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100.8613Constructs for insertional mutagenesis, transcriptional signal localization and gene regulation studies in root nodule and other bacteria. Cassettes have been developed that contain an antibiotic resistance marker with and without a promoterless gusA reporter gene. The nptII (encoding kanamycin resistance) or aacCI (encoding gentamicin resistance) genes were equipped with the tac promoter (Ptac) and the trpA terminator (TtrpA) and then cloned between NotI sites to construct the CAS-Nm (Ptac-nptII-TtrpA) and CAS-Gm (Ptac/PaacCI-aacCI-TtrpA) cassettes. The markers were also cloned downstream to a modified promoterless Escherichia coli gusA gene (containing TGA stop codons in all three reading frames prior to its RBS and start codon) to construct the CAS-GNm (gusA-Ptac-nptII-TtrpA) or CAS-GGm (gusA-Ptac/PaacCI-aacCI-TtrpA) cassettes. Cassettes containing the promoterless gusA create type I fusions with a target DNA sequence to detect transcriptional activity. The promoterless gusA gene has also been cloned into a broad-host-range IncP1 plasmid. This construct will enable transcriptional activity to be monitored in different genetic backgrounds. Each cassette was cloned as a NotI fragment into the NotI site of a pUT derivative to construct four minitransposons. The mTn5-Nm (containing Ptac-nptII-TtrpA) and mTn5-Gm (containing Ptac/PaacCI-aacCI-TtrpA) minitransposons have been constructed specifically for insertional inactivation studies. The minitransposons mTn5-GNm (containing gusA-Ptac-nptII-TtrpA) and mTn5-GGm (containing gusA-Ptac/PaacCI-aacCI-TtrpA) can be used for transcription signal localization or insertional inactivation. The TAC-31R and TAC-105F primers can be used to sequence DNA flanking both sides of CAS-Nm, CAS-Gm, mTn5-Nm and mTn5-Gm. The WIL3 and TAC-105F primers can be used to sequence DNA flanking both sides of CAS-GNm, CAS-GGm, mTn5-GNm and mTn5-GGm. The specific application of these constructs to generate acid- or nodule-inducible fusions is presented. The new constructs provide useful tools for insertional mutagenesis, transcriptional signal localization and gene regulation studies in the root nodule bacteria and possibly other gram-negative bacteria.199910411257
52710.8481Characterization of the bagremycin biosynthetic gene cluster in Streptomyces sp. Tü 4128. Bagremycin A and bagremycin B isolated from Streptomyces sp. Tü 4128 have activities against Gram-positive bacteria, fungi and also have a weak antitumor activity, which make them have great potential for development of novel antibiotics. Here, we report a draft genome 8,424,112 bp in length of S. sp. Tü 4128 by Illumina Hiseq2000, and identify the bagremycins biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) by bioinformatics analysis. The putative bagremycins BGC includes 16 open reading frames (ORFs) with the functions of biosynthesis, resistance and regulation. Disruptions of relative genes and HPLC analysis of bagremycins production demonstrated that not all the genes within the BGC are responsible for the biosynthesis of bagremycins. In addition, the biosynthetic pathways of bagremycins are proposed for deeper inquiries into their intriguing biosynthetic mechanism.201930526412
53520.8472Improved broad-host-range plasmids for DNA cloning in gram-negative bacteria. Improved broad-host-range plasmid vectors were constructed based on existing plasmids RSF1010 and RK404. The new plasmids pDSK509, pDSK519, and pRK415, have several additional cloning sites and improved antibiotic-resistance genes which facilitate subcloning and mobilization into various Gram-negative bacteria. Several new polylinker sites were added to the Escherichia coli plasmids pUC118 and pUC119, resulting in the new plasmids, pUC128 and pUC129. These plasmids facilitate the transfer of cloned DNA fragments to the broad-host-range vectors. Finally, the broad-host-range cosmid cloning vector pLAFR3 was improved by the addition of a double cos casette to generate the new plasmid, pLAFR5. This latter cosmid simplifies vector preparation and has permitted the rapid cloning of genomic DNA fragments generated with Sau3A. The resulting clones may be introduced into other Gram-negative bacteria by conjugation.19882853689
