Membrane topology and assembly of the outer membrane protein OmpA of Escherichia coli K12

The 325-residue outer membrane protein OmpA of Escherichia coli has been proposed to consist of a membrane-embedded moiety (residues 1 to about 170) and a C-terminal periplasmic region. The former is thought to comprise eight transmembrane segments in the form of antiparallel -strands, forming an amphiphilic connected by exposed turns. Several questions concerning this model were addressed. Thus no experimental evidence had been presented for the turns at the inner leaflet of the membrane and it was not known whether or not the periplasmic part of the polypeptide plays a role in the process of membrane incorporation. Oligonucleotides encoding trypsin cleavage sites were inserted at the predicted turn sites of the ompA gene and it was shown that the encoded proteins indeed become accessible to trypsin at the modified sites. Together with previous results, these data also show that the turns on both sides of the membrane do not possess specifically topogenic information. In two cases one of the two expected tryptic fragments was lost and could be detected at low concentration in only one case. Therefore, bilateral proteolytic digestion of outer membranes can cause loss of -strands and does not necessarily produce a reliable picture of protein topology. When ompA genes were constructed coding for proteins ending at residue 228 or 274, the membrane assembly of these proteins was shown to be partially defective with about 20% of the proteins not being assembled. No such defect was observed when, following the introduction of a premature stop codon, a truncated protein was produced ending with residue 171. It is concluded that (1) the proposed -barrel structure is essentially correct and (2) the periplasmic part of OmpA does not play an active role in, but can, when present in mutant form, interfere with membrane assembly.     

PhoE protein pore of the outer membrane of Escherichia coli K12 is a particularly efficient channel for organic and inorganic phosphate

This study was undertaken to investigate the proposed in vivo pore function of PhoE protein, an Escherichia coli K12 outer membrane protein induced by growth under phosphate limitation, and to compare it with those of the constitutive pore proteins OmpF and OmpC. Appropriate mutant strains were constructed containing only one of the proteins PhoE, OmpF or OmpC, or none of these proteins at all. By measuring rates of nutrient uptake at low solute concentrations, the proposed pore function of PhoE protein was confirmed as the presence of the protein facilitates the diffusion of P_i through the outer membrane, such that a pore protein deficient strain behaves as a K_m mutant. Comparison of the rates of permeation of P_i, glycerol 3-phosphate and glucose 6-phosphate through pores formed by PhoE, OmpF and OmpC proteins shows that PhoE protein is the most effective pore in facilitating the diffusion of P_i and phosphorus-containing compounds. The three types of pores were about equally effective in facilitating the permeation of glucose and arsenate. Possible reasons for the preference for P_i and P_i-containing solutes are discussed.     

Intramolecular homologous recombination of linearized plasmids in Escherichia coli K12

Summary The efficacy of linear DNA as a substrate for general homologous recombination was demonstrated using BamHI-linearized pKLC8.5, a plasmid that carries internal direct repeats flanking the unique BamHI site. An analogous plasmid, pKLC2.31, was used in a parallel and comparative study of intramolecular homologous recombination in circular DNA substrates. When the rec ⁺ wild-type strain, AB1157, and its isogenic rec ^– derivatives were transformed with linear pKLC8.5 DNA, intramolecular homologous recombination was independent of recA, recB, recN, recO and exonuclease III (xth-1) functions. Although the recBCsbcA and recBCsbcBC cells were both very recombination proficient, only linear but not circular DNA was used as substrate for intramolecular homologous recombination in the recBCsbcA cells. In both the recBCsbcA and recBCsbcBC genetic backgrounds, the recombination frequencies for linearized pKLC8.5 DNA were 100%. A notable difference between the two strains was that none of the recBCsbcA transformants obtained with circular pKLC8.5 DNA were Tc^s recombinants, whereas 11% of the corresponding recBCsbcBC transformants were Tc^s recombinants. The sbcB mutation was responsible for the recombination proficiency of the recBCsbcBC cells. Unlike the case in recBCsbcA cells, intramolecular homologous recombination of linear DNA in the recBCsbcBC cells was dependent on recA and recF as well as recN and recO gene functions, but was independent of recJ and reeL gene functions.     

cysB and cysE mutants of Escherichia coli K12 show increased resistance to novobiocin

Summary Mutations in the cysB and cysE genes of Escherichia coli K12 cause an increase in resistance to the gyrase inhibitor novobiocin but not to coumermycin, acriflavine and rifampicin. This unusual relationship was also observed among spontaneous novobiocin resistant (Nov^r) mutants: 10% of Nov^r mutants isolated on rich (LA) plates with novobiocin could not grow on minimal plates, and among those approximately half were cysB or cysE mutants. Further analyses demonstrated that cysB and cysE negative alleles neither interfere with transport of novobiocin nor affect DNA supercoiling.     

