Evidence for conserved tRNA genes in the 16S-23S rDNA spacer sequence and two rrn operons of Xylella fastidiosa

The 16S-23S rDNA spacer of the type strain (ATCC 35879) of Xylella fastidiosa was amplified by PCR, cloned, and sequenced. The spacer sequence (455 bp) contains two tRNA (tRNA(ala) and tRNA(ile)) genes. Identical tRNA genes were also found in the 16S-23S spacer sequences of all the 51 strains of X. fastidiosa retrieved from the GenBank database. At this particular locus, the gene order of tRNA(ala)-tRNA(ile) is conserved among all the studied strains of Xylella and Xanthomonas, and different from those of other bacteria. Sequence analysis showed that Xanthomonas is the most closely related genus. Results from restriction endonuclease analysis suggested the presence of two rrn operons in the genome of a Xylella fastidiosa Pierce's disease strain.     

Identification of a plasmid-borne parathion hydrolase gene from Flavobacterium sp. by southern hybridization with opd from Pseudomonas diminuta

Parathion hydrolases have been previously described for an American isolate of Pseudomonas diminuta and a Philippine isolate of Flavobacterium sp. (ATCC 27551). The gene which encodes the broad-spectrum organophosphate phosphotriesterase in P. diminuta has been shown by other investigators to be located on a 66-kilobase (kb) plasmid. The intact gene (opd, organophosphate-degrading gene) from this degradative plasmid was cloned into M13mp10 and found to express parathion hydrolase under control of the lac promoter in Escherichia coli. In Flavobacterium sp. strain ATCC 27551, a 43-kb plasmid was associated with the production of parathion hydrolase by curing experiments. The M13mp10-cloned fragment of the opd gene from P. diminuta was used to identify a homologous genetic region from Flavobacterium sp. strain ATCC 27551. Southern hybridization experiments demonstrated that a genetic region from the 43-kb Flavobacterium sp. plasmid possessed significant homology to the opd sequence. Similar hybridization did not occur with three other native Flavobacterium sp. plasmids (approximately 23, 27, and 51 kb) present within this strain or with genomic DNA from cured strains. Restriction mapping of various recombinant DNA molecules containing subcloned fragments of both opd plasmids revealed that the restriction maps of the two opd regions were similar, if not identical, for all restriction endonucleases tested thus far. In contrast, the restriction maps of the cloned plasmid sequences outside the opd regions were not similar. Thus, it appears that the two discrete bacterial plasmids from parathion-hydrolyzing soil bacteria possess a common but limited region of sequence homology within potentially nonhomologous plasmid structures.     

Identification of a plasmid-borne parathion hydrolase gene from Flavobacterium sp. by southern hybridization with opd from Pseudomonas diminuta.

Parathion hydrolases have been previously described for an American isolate of Pseudomonas diminuta and a Philippine isolate of Flavobacterium sp. (ATCC 27551). The gene which encodes the broad-spectrum organophosphate phosphotriesterase in P. diminuta has been shown by other investigators to be located on a 66-kilobase (kb) plasmid. The intact gene (opd, organophosphate-degrading gene) from this degradative plasmid was cloned into M13mp10 and found to express parathion hydrolase under control of the lac promoter in Escherichia coli. In Flavobacterium sp. strain ATCC 27551, a 43-kb plasmid was associated with the production of parathion hydrolase by curing experiments. The M13mp10-cloned fragment of the opd gene from P. diminuta was used to identify a homologous genetic region from Flavobacterium sp. strain ATCC 27551. Southern hybridization experiments demonstrated that a genetic region from the 43-kb Flavobacterium sp. plasmid possessed significant homology to the opd sequence. Similar hybridization did not occur with three other native Flavobacterium sp. plasmids (approximately 23, 27, and 51 kb) present within this strain or with genomic DNA from cured strains. Restriction mapping of various recombinant DNA molecules containing subcloned fragments of both opd plasmids revealed that the restriction maps of the two opd regions were similar, if not identical, for all restriction endonucleases tested thus far. In contrast, the restriction maps of the cloned plasmid sequences outside the opd regions were not similar. Thus, it appears that the two discrete bacterial plasmids from parathion-hydrolyzing soil bacteria possess a common but limited region of sequence homology within potentially nonhomologous plasmid structures.     