82430.8462Cloning, nucleotide sequence, and expression in Escherichia coli of levansucrase genes from the plant pathogens Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea and P. syringae pv. phaseolicola. Plant-pathogenic bacteria produce various extracellular polysaccharides (EPSs) which may function as virulence factors in diseases caused by these bacteria. The EPS levan is synthesized by the extracellular enzyme levansucrase in Pseudomonas syringae, Erwinia amylovora, and other bacterial species. The lsc genes encoding levansucrase from P. syringae pv. glycinea PG4180 and P. syringae pv. phaseolicola NCPPB 1321 were cloned, and their nucleotide sequences were determined. Heterologous expression of the lsc gene in Escherichia coli was found in four and two genomic library clones of strains PG4180 and NCPPB 1321, respectively. A 3. 0-kb PstI fragment common to all six clones conferred levan synthesis on E. coli when further subcloned. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed a 1,248-bp open reading frame (ORF) derived from PG4180 and a 1,296-bp ORF derived from NCPPB 1321, which were both designated lsc. Both ORFs showed high homology to the E. amylovora and Zymomonas mobilis lsc genes at the nucleic acid and deduced amino acid sequence levels. Levansucrase was not secreted into the supernatant but was located in the periplasmic fraction of E. coli harboring the lsc gene. Expression of lsc was found to be dependent on the vector-based Plac promoter, indicating that the native promoter of lsc was not functional in E. coli. Insertion of an antibiotic resistance cassette in the lsc gene abolished levan synthesis in E. coli. A PCR screening with primers derived from lsc of P. syringae pv. glycinea PG4180 allowed the detection of this gene in a number of related bacteria.19989726857
53440.8461Plasmid shuttle vector with two insertionally inactivable markers for coryneform bacteria. A new shuttle vector pCEM500 replicating in Escherichia coli and in Brevibacterium flavum was constructed. It carries two antibiotic resistance determinants (Kmr/Gmr from plasmid pSa of Gram-negative bacteria and Smr/Spr from plasmid pCG4 of Corynebacterium glutamicum) which are efficiently expressed in both hosts and can be inactivated by insertion of DNA fragments into the unique restriction endonuclease sites located within them. This vector was found to be stably maintained in B. flavum and can be used for transfer of the cloned genes into this amino-acid-producing coryneform bacterium.19902148164
850.8443The hawthorn CpLRR-RLK1 gene targeted by ACLSV-derived vsiRNA positively regulate resistance to bacteria disease. Virus-derived small interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs) can target not only viruses but also plant genes. Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV) is an RNA virus that infects Rosaceae plants extensively, including apple, pear and hawthorn. Here, we report an ACLSV-derived vsiRNA [vsiR1360(-)] that targets and down-regulates the leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase 1 (LRR-RLK1) gene of hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida). The targeting and cleavage of the CpLRR-RLK1 gene by vsiR1360(-) were validated by RNA ligase-mediated 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends and tobacco transient transformation assays. And the CpLRR-RLK1 protein fused to green fluorescent protein localized to the cell membrane. Conserved domain and phylogenetic tree analyses showed that CpLRR-RLK1 is closely related to the proteins of the LRRII-RLK subfamily. The biological function of CpLRR-RLK1 was explored by heterologous overexpression of CpLRR-RLK1 gene in Arabidopsis. The results of inoculation of Pst DC3000 in Arabidopsis leaves showed that the symptoms of CpLRR-RLK1 overexpression plants infected with Pst DC3000 were significantly reduced compared with the wild type. In addition, the detection of reactive oxygen species and callose deposition and the expression analysis of defense-related genes showed that the CpLRR-RLK1 gene can indeed enhance the resistance of Arabidopsis to bacteria disease.202033180701
34960.8443Mini-Tn5 transposon derivatives for insertion mutagenesis, promoter probing, and chromosomal insertion of cloned DNA in gram-negative eubacteria. A collection of Tn5-derived minitransposons has been constructed that simplifies substantially the generation of insertion mutants, in vivo fusions with reporter genes, and the introduction of foreign DNA fragments into the chromosome of a variety of gram-negative bacteria, including the enteric bacteria and typical soil bacteria like Pseudomonas species. The minitransposons consist of genes specifying resistance to kanamycin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin-spectinomycin, and tetracycline as selection markers and a unique NotI cloning site flanked by 19-base-pair terminal repeat sequences of Tn5. Further derivatives also contain lacZ, phoA, luxAB, or xylE genes devoid of their native promoters located next to the terminal repeats in an orientation that affords the generation of gene-operon fusions. The transposons are located on a R6K-based suicide delivery plasmid that provides the IS50R transposase tnp gene in cis but external to the mobile element and whose conjugal transfer to recipients is mediated by RP4 mobilization functions in the donor.19902172217