OriC plasmids do not affect timing of chromosome replication in Escherichia coli K12

Summary The variability of the time interval between successive rounds of chromosome replication was estimated by density-shift experiments, by measuring the conversion of heavy DNA to hybrid density and light DNAs upon transfer of a steady-state culture growing in medium with [¹³C]glucose and ¹⁵NH₄Cl to medium with light isotopes. The coefficient of variation (CV%) for the interreplication time of the Escherichia coli K12 chromosome was found to be 17%, i.e. similar to that for interdivision time. The presence of additional copies of oriC in the cell on a high copy number plasmid did not increase the CV of interreplication time. It is concluded that a single rate-limiting event is unlikely to time the initiation of chromosome replication. The regulation of initiation at oriC and the coordination with cell division is discussed.     

Transport across the outer membrane of Escherichia coli K12 via the FhuA receptor is regulated by the TonB protein of the cytoplasmic membrane

Summary Point mutations in the “TonB box” offhuA were suppressed by point mutations in thetonB gene, suggesting both a functional and physical interaction between the FhuA receptor protein in the outer membrane and the TonB protein in the cytoplasmic membrane ofEscherichia coli K12. Mutations influA were classified into four types according to the extent by which they impaired mutant cells in their growth on ferrichrome as sole iron source and in their sensitivity to the antibiotic albomycin and to colicin M. ThetonB mutation with a glutamine to leucine replacement at position 165 was less efficient in restoring the FhuA functions than the glutamine to lysine exchange at the same position. The better the coupling between FhuA and TonB the poorer was the inhibition of phage T1 binding to FhuA by ferrichrome. A working model is proposed in which the TonB protein assumes different conformations in response to the energized state of the cytoplasmic membrane and thereby allosterically regulates the activity of the FhuA receptor. This model implies an intermembrane coupling between two proteins in adjacent membranes.     

Genetic and physical characterization of putP, the proline carrier gene of Escherichia coli K12

Summary Two new mutants of E. coli K12, strains PT9 and PT32 were isolated, that were defective in proline transport. They had no high affinity proline transport activity, but their cytoplasmic membranes retained proline binding activity with altered sensitivity to inhibition by p-chloromercuribenzoate(pCMB). The lesion was mapped at the putP gene, which is located at min 23 on the revised E. coli genetic map (Bachmann 1983) as a composite gene in the proline utilization gene cluster, putP, putC, and putA, arranged in this order. The putC gene was shown to regulate the synthesis of proline dehydrogenase (putA gene product).Hybrid plasmids carrying the put region (Motojima et al. 1979; Wood et al. 1979) were used to construct the physical map of the put region. The possible location of the putP gene in the DNA segment was determined by subcloning the putP gene, genetic complementation, and recombination analyses using several proline transport mutants.Abbreviations pCMB p-chloromercuribenzoate - DM Davis and Mingioli - Ap ampicillin - NTG N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine - EMS ethylmethane sulfonate - Str streptomycin - Tet tetracycline - Ac l-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid - DHP 3, 4-dehydro-d,l-proline - MTT 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2)2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide - Tris tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane - EDTA ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid - Kan kanamycin - Spc spectinomycin     

和厚朴酚对大肠埃希氏菌生物被膜形成的抑制机制

【目的】研究不同浓度的和厚朴酚(honokiol)抑制大肠埃希菌(Escherichia coli)的供试菌株10389生物被膜(biofilm,BF)形成的作用机制。【方法】用氯化三苯基四氮唑比色法(TTC)和四唑盐减低法(XTT)测定honokiol抑制E.coli10389生物被膜形成的药物最低抑菌浓度(MIC)和最低杀菌浓度(MBC)及其抑制作用与时间的关系;通过qRT-PCR法检测不同浓度的honokiol对E. coli 10389生物被膜形成基因和群体感应系统相关基因表达量的影响;通过生物发光法和qRT-PCR法检测亚-MIC honokiol对E. coli 10389呋喃糖基硼酸二酯(AI-2)及其调控的与生物被膜形成相关的下游基因表达量的影响。【结果】Honokiol能抑制E.coli10389生物被膜的形成,但不同浓度的honokiol抑制E. coli 10389 BF形成的作用机制不同。其中,与对照组相比,MIC的honokiol能使E. coli 10389 BF形成相关基因编码毒素(hha)和细菌酸性调节因子(ari R) mRNA的表达量显著提高,抗毒素...     