Cloning and localization of vip3A gene of Bacillus thuringiensis

An insecticidal protein gene, vip3A, was cloned from Bacillus thuringiensis strain WB50. The nucleotide sequence of 2,460 bp (GenBank acc. No. AY295778) showed 99% homology with the known vip3A genes. Using specific primers for vip3A gene, PCR was performed to demonstrate that the gene was not located on the bacterial chromosome and this was confirmed by Southern blotting using an internal fragment (486 bp) from vip3A gene as a probe. The gene was carried on a plasmid of 31.8 kb.     

猪Ⅱ型圆环病毒豫A株的全基因组克隆与序列分析

参照国外发表的猪Ⅱ型圆环病毒(porcine circovirus type 2,PCV-2)全基因组序列,设计一对PCV-2特异性引物,用该室分离的PCV-2豫A株感染PK-15细胞,从中提取PCV-2复制型基因组DNA,并以之为模板进行PCR扩增.回收PCR产物,构建重组测序质粒T-PCV-2.测序结果表明,猪Ⅱ型圆环病毒豫A株的全基因组为1767bp,与GenBank收录的PCV-2国外分离株核苷酸的同源性可高达97%.序列分析表明,复制型豫A株的基因组包含10个读码框架,其中ORF1、ORF2是其两个最主要的读码框架,分别编码314、234个氨基酸.豫A株和PCV-1间的ORF1、ORF2的氨基酸序列同源性分别为85%、66%,与其它PCV-2毒株间的ORF1氨基酸同源性均在98%以上,而ORF2的氨基酸同源性为92%～97%.     

Characterization of plasmids from plant pathogenic pseudomonads

Physical characterization of the resident plasmids from Pseudomonas tabaci, P. angulata, and P. coronafaciens strains indicated that they harbored five different plasmid DNA species. Two ATCC strains of P. tabaci contained indistinguishable plasmids that we have named pJP1 and pJP2. An isolate of one of these strains contained a spontaneous variant of pJP1, pJP1¹, which contains an insertion of 3.9 Mdal. This 3.9-Mdal region did not hybridize to pJP1 indicating that the region was foreign DNA and not a duplication of a segment of DNA already present in pJP1. Another P. tabaci strain, PT27881, contained a third plasmid species, pJP27, which had few similarities to pJP1 or pJP2, but was indistinguishable from the plasmids from all three P. angulata strains. pJP27 and pJP1 had a small region, 8.8 Mdal, of sequence homology. The one strain of P. coronafaciens examined contained a plasmid, pJP50, which was different from the P. tabaci plasmids, but had the 8.8-Mdal region and additional regions of sequence homology with pJP1 and pJP27 as well as homology with a portion of the pJP1¹ insertion. A fourth strain of P. tabaci, PTBR-2, a pathogen on beans, contained plasmid pBW, the only plasmid that lacked detectable regions of homology with the other plasmids.     

Complete Sequence of Plasmid pLH1 from Lactobacillus helveticus ATCC15009: Analysis Reveals the Presence of Regions Homologous to Other Native Plasmids from the Host Strain

The complete sequence for plasmid pLH1 from Lactobacillus helveticus ATCC15009 has been determined. Analysis of the 19,360-bp primary sequence revealed a putative replication origin and initiation protein, information that could provide the basis for the construction of cloning vectors for L. helveticus. Evidence that pLH1 is theta-replicating could be deduced from the plasmid size, from the homology to the replication protein of the Bacillus natto theta-replicating plasmid pLS32, and from the identification of a putative resolvase gene (orf-195). Although 14 open reading frames capable of encoding polypeptides longer than 100 amino acids were identified, none, on the basis of homology with known sequences, appeared to encode a well-characterized trait relevant to milk fermentation. Plasmid pLH1 revealed regions of identity with the smaller cryptic plasmids (pLH2 and pLH3) from the same strain and with other tracts of DNA, including insertion sequence elements, from a variety of other lactic acid bacteria. The presence of such regions provides a basis for developing an explanation of the phenotypic variability observed in these bacteria. The plasmid also appears to possess a number of genetic elements present in other lactic acid bacterial plasmids, conservation of which would be consistent with an important functional or evolutionary role. It could be argued that the plasmid complement of L. helveticus ATCC15009 consists of parasitic entities concerned only with their own replication and survival.     

