistance transposons; it is 16 MDa, and in addition to Tp, it encodes resistance to mercuric chloride ions, spectinomycin, streptomycin, and sulfonamides.     

Production of restriction endonucleases using multicopy Hsd plasmids occurring naturally in pathogenic Escherichia coli and Shigella boydii

A convenient procedure has been devised for detection of restriction endonucleases in the Escherichia coli-Shigella group. With this procedure, two restriction endonucleases, designated Sbo 13 and Eco T22, were found and later were identified as isoschizomers of NruI and AvaIII, respectively. These endonucleases were shown to be produced from small multicopy plasmids. They were isolated from nonpathogenic E. coli into which the plasmids had been introduced by transformation, and purified from contaminating nuclease activity. The yield was high, 1,000 units/g of wet cells for Sbo 13 and 500 units/g for Eco T22. Sbo 13 and Eco T22 should be preferable to NruI and AvaIII because of the high yield and ease in handling the producer cells.     

A cryptic plasmid from Shigella sonnei

pNZ500 is a 1.5 kb cryptic plasmid from a Shigella sonnei isolate. It was introduced into Escherichia coli by cotransformation, where it is maintained at about 30 copies per chromosome equivalent. Hybridization studies show that pNZ500 exhibits a high level of sequence similarity to other 1.5 kb plasmids found in different S. sonnei isolates but shares no homology with larger S. sonnei plasmids. pNZ500 shares a small degree of sequence homology with pBR322 and with pAC184. The homology with pBR322 is restricted to sequences close to the ori-bom region of this plasmid. Nevertheless, pNZ500 maintenance in E. coli is not dependent on DNA polymerase I activity, and does depend on continuing protein synthesis. pNZ500 encodes two polypeptide gene products whose monomer molecular weights are 24500 and 18000. The examination of host cells for the expression of possible plasmid phenotypes revealed no differences between cells bearing pNZ500 and plasmidless cells.     

Occurrence of small Hsd plasmids in Salmonella typhi, Shigella boydii, and Escherichia coli.

The natural occurrence of small Hsd (host specificity for DNA) plasmids was demonstrated in restriction endonuclease-producing strains of Salmonella typhi, Shigella boydii, and Escherichia coli. The five Hsd plasmids isolated were between 5.0 and 12.2 kilobases long. The copy number of all the Hsd plasmids was high (more than 10 copies per cell). Introduction of these small plasmids into E. coli strain 0 drastically lowered the efficiency of plating of the lambda.0 phages (the efficiency of plating was less than 5 X 10(-5) PFU-1). High restriction endonuclease activities were detected in the Hsd plasmid-positive strains because of the elevated copy numbers of the hsdR+ gene. The advantages of using E. coli strains containing the small Hsd plasmids for purification of type II restriction endonucleases are discussed.     

The stability of O-antigen plasmid is determined by a chromosomal region of Shigella dysenteriae 1

It is well established that plasmids are involved in the expression of lipopolysaccharide in certain species of Shigella. In Shigella sonnei, both the biosynthesis of oligosaccharide side chains (O antigen), and cell invasiveness are controlled exclusively by a 120 megadalton (MDa) plasmid. In Shigella dysenteriae 1, a 10 kilobase (kb) plasmid is required for O-antigen production. Shigella dysenteriae 1 strains devoid of this plasmid lose the ability to synthesize O antigen. Interestingly, this 10-kb plasmid is not stably maintained in Escherichia coli K-12 strains, where it is lost spontaneously at a high frequency. Our genetic analyses of Shigella dysenteriae 1 strain IDBM11 and its derivatives indicate that the stability of this plasmid is associated with the histidine region of the chromosome which is unique to Shigella dysenteriae. Furthermore, the 10-kb plasmid is stably maintained in wild-type IDBM11 with an intact histidine locus. However, this plasmid is not stable in IDBM11 derivatives (e.g., IDBM11-1 and IDBM11-2), in which the his locus has been substituted with the histidine region of an E. coli K-12 chromosome. The S. dysenteriae IDBM11 strain, and its derivatives (lacking a 10-kb plasmid), displayed an invasive property as demonstrated by their internalization by HeLa cells in an in vitro assay. Thus the 10-kb plasmid of Shigella dysenteriae 1 is required for O-antigen synthesis but not for cell invasion.     