Iron(III)hydroxamate transport of Escherichia coli K12: Single amino acid replacements at potential ATP-binding sites inactivate the FhuC protein

Summary The mechanism of iron(III)hydroxamate transport appears to be of the periplasmic binding protein dependent transport (PBT) kind which is energized by ATP hydrolysis. The FhuC protein contains two domains typical of ATP-binding proteins. Lysine in domain I was replaced by glutamine and glutamate, and aspartate in domain II by asparagine and glutamate, resulting in FhuC derivatives which no longer transported ferrichrome and albomycin. FhuC inactivation by the aspartate-glutamate substitution is especially noteworthy since the negative charge thought to be involved in Mg²⁺-ATP binding remains the same and the two amino acid side chains differ in only a CH₂ group. It is concluded that the two domains that represent consensus sequences among all peripheral cytoplasmic membrane proteins of PBT systems are involved in substrate transport.     

大肠杆菌的耐酸机制及其改造研究进展

微生物细胞在自然环境或工业应用中经常受到酸胁迫,严重制约细胞生长性能和产物合成效率。为了在各种酸性环境中生存,耐酸细菌发展出多种保护机制来维持细胞内pH稳态,如氢离子消耗、细胞膜保护、代谢修饰等。因此,深入研究耐酸机制、改进菌株耐酸能力对于利用微生物发酵合成高附加值产品具有重要意义。作为模式微生物,大肠杆菌耐酸机制的研究较为透彻,近年来其耐酸性改造也取得了重大进展。本文主要总结了大肠杆菌的氧化或葡萄糖抑制系统(acid resistance system 1, AR1)、谷氨酸依赖型耐酸系统(acid resistance system 2, AR2)、精氨酸依赖型耐酸系统(acid resistance system 3, AR3)、赖氨酸依赖型耐酸系统(acid resistance system 4, AR4)和鸟氨酸依赖型耐酸系统(acid resistance system 5, AR5)、细胞膜保护以及生物大分子修复等方面的耐酸机制,并概述了利用传统代谢工程、全局转录工程和适应性实验室进化等方法构建大肠杆菌耐酸菌株的研究进展,同时展望了大肠杆菌耐酸机制及其改造的后续研究方向...     

Properties of RecA441 protein reveal a possible role for RecF and SSB proteins in Escherichia coli

Summary We examined the possibility that the recA441 mutation, which partially suppresses the UV sensitivity of uvr recF mutant bacteria, exerts its effect by coding for an altered RecA protein that competes more efficiently than the RecA⁺ protein with SSB for ssDNA in vivo. Using an assay measuring recombination between UV-damaged DNA and intact homologous DNA, we found that the introduction of the recA441 mutation partially suppressed the defects in recombination in bacteria lacking RecF activity but not in bacteria with excess SSB, although recombination was affected more in recF mutants than in bacteria overproducing SSB. These results therefore do not support the hypothesis that RecA441 protein, or RecA protein with the help of RecF protein, is required during recombination of UV-damaged DNA to compete with SSB for ssDNA.     

米曲霉（Aspergillus oryzae）果胶酸内切水解酶（PGA）在原核系统中重组表达

果胶酶具有广阔的商业用途,在食品工业上主要用于果汁和酒类的澄清、提高植物油的提取率、提高水果的硬度和植物纤维脱胶。米曲霉（Aspergillus oryzae）一直用于传统发酵食品的生产,自然条件下其果胶酶的产量较低。文献报道的果胶酶的重组表达成功的例子较少,且活性较低。通过RT-PCR 的方法,获得不含信号肽的果胶酸内切水解酶A(polygalacturonase A, PGA) 的cDNA,PGA cDNA 连入pET-28a (+)载体, 构建 pET-28a (+)-pga 质粒。pET-28a (+)-pga 转化Turner (DE3) placⅠ细胞,得到转化子pET-28a (+)-pga-Turner (DE3) placⅠ,首次实现了米曲霉PGA在大肠杆菌系统中过表达,进一步对PGA在大肠杆菌系统中表达的条件进行了研究。在37℃、220 r/min条件培养pET-28a (+)-pga-Turner (DE3) placⅠ细胞,OD₆₀₀至 0.8左右时,用500μmol/L isopropyl β-D-thiogalactogalactopyranoside (IPTG)进行诱导表达,在15℃和170r/min条件下继续培养24 h,表达效果最好,相对于每毫升培养基而言,产酶可达到70u/mL,是米曲霉自然条件产酶量的87.5倍,远优于文献报道的重组表达的PGA酶活     