Construction and use of a gene bank of Alcaligenes eutrophus in the analysis of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase genes.

A gene bank of the DNA from the hydrogen bacterium Alcaligenes eutrophus ATCC 17707 was constructed in the broad host range cosmid vector pVK102 and established in Escherichia coli. A triparental replica plating procedure was developed to allow rapid screening of large numbers of isolated E. coli gene bank clones for complementation of A. eutrophus mutants. This procedure was used to identify hybrid cosmids that complemented CO2 fixation-negative (Cfx-), H2 uptake-negative (Hup-), and auxotrophic A. eutrophus mutants. The average insert DNA size in these hybrid cosmids was 22 kilobases. Nine hybrid cosmids that complemented ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-negative (RuBPCase-) mutants were characterized. They fell into two distinct groups with respect to their restriction patterns. Complementing subclones from the two groups contained no common restriction fragments, but hybridization experiments indicated a high degree of sequence homology. Restriction fragments corresponding to one of the subclones were absent in total DNA from a cured strain that had lost plasmid pAE7, indigenous to the wild type. It is concluded that functional CO2 fixation genes in the A. eutrophus ATCC 17707 chromosome are reiterated on plasmid pAE7.     

Genetic diversity of Pierce's disease strains and other pathotypes of Xylella fastidiosa

Strains of Xylella fastidiosa isolated from grape, almond, maple, and oleander were characterized by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequence-, repetitive extragenic palindromic element (REP)-, and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR; contour-clamped homogeneous electric field (CHEF) gel electrophoresis; plasmid content; and sequencing of the 16S-23S rRNA spacer region. Combining methods gave greater resolution of strain groupings than any single method. Strains isolated from grape with Pierce's disease (PD) from California, Florida, and Georgia showed greater than previously reported genetic variability, including plasmid contents, but formed a cluster based on analysis of RAPD-PCR products, NotI and SpeI genomic DNA fingerprints, and 16S-23S rRNA spacer region sequence. Two groupings of almond leaf scorch (ALS) strains were distinguished by RAPD-PCR and CHEF gel electrophoresis, but some ALS isolates were clustered within the PD group. RAPD-PCR, CHEF gel electrophoresis, and 16S-23S rRNA sequence analysis produced the same groupings of strains, with RAPD-PCR resolving the greatest genetic differences. Oleander strains, phony peach disease (PP), and oak leaf scorch (OLS) strains were distinct from other strains. DNA profiles constructed by REP-PCR analysis were the same or very similar among all grape strains and most almond strains but different among some almond strains and all other strains tested. Eight of 12 ALS strains and 4 of 14 PD strains of X. fastidiosa isolated in California contained plasmids. All oleander strains carried the same-sized plasmid; all OLS strains carried the same-sized plasmid. A plum leaf scald strain contained three plasmids, two of which were the same sizes as those found in PP strains. These findings support a division of X. fastidiosa at the subspecies or pathovar level.     

枯草芽孢杆菌C-36内切葡聚糖酶基因的克隆及其在大肠杆菌中融合表达

以自行分离筛选出的天然枯草芽孢杆菌（Bacillus subtilis）C-36的染色体DNA为模板,PCR扩增得到含有内切葡聚糖酶基因的DNA片段,将其克隆到pMD-18T载体中,序列分析表明,克隆得到的DNA片段全长1602bp,编码一个含有499个氨基酸的多肽。与其他芽孢杆菌内切葡聚糖酶基因序列比对,其核苷酸同源率为90％～93％,其编码的氨基酸序列的同源性在90％～98％,已将此基因注册GenBank（DQ782954）。将含内切葡聚糖酶基因的重组克隆质粒进行亚克隆,用Kpn I和EcoR I双酶切后,与相同酶切的表达载体pET-32a相连接,并导入大肠杆菌BL21中表达。蛋白质电泳实验结果表明在6．47×10^4处有表达蛋白带。经测定表达蛋白比酶活力达99．02U／mL,为出发菌C-36（63．78U／mL）的1．55倍。     

Functional characterization of replication and stability factors of an incompatibility group P-1 plasmid from Xylella fastidiosa

