嗜麦芽假单胞菌热休克基因dnaK启动子的亚克隆及其在大肠杆菌中功能的研究

通过聚合酶链式反应（PCR）得到了嗜麦芽假单胞菌（Pseudomonas maltophilia)热休克基因dnaK启动子的DNA片段dnaKp,将dnaKp的PCR的产物亚克隆在报道载体质粒pUCD615的LuxCDABE基因上游,成重组的具有启动子的质粒融合体pUCD615p。转化到大肠杆菌的pUCD615p启动子对热、有机化合物和重金属的诱导响应快速灵敏,表现出强的启动子功能,能启动LuxCDABE基因表达,使荧光酶活性提高。借助荧光敏活性的变化,可检测系统中一些有机物和重金属的存在,作为一种灵敏的环境污染生物检测工具。     

Gene structure and transcriptional regulation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">dnaK</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">dnaJ</Emphasis> genes from a psychrophilic bacterium, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colwellia maris</Emphasis>

The dnaK and dnaJ genes, encoding heat shock proteins, were cloned from a psychrophilic bacterium, Colwellia maris. Significant homology was evident comparing DnaK and DnaJ of the psychrophilile with the counterparts of mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria. In the DnaJ protein, three conserved regions of the Hsp40 family were observed. A putative promoter similar to the sigma32 consensus sequence was found upstream of the dnaK gene. The G+C content in the 5'-untranslated region of the dnaK gene was much lower than that in the corresponding region of mesophilic bacteria. Northern-blot analysis and primer-extension analysis showed that both genes were transcribed separately as monocistronic mRNAs. Following several temperature upshifts from 10 to 26 degrees C, maximum induction of the dnaK and dnaJ mRNAs was detected at 20 degrees C, suggesting that this temperature induces the heat shock response in this bacterium. In addition, the level of the induction of the dnaJ gene was much lower than that of the dnaK gene. These findings together revealed several specific features of the heat shock response at a relatively low temperature in psychrophiles.     

Characterization of the dnaK multigene family in the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC7942

The cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC7942 has three dnaK homologues (dnaK1, dnaK2, and dnaK3), and a gene disruption experiment was carried out for each dnaK gene by inserting an antibiotic resistance marker. Our findings revealed that DnaK1 was not essential for normal growth, whereas DnaK2 and DnaK3 were essential. We also examined the effect of heat shock on the levels of these three DnaK and GroEL proteins and found a varied response to heat shock, with levels depending on each protein. The DnaK2 and GroEL proteins exhibited a typical heat shock response, that is, their synthesis increased upon temperature upshift. In contrast, the synthesis of DnaK1 and DnaK3 did not respond to heat shock; in fact, the level of DnaK1 protein decreased. We also analyzed the effect of overproduction of each DnaK protein in Escherichia coli cells using an inducible expression system. Overproduction of DnaK1 or DnaK2 resulted in defects in cell septation and formation of cell filaments. On the other hand, overproduction of DnaK3 did not result in filamentous cells; rather a swollen and twisted cell morphology was observed. When expressed in an E. coli dnaK756 mutant, dnaK2 could suppress the growth deficiency at the nonpermissive temperature, while dnaK1 and dnaK3 could not suppress this phenotype. On the contrary, overproduction of DnaK1 or DnaK3 resulted in growth inhibition at the permissive temperature. These results suggest that different types of Hsp70 in the same cellular compartment have specific functions in the cell.     

Only one dnaK homolog,dnaK2, is active transcriptionally and is essential in Synechocystis

We examined the expression and the function of the DnaK chaperone family in the photoautotrophic cyanobacterium, Synechocystis PCC 6803. Surprisingly, only one of the three dnaK genes was transcribed either under normal or heat shock conditions. Their predicted cochaperones (four dnaJs and one grpE) proved to be uninducible under our experimental conditions. Attempts to inactivate the active dnaK2 has failed, indicating that the gene is essential. The partial mutant displayed lower inducibility of chaperones (especially GroEL and HSP17) both at mRNA and protein levels upon heat shock. The mutant showed temperature sensitive phenotype, but was able to acquire thermotolerance.     

陆地棉GhSDP1及其启动子的克隆与表达分析

三酰基甘油脂肪酶(SDP1)是催化三酰甘油降解的关键酶,在植物油脂代谢调控中起着重要作用。克隆棉花SDP1并研究其在3种胁迫下的表达分析,为解析棉花SDP1的生物学功能提供依据。以陆地棉品种冀丰1271为试材,克隆GhSDP1编码序列和上游启动子序列;利用PlantCARE分析GhSDP1启动子区顺式作用元件;qRT-PCR检测逆境胁迫下GhSDP1的表达谱;通过烟草瞬时表达pGhSDP1启动子+GUS载体检测启动子活性。结果表明,GhSDP1的编码序列为2 541 bp,其在盐、低温和干旱胁迫下呈差异表达模式。pGhSDP1除具有启动子所必需的TATA-box和CAAT-box等基本顺式作用元件外,还含有多个与光响应、激素响应及逆境应答等相关的顺式作用元件。棉花pGhSDP1启动子能驱动GUS蛋白高效表达,具有较强的启动子活性。研究揭示了棉花GhSDP1参与胁迫应答的新功能。     

Characterization of stress-responsive genes, hrcA-grpE-dnaK-dnaJ, from phytopathogenic Xanthomonas campestris

Sequencing of a 6.4-kb DNA fragment, cloned from the plant pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris 17 revealed five ORFs whose deduced amino acid sequences show strong similarities to the bacterial HrcA, GrpE, DnaK, DnaJ, and PdxK. The four heat shock genes are organized in the order hrcA-grpE-dnaK-dnaJ, a genome organization found in many gram-positive bacteria, but only in one gram-negative species (Xylella fastidiosa). These observations suggest that the HrcA-CIRCE system, comprising at least four genes arranged in this order, already existed for the regulation of stress responses before bacteria diverged into gram-negative and gram-positive groups. Primer-extension results suggested the presence of promoters at the regions upstream of grpE and dnaK. In the presence of stress, heat or ethanol (4%), the X. campestris pv. campestris 17 grpE and dnaK promoters were induced two- to three-fold over controls. Since the grpE and dnaK promoters possess E. coli sigma(32) promoter-like sequences, they are functional in E. coli, although at levels much lower than in X. campestris pv. campestris 17. Furthermore, expression of the X. campestris pv. campestris 17 dnaK promoter in E. coli was elevated by the cloned X. campestris sigma(32) gene, indicating that the cognate sigma(32) works more efficiently for the X. campestris promoters.