39170.8441New derivatives of transposon Tn5 suitable for mobilization of replicons, generation of operon fusions and induction of genes in gram-negative bacteria. Three types of new variants of the broad-host-range transposon Tn5 are described. (i) Tn5-mob derivatives with the new selective resistance (R) markers GmR, SpR and TcR facilitate the efficient mobilization of replicons within a wide range of Gram-negative bacteria. (ii) Promoter probe transposons carry the promoterless reporter genes lacZ, nptII, or luc, and NmR, GmR or TcR as selective markers. These transposons can be used to generate transcriptional fusions upon insertion, thus facilitating accurate determinations of gene expression. (iii) Tn5-P-out derivatives carry the npt- or tac-promoter reading out from the transposon, and TcR, NmR or GmR genes. These variants allow the constitutive expression of downstream genes. The new Tn5 variants are available on mobilizable Escherichia coli vectors suitable as suicidal carriers for transposon mutagenesis of non-E. coli recipients and some on a phage lambda mutant to be used for transposon mutagenesis in E. coli.19892551782
42680.8441Plasmid-determined resistance to serum bactericidal activity: a major outer membrane protein, the traT gene product, is responsible for plasmid-specified serum resistance in Escherichia coli. Resistance to the bactericidal activity of serum appears to be an important virulence property of invasive bacteria. The conjugative multiple-antibiotic-resistance plasmid R6-5 was found to confer upon Escherichia coli host bacteria increased resistance against rabbit serum. Gene-cloning techniques were used to localize the serum resistance determinant of R6-5 to a segment of the plasmid that encodes conjugal transfer functions, and a pACYC184 hybrid plasmid, designated pKT107, that contains this segment was constructed. The generation and analysis of deletion and insertion mutant derivatives of the pKT107 plasmid that no longer specify serum resistance permitted precise localization of the serum-resistance cistron on the R6-5 map and demonstrated that this locus is coincident with that of traT, one of the two surface exclusion genes of R6-5. Examination of the proteins synthesized in E. coli minicells of pKT107 and its serum-sensitive mutant derivative plasmids confirmed that the serum-resistance gene product of R6-5 is the traT protein and showed that this protein is a major structural component (about 21,000 copies per cell) of the bacterial outer membrane.19806995306
80390.8440Nucleotide sequences and genetic analysis of hydrogen oxidation (hox) genes in Azotobacter vinelandii. Azotobacter vinelandii contains a heterodimeric, membrane-bound [NiFe]hydrogenase capable of catalyzing the reversible oxidation of H2. The beta and alpha subunits of the enzyme are encoded by the structural genes hoxK and hoxG, respectively, which appear to form part of an operon that contains at least one further potential gene (open reading frame 3 [ORF3]). In this study, determination of the nucleotide sequence of a region of 2,344 bp downstream of ORF3 revealed four additional closely spaced or overlapping ORFs. These ORFs, ORF4 through ORF7, potentially encode polypeptides with predicted masses of 22.8, 11.4, 16.3, and 31 kDa, respectively. Mutagenesis of the chromosome of A. vinelandii in the area sequenced was carried out by introduction of antibiotic resistance gene cassettes. Disruption of hoxK and hoxG by a kanamycin resistance gene abolished whole-cell hydrogenase activity coupled to O2 and led to loss of the hydrogenase alpha subunit. Insertional mutagenesis of ORF3 through ORF7 with a promoterless lacZ-Kmr cassette established that the region is transcriptionally active and involved in H2 oxidation. We propose to call ORF3 through ORF7 hoxZ, hoxM, hoxL, hoxO, and hoxQ, respectively. The predicted hox gene products resemble those encoded by genes from hydrogenase-related operons in other bacteria, including Escherichia coli and Alcaligenes eutrophus.19921624446