Xylella fastidiosa strain riv11 harbors a 25-kbp plasmid (pXF-RIV11) belonging to the IncP-1 incompatibility group. Replication and stability factors of pXF-RIV11 were identified and used to construct plasmids able to replicate in X. fastidiosa and Escherichia coli. Replication in X. fastidiosa required a 1.4-kbp region from pXF-RIV11 containing a replication initiation gene (trfA) and the adjacent origin of DNA replication (oriV). Constructs containing trfA and oriV from pVEIS01, a related IncP-1 plasmid of the earthworm symbiont Verminephrobacter eiseniae, also were competent for replication in X. fastidiosa. Constructs derived from pXF-RIV11 but not pVEIS01 replicated in Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Xanthomonas campestris, and Pseudomonas syringae. Although plasmids bearing replication elements from pXF-RIV11 or pVEIS01 could be maintained in X. fastidiosa under antibiotic selection, removal of selection resulted in plasmid extinction after 3 weekly passages. Addition of a toxin-antitoxin addiction system (pemI/pemK) from pXF-RIV11 improved plasmid stability such that >80 to 90% of X. fastidiosa cells retained plasmid after 5 weekly passages in the absence of antibiotic selection. Expression of PemK in E. coli was toxic for cell growth, but toxicity was nullified by coexpression of PemI antitoxin. Deletion of N-terminal sequences of PemK containing the conserved motif RGD abolished toxicity. In vitro assays revealed a direct interaction of PemI with PemK, suggesting that antitoxin activity of PemI is mediated by toxin sequestration. IncP-1 plasmid replication and stability factors were added to an E. coli cloning vector to constitute a stable 6.0-kbp shuttle vector (pXF20-PEMIK) suitable for use in X. fastidiosa.     

Characterization of putative rolling-circle plasmids from the Gram-negative bacterium Xylella fastidiosa and their use as shuttle vectors

This study was initiated to characterize a small Xylella fastidiosa (X. fastidiosa) plasmid and attempt to create a X. fastidosa/Escherichia coli shuttle vector that was stable in planta. Restriction enzyme analysis of a 1.3kb plasmid DNA from a grape-infecting strain of X. fastidiosa (UCLA) revealed the presence of three similar, but genetically distinct, plasmids, pUCLAs. Evidence that suggests the pUCLA plasmids replicate via a rolling-circle (RC) mechanism include: (i) the presence of ssDNA in X. fastidiosa cells; (ii) the presence of conserved motifs in the predicted ORF1 that are typical of initiator (Rep) proteins associated with RC replication; (iii) high amino acid identity between the putative Rep proteins of pUCLAs and Pf3, a filamentous bacteriophage of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that replicates by a RC mechanism; and (iv) the presence of a putative origin of replication upstream of ORF1 that has the potential to form secondary hairpin structures. One DNA motif present in pUCLA shared sequence similarity to known nicking sites in the origins of replication of other RC plasmids and phages. The shuttle vector, pXF001, successfully transformed grape X. fastidiosa strains and was found to be present as autonomous, structurally unchanged DNA molecules in X. fastidiosa. However, pXF001 was not stably maintained in X. fastidiosa without antibiotic selection.     

Excision and integration of a self-transmissible replicon of Streptomyces ambofaciens

When Streptomyces ambofaciens OSF was crossed with the plasmid-free Streptomyces lividans TK24, almost all S. lividans exconjugants contained the free 11.1-kb plasmid pOS1. Southern hybridizations showed that pOS1 was derived from the integrated copy of previously recognized plasmid pSAM2 present in strain OSF. A shorter derivative of pOS1 was constructed carrying the tsr gene in a non-essential region, and this pOS7 plasmid was used in transformation experiments with protoplasts of S. ambofaciens ATCC23877 (containing pSAM2 only as an integrated sequence) and S. ambofaciens DSM40697 (devoid of pSAM2-related forms). In both cases, some clones carrying pOS7 in an integrated state were found. Integration into strain ATCC23877 was into the pre-existing integrated copy of pSAM2. In contrast, plasmid pOS7 integrated through specific plasmidic and chromosomal sites into strain DSM40697. Thus it is probable that pSAM2 integrates by interaction between preferred regions of the plasmid and host genomes.     