Gene transfer in enteric bacteria through the formation of R-prime plasmids by an RP4: :mini-Mu element.

Gene transfer in seven pathogenic enteric bacteria was studied using an RP4: :mini-Mu element, the plasmid pULB113. From the E. coli K-12 host strain the plasmid could be efficiently transferred to these enteric bacteria, but its transfer back to E. coli K-12 was not as efficient, being detected only in Shigella dysenteriae 1, S. flexneri and the 'smooth' variant of S. sonnei. In these three species, transposition of chromosomal fragments into the plasmid to produce R-prime plasmid was also detected at a frequency of approximately 10(-5). Transposition was random as suggested by the recovery at approximately the same frequency (10(-5) to 10(-6)) of R-primes involving 20 different auxotrophic markers from widely separated chromosomal locations. Formation of R-prime plasmids expressing toxicity in the E. coli K-12 recipient strain was also efficient in S. dysenteriae 1 but the toxin-activity was rapidly lost from these R-primes. In our experiments, the plasmid pULB113 incorporated relatively small amounts of chromosomal DNA as determined by restriction endonuclease digestion. For a Thy+ R-prime that we analyzed, the amount of cloned DNA was approximately 15 kb.     

Common evolutionary origin of chromosomal beta-lactamase genes in enterobacteria

A 32P-labeled fragment of DNA, encoding the major part of the chromosomal ampC beta-lactamase gene of Escherichia coli K-12, was used as a hybridization probe for homologous DNA sequences in colonies of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and different enterobacterial species. The ampC probe detected the presence of homologous DNA sequences in clinical isolates of E. coli, Shigella flexneri, Shigella sonnei, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhimurium, Serratia marcescens, and P. aeruginosa. No hybridization was found with N. gonorrhoeae colonies. In Southern blotting experiments the ampC probe hybridized to chromosomal DNA fragments of the same size in all enterobacterial species tested. However, the degree of hybridization differed with DNA from different species. DNA from the Shigella species strongly hybridized to the ampC probe. Furthermore, antibodies raised against purified E. coli K-12 ampC beta-lactamase precipitated beta-lactamases from the Shigella species, suggesting extensive sequence similarities between the ampC genes of these genera. The production of chromosomal beta-lactamase in S. sonnei increased with increasing growth rate similar to E. coli K-12. This growth rate response was abolished in two beta-lactamase-hyperproducing S. sonnei mutants, which thus seem similar to E. coli K-12 attenuator mutants. We propose that both the structure and regulation of the chromosomal beta-lactamase genes are very similar in E. coli and in S. sonnei.     

Plasmid recombination stimulated by restriction endonuclease EcoRI in vivo: formation of recombinant plasmids in recA+-cells of E. coli

The possible participation of restriction endonuclease EcoRI in recombination of compatible nonhomologous plasmids in E. coli cells has been studied. To study the process, plasmids RP4 and R245 have been transferred by conjugation into the recipient cells of E. coli harbouring one of isogenic plasmids, pSA14 and pSA25, different for the genes coding restriction endonuclease EcoRI. The genetic analysis of transconjugant phenotypes, coded by the plasmids, has permitted to register the recombinant plasmids after compatibility of parent plasmids in E. coli cells. Recombination of plasmid RP4 with the plasmid pSA14, carrying EcoRI genes, has been registered in E. coli cells, producing the restriction endonuclease, while plasmid recombination has not been found in the cells harbouring plasmid pSA25, isogenic for all genes, except for EcoRI genes, with plasmid pSA14. Restriction endonuclease EcoRI is concluded to stimulate site specific recombination of nonhomologous compatible plasmids in vivo. EcoRI-mediated recombination of plasmid R245 with plasmid pSA14 is discussed.     