802100.8436YqhC regulates transcription of the adjacent Escherichia coli genes yqhD and dkgA that are involved in furfural tolerance. Previous results have demonstrated that the silencing of adjacent genes encoding NADPH-dependent furfural oxidoreductases (yqhD dkgA) is responsible for increased furfural tolerance in an E. coli strain EMFR9 [Miller et al., Appl Environ Microbiol 75:4315-4323, 2009]. This gene silencing is now reported to result from the spontaneous insertion of an IS10 into the coding region of yqhC, an upstream gene. YqhC shares homology with transcriptional regulators belonging to the AraC/XylS family and was shown to act as a positive regulator of the adjacent operon encoding YqhD and DkgA. Regulation was demonstrated by constructing a chromosomal deletion of yqhC, a firefly luciferase reporter plasmid for yqhC, and by a direct comparison of furfural resistance and NADPH-dependent furfural reductase activity. Closely related bacteria contain yqhC, yqhD, and dkgA orthologs in the same arrangement as in E. coli LY180. Orthologs of yqhC are also present in more distantly related Gram-negative bacteria. Disruption of yqhC offers a useful approach to increase furfural tolerance in bacteria.201120676725
530110.8436Location of the genes for anthranilate synthase in Streptomyces venezuelae ISP5230: genetic mapping after integration of the cloned genes. The anthranilate synthase (trpEG) genes in Streptomyces venezuelae ISP5230 were located by allowing a segregationally unstable plasmid carrying cloned S. venezuelae trpEG DNA and a thiostrepton resistance (tsr) marker to integrate into the chromosome. The integrated tsr was mapped by conjugation and transduction to a location close to tyr-2, between arg-6 and trpA13. A genomic DNA fragment containing trpC from S. venezuelae ISP5230 was cloned by complementation of a trpC mutation in Streptomyces lividans. Evidence from restriction enzyme analysis of the cloned DNA fragments, from Southern hybridization using the cloned trp DNA as probes, and from cotransduction frequencies, placed trpEG at a distance of 12-45 kb from the trpCBA cluster. The overall arrangement of tryptophan biosynthesis genes in the S. venezuelae chromosome differs from that in other bacteria examined so far.19938515229
46120.8436The pepper Bs4C proteins are localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane and confer disease resistance to bacterial blight in transgenic rice. Transcription activator-like effector (TALE)-dependent dominant disease resistance (R) genes in plants, also referred to as executor R genes, are induced on infection by phytopathogenic bacteria of the genus Xanthomonas harbouring the corresponding TALE genes. Unlike the traditional R proteins, the executor R proteins do not determine the resistance specificity and may function broadly in different plant species. The executor R gene Bs4C-R in the resistant genotype PI 235047 of the pepper species Capsicum pubescens (CpBs4C-R) confers disease resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv) harbouring the TALE genes avrBsP/avrBs4. In this study, the synthetic genes of CpBs4C-R and two other Bs4C-like genes, the susceptible allele in the genotype PI585270 of C. pubescens (CpBs4C-S) and the CaBs4C-R homologue gene in the cultivar 'CM334' of Capsicum annum (CaBs4C), were characterized in tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) and rice (Oryza sativa). The Bs4C genes induced cell death in N. benthamiana. The functional Bs4C-eCFP fusion proteins were localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane in the leaf epidermal cells of N. benthamiana. The Xa10 promoter-Bs4C fusion genes in transgenic rice conferred strain-specific disease resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), the causal agent of bacterial blight in rice, and were specifically induced by the Xa10-incompatible Xoo strain PXO99(A) (pHM1avrXa10). The results indicate that the Bs4C proteins from pepper species function broadly in rice and the Bs4C protein-mediated cell death from the ER is conserved between dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous plants, which can be utilized to engineer novel and enhanced disease resistance in heterologous plants.201829603592
537130.8429Omegon-Km: a transposable element designed for in vivo insertional mutagenesis and cloning of genes in gram-negative bacteria. To combine the features of the omega interposons with the advantages of in vivo transposition mutagenesis, we have constructed an artificial transposon, called Omegon-Km. The Omegon-Km transposon is carried on the plasmid pJFF350 which can be conjugally mobilized into a broad range of Gram-negative bacteria. Omegon-Km is flanked, in inverted orientation, by synthetic 28-bp repeats derived from the ends of IS1. In addition, each end of Omegon-Km has the very efficient transcription and translation terminators of the omega interposon. Internally, Omegon-Km carries the selectable kanamycin (Km)-neomycin resistance gene (alph