Test systems to study transcriptional regulation and promoter activity in Bacillus megaterium

Plasmid-located (multi-copy) and chromosomally located (single-copy) promoter test systems were developed for Bacillus megaterium by making use of the homologous beta-galactosidase-encoding bgaM gene. The multi-copy system facilitates rapid promoter analyses and promoter trapping, whereas the single-copy system, integrated into the chromosome, allows investigation of tightly regulated promoters. As a prerequisite for both the multi- and the single-copy systems, a beta-galactosidase-deficient B. megaterium strain was generated by deletion mutagenesis. Both test systems were verified using the promoter of the xylose operon (P( xylA )) from B. megaterium along with its repressor (XylR). As expected, expression levels in the two systems differed significantly, although expression of the bgaM reporter gene was induced by xylose in both cases, thereby proving the functionality of both the multi- and the single-copy system.     

Coexpression of the type I signal peptidase gene sipM increases recombinant protein production and export in Bacillus megaterium MS941

The removal of the signal peptide from a precursor protein is a crucial step of protein secretion. In order to improve Bacillus megaterium as protein production and secretion host, the influence of homologous type I signal peptidase SipM overproduction on recombinant Leuconostoc mesenteroides dextransucrase DsrS synthesis and export was investigated. The dsrS gene was integrated as a single copy into the chromosomal bgaM locus encoding beta-galactosidase. Desired clones were identified by blue-white selection. In this strain, the expression of sipM from a multicopy plasmid using its own promoter increased the amount of secreted DsrS 3.7-fold. This increase in protein secretion by SipM overproduction was next transferred to a high level DsrS production strain using a multicopy plasmid encoding sipM with its natural promoter and dsrS under control of a strong xylose-inducible promoter. No further increase in DsrS export were observed when this vector was carrying two sipM copies. Similarly, bicistronic sipM and dsrS high level expression did not enhance DsrS secretion, indicating the natural limitation of the approach. Interestingly, SipM-enhanced DsrS secretion also resulted in an overall increase of DsrS production.     

Gene dosage effect on the expression of the delta-endotoxin genes of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki in Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus megaterium

Significant differences in expression of the delta-endotoxin genes cryA1 and cryA2 of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki were observed in B. subtilis and B. megaterium. The cryA1 gene was expressed when present on a high-copy-number (hcn) vector in B. megaterium but not in B. subtilis. The cryA2 gene was expressed in both hosts, but at a higher level in B. megaterium. Expression of the cryA2 gene in B. megaterium was better from a hcn vector than from a low copy number vector. Inhibition of sporulation was observed when the toxin genes were present on hcn plasmids in B. subtilis while no such effect was evident in B. megaterium. In addition, there was a significant reduction in copy numbers in both B. subtilis and B. megaterium when delta-endotoxin genes or a spoVG promoter-containing fragment of DNA were cloned into hcn plasmids.     

Identification of germination gene of Bacillus megaterium

Glucose, KNO3, proline and leucine initiate the spore germination of B. megaterium ATCC 12872, but not of B. megaterium ATCC 19213. In order to isolate the gene concerning germination of B. megaterium ATCC 12872, we constructed its gene library in plasmid vector, and introduced into B. megaterium ATCC 19213. We obtained a transformant whose spores differed from those of the wild type strain with respect to germinability. Spores of this transformant could be germinated by glucose, proline or leucine. The recombinant plasmid prepared from this transformant was found to carry 2 kilobase pairs fragment of B. megaterium ATCC 12872 DNA. This fragment may contain the gene encoding the protein which plays an important role in germination.     

Codon optimized Thermobifida fusca hydrolase secreted by Bacillus megaterium

Production and secretion of a 28,172 Da hydrolase from Thermobifida fusca (TFH) in Bacillus megaterium MS941 and WH323 was investigated in shake flask and pH controlled bioreactors. Successful production of heterologous TFH was achieved by adapting the original tfh gene to the optimal codon usage of B. megaterium. A codon adaption index close to one was reached. The codon optimized tfh was cloned into an open reading frame with DNA sequence for the N-terminal signal peptide of B. megaterium lipase A and a C-terminal His(6)-tag, all under the control of a xylose inducible promoter. Successful TFH production and secretion were observed using batch reactor cultivations with complex medium. Expression of the tfh gene from the P(xylA) promoter and secretion of produced TFH were compared in detail to batch reactor cultivations with semi-defined growth medium. For the first time, significant TFH secretion was achieved using a semi-defined medium in glucose limited fed batch cultivations yielding 10-fold higher cell densities compared to LB medium cultivation. Comparable volumetric TFH activities were obtained for both cultivation strategies. Surprisingly, measured specific TFH activities exhibited drastic discrepancies between preparations from LB and semi-defined medium grown B. megaterium. TFH recovery by Ni-chelate affinity chromatography resulted in higher purification factors when LB medium was used. These results indicated that secreted TFH is favorably produced by batch cultures of B. megaterium WH323 in LB medium.     