Frequency of IS1-mediated molecular events in different members of the family Enterobacteriaceae.

The numbers of chromosomal copies of the insertion sequence IS1 in strains of Salmonella typhimurium (0 to 8 copies), Shigella sonnei (56 copies), and Shigella flexneri (41 copies) isolated in Mexico City, Mexico, were similar to those reported for these genera isolated in other countries. Of the 11 Shigella strains studied, all carried several small plasmids; however, in only one of these strains did a small plasmid contain IS1, IS1 recombination, cointegrate formation mediated by IS1 or by the IS1-flanked transposon Tn9, and transposition of Tn9 occurred at a higher frequency in S. typhimurium than in either Escherichia coli or S. sonnei strains. The frequencies of IS1 recombination in S. typhimurium strains containing either zero or eight copies of IS1 were similar.     

Isolation of a Legionella pneumophila restriction mutant with increased ability to act as a recipient in heterospecific matings.

The ability of Legionella pneumophila to act as a recipient of IncP and IncQ plasmids in matings with Escherichia coli varies widely from strain to strain. We found that the low efficiency of mating of the Philadelphia-1 strain is due to a type II restriction-modification system, and we isolated and characterized a Philadelphia-1 mutant that lacks the restriction enzyme activity.     

Detecting low concentrations of Shigella sonnei in environmental water samples by PCR

Outbreaks of Shigella sonnei associated with contaminated water have been reported and methods for the simultaneous detection of Shigellae and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli in water samples have been developed with detection limits of 10(1)-10(2) CFU mL(-1) of water. Because 10(1)-10(2)Shigellae can cause disease, a more sensitive detection method as an addition to the existing methods for detection of Shigella sonnei in water samples is reported here. Initially, 33 Shigella sonnei and 72 non-Shigella sonnei isolates were tested and one primer pair was found capable of specifically amplifying a 369-bp insertion sequence 1 (IS1) fragment from all 33 Shigella sonnei isolates and one Shigella dysenteriae ATCC isolate by PCR. The detection method was developed, which included filtration of 50 mL of water through a membrane and application of PCR to the membrane using this primer pair. Environmental water samples with total bacterial numbers of 384-2.84 x 10(7) CFU L(-1) were collected and seeded with 13 Shigella sonnei and the Shigella dysenteriae ATCC isolates. Detection limits were determined as 1.7-24.7 and 270-8000 CFU per 50 mL of water, respectively, using this detection method.     

Detection of Shiga-like toxin on the outer membranes of Shigella species and Escherichia coli K-12

Abstract Outer membranes of Shigella species and E. coli K-12 carrying large invasive plasmids and isogenic non-invasive strains without plasmids were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. The immunoblotting analysis of the outer membrane proteins of these bacteria was performed with monoclonal antibody (mAb) made against A and B subunits of Shiga-like toxin (SLT). The SLT was detected in the outer membranes of S. dysenteriae 1 IDBM11, S. sonnei PNS20, S. flexneri M90T, S. dysenteriae 60R, and E. coli K-12 strain AB2463. The two other E. coli K-12 strains, C600 and 933J were included as controls for low and high toxin producers respectively. The outer membrane protein band of molecular weight 70 kDa was common to all bacterial strains studied. The most prominent band of 70 kDa protein was seen to be present in the high toxin producing plasmidless strain of S. dysenteriae 60R and the lysogenic strain of E. coli 933J. The invasive strains of S. dysenteriae 1 and S. flexneri M90T which carry the large invasive plasmids showed the least prominent band of 70 kDa protein.
The immunoblotting analysis of Shiga-toxin partially purified from the S. dysenteriae 60R strain revealed the absence of 70 kDa band on SDS-PAGE, instead the two dissociated subunits were seen. Furthermore, periplasmic Shiga-toxin proteins also showed the complete dissociation into A and B subunits. However, under the same denaturing conditions, the 70 kDa protein band cross-reacting with mAb against A and B subunits was still present in the outer membranes of all different strains.