A) which is expressed well in many Gram-negative bacteria. The IS1 transposition functions are located on the donor plasmid but external to Omegon-Km. Thus, insertions of Omegon-Km are very stable because they lack the capacity for further transposition. Omegon-Km mutagenesis is performed by conjugal transfer of pJFF350 from Escherichia coli into any Gram-negative recipient strain in which this plasmid is unable to replicate. Those cells which have had a transposition event are selected by their resistance to Km. Very high frequencies of Omegon-Km transposition were observed in Pseudomonas putida. Preliminary experiments with other Gram-negative soil and water bacteria (Rhizobium leguminosarum, Paracoccus denitrificans) yielded mutants at reasonable levels. The presence of an E. coli-specific origin of replication (ori) within Omegon-Km allows the rapid and easy cloning, in E. coli, of the nucleotide sequences flanking the site of the transposition event.19892546859
6355140.8428Regulation of resistance to copper in Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria. Copper-resistant strains of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria were previously shown to carry plasmid-borne copper resistance genes related to the cop and pco operons of Pseudomonas syringae and Escherichia coli, respectively. However, instead of the two-component (copRS and pcoRS) systems determining copper-inducible expression of the operons in P. syringae and E. coli, a novel open reading frame, copL, was found to be required for copper-inducible expression of the downstream multicopper oxidase copA in X. axonopodis. copL encodes a predicted protein product of 122 amino acids that is rich in histidine and cysteine residues, suggesting a possible direct interaction with copper. Deletions or frameshift mutations within copL, as well as an amino acid substitution generated at the putative start codon of copL, caused a loss of copper-inducible transcriptional activation of copA. A nonpolar insertion of a kanamycin resistance gene in copL resulted in copper sensitivity in the wild-type strain. However, repeated attempts to complement copL mutations in trans failed. Analysis of the genomic sequence databases shows that there are copL homologs upstream of copAB genes in X. axonopodis pv. citri, X. campestris pv. campestris, and Xylella fastidiosa. The cloned promoter area upstream of copA in X. axonopodis pv. vesicatoria did not function in Pseudomonas syringae or in E. coli, nor did the P. syringae cop promoter function in Xanthomonas. However, a transcriptional fusion of the Xanthomonas cop promoter with the Pseudomonas copABCDRS was able to confer resistance to copper in Xanthomonas, showing divergence in the mechanisms of regulation of the resistance to copper in phytopathogenic bacteria.200515691931
328150.8422Multiresistance genes of Rhizobium etli CFN42. Multidrug efflux pumps of bacteria are involved in the resistance to various antibiotics and toxic compounds. In Rhizobium etli, a mutualistic symbiont of Phaseolus vulgaris (bean), genes resembling multidrug efflux pump genes were identified and designated rmrA and rmrB. rmrA was obtained after the screening of transposon-generated fusions that are inducible by bean-root released flavonoids. The predicted gene products of rmrAB shared significant homology to membrane fusion and major facilitator proteins, respectively. Mutants of rmrA formed on average 40% less nodules in bean, while mutants of rmrA and rmrB had enhanced sensitivity to phytoalexins, flavonoids, and salicylic acid, compared with the wild-type strain. Multidrug resistance genes emrAB from Escherichia coli complemented an rmrA mutant from R. etli for resistance to high concentrations of naringenin.200010796024
548160.8421Mammalian antioxidant protein complements alkylhydroperoxide reductase (ahpC) mutation in Escherichia coli. The MER5 [now called the Aop1 (antioxidant protein 1) gene] was cloned as a transiently expressed gene of murine erythroleukaemia (MEL) cell differentiation and its antisense expression inhibited differentiation of MEL cells. We found that the Aop1 gene shows significant nucleotide sequence similarity to the gene coding for the C22 subunit of Salmonella typhimurium alkylhydroperoxide reductase, which is also found in other bacteria, suggesting it functions as an antioxidant protein. Expression of the Aop1 gene product in E. coli deficient in the C22-subunit gene rescued resistance of the bacteria to alkylhydroperoxide. The human and mouse Aop1 genes are highly conserved, and they mapped to the regions syntenic between mouse and human chromosomes. Sequence comparisons with recently cloned mammalian Aop1 homologues suggest that these genes consist of a family that is responsible for regulation of cellular proliferation, differentiation and antioxidant functions.19957733872