A sucrose-inducible promoter system for the intra- and extracellular protein production in Bacillus megaterium

A sucrose-inducible promoter system (P(sacB)) from Bacillus megaterium was identified using a secretome approach. It was successfully employed for the extracellular production of the homologous levansucrase SacB (4252.4 U l(-1)) and the heterologous green fluorescent protein GFP (7.9 mg g(CDW)(-1)). Mutational analysis of B. megaterium P(sacB) allowed the identification of important promoter elements. The sucrose-inducible promoter provides a useful alternative to the established xylose-inducible promoter system (P(xylA)) for recombinant gene expression in B. megaterium.     

Expression of recombinant Clostridium difficile toxin A using the Bacillus megaterium system

Pathogenic Clostridium difficile produces two major protein toxins, toxin A and toxin B. We used the Bacillus megaterium expression system for expression of recombinant toxin A. The construct for the toxin A gene was obtained by the following cloning strategy: the gene for toxin A was generated in three parts, each of them ligated into a cloning vector. The three parts were sequentially fused to the complete gene. The holotoxin gene was ligated into the expression vector pWH1520. This vector was modified to generate a toxin with a C-terminally located His-tag. Gene expression in the B. megaterium system resulted in an approximate 300 kDa protein, which was identified by specific antibody as toxin A. Recombinant, His-tagged toxin A was purified by Ni(2+) as well as thyroglobulin affinity chromatography. Characterization of the recombinant toxin A showed identical cytotoxicity and in vitro-glucosyltransferase activity as the native toxin A from C. difficile.     

Cloning and expression of an entomocidal protein gene from Bacillus thuringiensis galleriae toxic to both lepidoptera and diptera

Abstract A gene encoding a 61 kDa entomocidal (P2) protein from Bacillus thuringiensis galleriae was cloned in Escherichia coli using oligonucleotide probes corresponding to N- and C-terminal DNA sequences of a Kurstaki P2 gene. When the gene of a 5.8 kb Hin dIII fragment was transformed into B. subtilis on a shuttle vector, sporulation was completely inhibited and expression could not be detected. When B. megaterium was transformed with the same plasmid, only 10% of the cells sporulated and a 61 kDa P2 protein which cross-reacted with kurstaki P2 antiserum was synthesised. Cell lysates of the transformed B. megaterium were found to be toxic to both lepidopteran and dipteran larvae.     

Identification and isolation of glucose dehydrogenase genes of Bacillus megaterium M1286 and their expression in Escherichia coli

A gene encoding glucose dehydrogenase of Bacillus megaterium M1286 was isolated from a lambda-EMBL3 phage library. It is transcribed and translated in cells of the heterologous organism Escherichia coli by own control regions. The gene is located on a 1126-bp HindIII fragment. Its nucleotide sequence contains 220 bp in the 5' non-coding region, 783 bp in the coding region and 123 bp in the 3' non-coding region. The amino acid sequence, as deduced from the coding region, consists of 261 amino acids and is different from the known protein sequence of glucose dehydrogenase from B. megaterium M1286. [Jany, K. D., Ulmer, W., Fr?schle, M. & Pfleiderer, G. (1984) FEBS Lett. 165, 6-10]. By using this gene as a hybridization probe a second glucose dehydrogenase gene was isolated, which was also directly expressed in E. coli. Additionally a DNA region with extended sequence homology to the hybridization probe was identified. This work indicates the existence of at least two independent glucose dehydrogenase genes in B. megaterium M1286. Homologies in the primary structures of the two different glucose dehydrogenases of B. megaterium M1286 and of the corresponding Bacillus subtilis enzyme are discussed.     