Plasmids in avirulent strains of Agrobacterium.

Twelve strains of Agrobacterium radiobacter isolated from naturally occurring crown galls or soil were found to be avirulent on sunflower, tomato, Kalanchoe, and carrot. Eleven strains contained plasmids of molecular weights 77 X 10(6) to 182 X 10(6) as determined by electron microscopy. One strain contained only a smaller plasmid (50 X 10(6) daltons). Several strains had both large and small (ca. 11 X 10(6) daltons) plasmids; one strain contained two large plasmids (112 X 10(6) and 136 X 10(6) daltons). Hybridization reactions of virulence plasmids from Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains C58 and A6 with plasmids from each of the A. radiobacter strains revealed that some A. radiobacter plasmids had less than 10% homology to either the C58 or A6 plasmids. Plasmids from some strains had approximately 50% homology with the C58 plasmid, but only one A. radiobacter plasmid contained more than 10% homology to the A6 plasmid. The presence of large plasmids in A. radiobacter strains did not correlate with sensitivity to agrocin 84; however, the utilization of the amino acid derivatives octopine and nopaline was generally correlated to partial base sequence homology to the C58 plasmid. We conclude that all large plasmids found in Agrobacterium strains are not virulence associated, although they may share base sequence homology with a virulence-associated plasmid. Further, plasmids from tumorigenic strains may be more closely related by base sequence homology to plasmids from nonpathogenic strains than to plasmids from other pathogenic strains.     

Complete nucleotide sequence and characterization of pSNA1 from pimaricin-producing Streptomyces natalensis that replicates by a rolling circle mechanism

A cryptic plasmid, pSNA1, has been identified in the pimaricin-producing Streptomyces natalensis strain ATCC 27448. pSNA1 has been mapped with restriction endonucleases and its complete nucleotide sequence was determined. The circular DNA molecule is 9367 bp in length and has a 71.3% G+C content. Its estimated copy number is 30. Analysis of the sequence and codon preferences indicated that pSNA1 contains seven open reading frames [encoding peptides larger than 90 amino acid (aa) residues], ORF 1 to ORF 7, located on both strands of pSNA1. ORF 3 codes for a protein (476 aa) that shows high sequence similarity to replication-associated proteins in Streptomyces plasmids known to replicate via the rolling circle mechanism. Accumulation of single-strand intermediates further indicates that pSNA1 replicates via the rolling circle replication model. ORF 1 encodes a polypeptide of 246 aa that shares homology with KorA proteins encoded by other streptomycete plasmids. ORF 4 (SpdA) codes for a protein (161 aa) possibly involved in intramycelial plasmid transfer. Protein encoded by ORF 2 (309 aa) shares homology with a Streptomyces protein (SpdB2) also involved in plasmid spreading.     

Sequence Analysis of the Plasmid pGY1 Harbored in Salmonella enterica Serovar Paratyphi A

The cryptic plasmid pGY1, which is harbored by a clinical isolate of Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A, was identified in a 9-year-old girl with paratyphoid fever in 2005, and its DNA sequence was determined. It is 3592 bp in length and had a G+C content of 43.3%. Three ORFs were predicted that share low similarity with hypothetical proteins in the GenBank database. pGY1 shared 36.6% sequence homology with the cryptic plasmid pIMVS1 from Salmonella typhimurium. Its unique sequence makes it attractive for further study to obtain insight into the evolutionary relationship of this plasmid with other Enterobacteriaceae plasmids.     

Genetic characterization of two putative toxin-antitoxin systems on cryptic plasmids from Bacillus thuringiensis strain YBT-1520

A novel putative toxin-antitoxin segregational stability system named KyAB system was identified in a novel native plasmid pBMB8240 from Bacillus thuringiensis strain YBT-1520, based on sequences homology with other toxin-antitoxin systems, the lethal activity of the KyB putative toxin in Escherichia coli and the stabilizing effect of the kyAB system in Bacillus thuringiensis. Secondarily, the native plasmid pBMB9741 from the same strain was resequenced and the corrected plasmid was named as pBMB7635. Based on sequence homology with the tasAB system and the lethal activity of toxin protein in Escherichia coli, a tasAB-like putative toxin-antitoxin system was identified on pBMB7635.