米曲霉（Aspergillus oryzae）果胶酸内切水解酶（PGA）在原核系统中重组表达

果胶酶具有广阔的商业用途,在食品工业上主要用于果汁和酒类的澄清、提高植物油的提取率、提高水果的硬度和植物纤维脱胶。米曲霉（Aspergillus oryzae）一直用于传统发酵食品的生产,自然条件下其果胶酶的产量较低。文献报道的果胶酶的重组表达成功的例子较少,且活性较低。通过RT-PCR 的方法,获得不含信号肽的果胶酸内切水解酶A(polygalacturonase A, PGA) 的cDNA,PGA cDNA 连入pET-28a (+)载体, 构建 pET-28a (+)-pga 质粒。pET-28a (+)-pga 转化Turner (DE3) placⅠ细胞,得到转化子pET-28a (+)-pga-Turner (DE3) placⅠ,首次实现了米曲霉PGA在大肠杆菌系统中过表达,进一步对PGA在大肠杆菌系统中表达的条件进行了研究。在37℃、220 r/min条件培养pET-28a (+)-pga-Turner (DE3) placⅠ细胞,OD₆₀₀至 0.8左右时,用500μmol/L isopropyl β-D-thiogalactogalactopyranoside (IPTG)进行诱导表达,在15℃和170r/min条件下继续培养24 h,表达效果最好,相对于每毫升培养基而言,产酶可达到70u/mL,是米曲霉自然条件产酶量的87.5倍,远优于文献报道的重组表达的PGA酶活     

Cloning and sequencing of the HU-2 gene of Escherichia coli

Summary The Escherichia coli HU-2 gene was cloned using a DNA fragment from the HU-1 gene as a probe. The amino acid sequence of the HU-2 protein deduced from the nucleotide sequence is in good agreement with the published sequence. The nucleotide sequence has a possible promoter and a typical ribosomal binding site upstream of the translation initiation codon (AUG) and a possible rhoindependent terminater site downstream of the termination codon (UAA) of the gene.     

The cloning of the rorB gene of Escherichia coli

Summary A segment of the Escherichia coli genome which complements the ionising radiation sensitivity of the rorB mutation was cloned into pBR322. This DNA segment also complements the mitomycin C sensitivity of the rorB mutation. The gene was subcloned until defined in a fragment of 1.05 kb. Only one gene product, a protein of approximately 16.5 kDa, was found on maxicell analysis of the various subclones. Iso-electric focusing of this gene product suggests it may function in a complex.     

重组蛋白融合信号肽在大肠杆菌周质空间表达的研究进展

重组蛋白在大肠杆菌中表达时,往往面临着形成包涵体的问题,而重组蛋白若是分泌至周质空间则基本解决了这一问题,周质空间的周质蛋白不仅能帮助重组蛋白正确折叠还有利于二硫键的生成。信号肽是一段由15-30个氨基酸组成,被融合在重组蛋白N端的短肽,按照结构、功能的不同可以划分为N区、H区和C区,具有引导重组蛋白转运至细胞周质空间的作用。本文综述了信号肽的结构组成、作用机理和基本分泌途径,讨论了信号肽的高效转运和筛选方法,总结了在大肠杆菌中重组蛋白融合信号肽实现周质表达的新进展,并对未来高效信号肽选择方面的研究进行了探讨。     

大肠杆菌中转录-翻译耦合的机制

在大肠杆菌（Escherichia coli,E. coli）等原核生物中,转录和翻译往往是耦合的,这种耦合通常表现在转录和翻译的互相调控上,如转录极性、转录衰减和转录-翻译速率的同步。间接耦合和物理耦合是耦合的两种模式。由警报素（alarmone）(p)ppGpp维持的间接耦合可能需要DksA和TufA蛋白的辅助。物理耦合分为NusG或RfaH因子介导的耦合和非因子条件下产生的“碰撞”耦合。响应于压力的转录或翻译的变化会引发几种耦合模式间的相互转变。耦合对于基因正常表达是必要的,其解除将引发转录终止、R环形成、复制-转录冲突、mRNA切割等不利的事件。结构生物学的相关技术已经清晰地展示了部分耦合的表达体（expressome）的结构细节和特征,这些技术联合多组学分析等方法将提供关于耦合的更深层次的见解。重要的是,对耦合的研究或许会为靶向抗菌药物的开发带来新的思路。     

大肠杆菌冷休克蛋白CspC的分离纯化及部分性质测定

经Sepharose Q Fast Flow阴离子交换层析和Superdex 30凝胶过滤层析,从大肠杆菌（Escherichia coli）细胞内分离纯化了一种小分子蛋白质，SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)纯度鉴定为单一条带，经质谱分析、N端测序、同源序列比较，确定该蛋白质为大肠杆菌冷休克蛋白CspC.在此基础上，用圆二色光谱测定了其二级结构含量，初步探索了其热稳定性及与单链DNA结合后的构象变化.