一株番茄青枯菌拮抗菌的鉴定及抗病效果初探

从形态、生理生化、16S rDNA3个方面确定了番茄青枯菌拮抗菌株3-1-16的分类地位。光学显微镜下观察到菌体为杆状细胞,革兰氏染色均匀,并可见菌体染成蓝紫色。透射电镜进一步观察到细胞内有许多颗粒状物质,无伴胞晶体。Biolog鉴定,3-1-16与巨大芽孢杆菌(Bacillus megaterium)具有最高相似率为98%。16S rRNA分析,3-1-16与巨大芽孢杆菌MO31同源性最高为99.4%。聚类分析显示3-1-16与3株巨大芽孢杆菌聚成一支,支持度为100%。生理生化特征及培养特征测定结果表明,菌株3-1-16鉴定为巨大芽孢杆菌(Bacillus megaterium)。盆栽试验表明该菌株对番茄青枯病防病效果达到81.3%。     

D-mannitol production by resting state whole cell biotrans-formation of D-fructose by heterologous mannitol and formate dehydrogenase gene expression in Bacillus megaterium

An in vivo system was developed for the biotransformation of D-fructose into D-mannitol by the expression of the gene mdh encoding mannitol dehydrogenase (MDH) from Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides ATCC12291 in Bacillus megaterium. The NADH reduction equivalents necessary for MDH activity were regenerated via the oxidation of formate to carbon dioxide by coexpression of the gene fdh encoding Mycobacterium vaccae N10 formate dehydrogenase (FDH). High-level protein production of MDH in B. megaterium required the adaptation of the corresponding ribosome binding site. The fdh gene was adapted to B. megaterium codon usage via complete chemical gene synthesis. Recombinant B. megaterium produced up to 10.60 g/L D-mannitol at the shaking flask scale. Whole cell biotransformation in a fed-batch bioreactor increased D-mannitol concentration to 22.00 g/L at a specific productivity of 0.32 g D-mannitol (gram cell dry weight)(-1) h(-1) and a D-mannitol yield of 0.91 mol/mol. The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(H)) pool of the B. megaterium producing D-mannitol remained stable during biotransformation. Intra- and extracellular pH adjusted itself to a value of 6.5 and remained constant during the process. Data integration revealed that substrate uptake was the limiting factor of the overall biotransformation. The information obtained identified B. megaterium as a useful production host for D-mannitol using a resting cell biotransformation approach.     

Sequence homologies of glucose-dehydrogenases of Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus subtilis

The sequence homologies of the glucose dehydrogenase subunits of B. megaterium and B. subtilis are compared. From the known B. megaterium aminoacid sequence and the base sequence of the cloned B. subtilis structural gene we predict the B. megaterium structural glucose dehydrogenase gene. Assuming the minimal mutational changes to convert one gene into the other 23 transitions, 30 transversions, 1 inversion, 3 insertion-deletions, but no frameshifts are postulated necessary to interconvert the structural genes. The homology of both enzyme subunits of 85% reflects the close evolutionary distance between B. subtilis and B. megaterium.     

Biolistic transformation of a procaryote, Bacillus megaterium

We present a simple and rapid method for introducing exogenous DNA into a bacterium, Bacillus megaterium, utilizing the recently developed biolistic process. A suspension of B. megaterium was spread onto the surface of nonselective medium. Plasmid pUB110 DNA, which contains a gene that confers kanamycin resistance, was precipitated onto tungsten particles. Using a biolistic propulsion system, the coated particles were accelerated at high velocities into the B. megaterium recipient cells. Selection was done by use of an agar overlay containing 50 micrograms of kanamycin per ml. Antibiotic-resistant transformants were recovered from the medium interface after 72 h of incubation, and the recipient strain was shown to contain the delivered plasmid by agarose gel electrophoresis of isolated plasmid DNA. All strains of B. megaterium tested were successfully transformed by this method, although transformation efficiency varied among strains. Physical variables of the biolistic process and biological variables associated with the target cells were optimized, yielding greater than 10(4) transformants per treated plate. This is the first report of the biolistic transformation of a procaryote.     

PGA基因在酿酒酵母中的表达研究

本文根据GenBank 中巨大芽孢杆菌（Bacillus megaterium）的PGA基因序列设计了上下游引物,通过PCR扩增出巨大芽孢杆菌1.1741中的PGA基因。将该基因连接到T7lac启动子控制下的表达载体pYES2(amp+,ura+)上,构建了重组质粒pYES2-PGA。用LiAc/SSDNA/PEG方法将其转化进酿酒酵母(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)H158中表达,在不需要苯乙酸诱导的重组菌株发酵液中检测到了青霉素酰化酶活性,最高酶活达到0.75 U/ml。将该PGA基因测序结果与GenBank中巨大芽孢杆菌L04471.1、U07682.1和Z37542三株的PGA基因序列比对,表现出很高的同源性,分别达到97.1%、99.8% 和99.8%。