437170.8415Cloning of genes responsible for acetic acid resistance in Acetobacter aceti. Five acetic acid-sensitive mutants of Acetobacter aceti subsp. aceti no. 1023 were isolated by mutagenesis with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. Three recombinant plasmids that complemented the mutations were isolated from a gene bank of the chromosome DNA of the parental strain constructed in Escherichia coli by using cosmid vector pMVC1. One of these plasmids (pAR1611), carrying about a 30-kilobase-pair (kb) fragment that conferred acetic acid resistance to all five mutants, was further analyzed. Subcloning experiments indicated that a 8.3-kb fragment was sufficient to complement all five mutations. To identify the mutation loci and genes involved in acetic acid resistance, insertional inactivation was performed by insertion of the kanamycin resistance gene derived from E. coli plasmid pACYC177 into the cloned 8.3-kb fragment and successive integration into the chromosome of the parental strain. The results suggested that three genes, designated aarA, aarB, and aarC, were responsible for expression of acetic acid resistance. Gene products of these genes were detected by means of overproduction in E. coli by use of the lac promoter. The amino acid sequence of the aarA gene product deduced from the nucleotide sequence was significantly similar to those of the citrate synthases (CSs) of E. coli and other bacteria. The A. aceti mutants defective in the aarA gene were found to lack CS activity, which was restored by introduction of a plasmid containing the aarA gene. A mutation in the CS gene of E. coli was also complemented by the aarA gene. These results indicate that aarA is the CS gene.19902156811
6349180.8414High-level chromate resistance in Arthrobacter sp. strain FB24 requires previously uncharacterized accessory genes. BACKGROUND: The genome of Arthrobacter sp. strain FB24 contains a chromate resistance determinant (CRD), consisting of a cluster of 8 genes located on a 10.6 kb fragment of a 96 kb plasmid. The CRD includes chrA, which encodes a putative chromate efflux protein, and three genes with amino acid similarities to the amino and carboxy termini of ChrB, a putative regulatory protein. There are also three novel genes that have not been previously associated with chromate resistance in other bacteria; they encode an oxidoreductase (most similar to malate:quinone oxidoreductase), a functionally unknown protein with a WD40 repeat domain and a lipoprotein. To delineate the contribution of the CRD genes to the FB24 chromate [Cr(VI)] response, we evaluated the growth of mutant strains bearing regions of the CRD and transcript expression levels in response to Cr(VI) challenge. RESULTS: A chromate-sensitive mutant (strain D11) was generated by curing FB24 of its 96-kb plasmid. Elemental analysis indicated that chromate-exposed cells of strain D11 accumulated three times more chromium than strain FB24. Introduction of the CRD into strain D11 conferred chromate resistance comparable to wild-type levels, whereas deletion of specific regions of the CRD led to decreased resistance. Using real-time reverse transcriptase PCR, we show that expression of each gene within the CRD is specifically induced in response to chromate but not by lead, hydrogen peroxide or arsenate. Higher levels of chrA expression were achieved when the chrB orthologs and the WD40 repeat domain genes were present, suggesting their possible regulatory roles. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that chromate resistance in Arthrobacter sp. strain FB24 is due to chromate efflux through the ChrA transport protein. More importantly, new genes have been identified as having significant roles in chromate resistance. Collectively, the functional predictions of these additional genes suggest the involvement of a signal transduction system in the regulation of chromate efflux and warrants further study.200919758450
536190.8410Thymidylate synthase gene from Lactococcus lactis as a genetic marker: an alternative to antibiotic resistance genes. The potential of the thymidylate synthase thyA gene cloned from Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis as a possible alternative selectable marker gene to antibiotic resistance markers has been examined. The thyA mutation is a recessive lethal one; thyA mutants cannot survive in environments containing low amounts of thymidine or thymine (such as Luria-Bertani medium) unless complemented by the thyA gene. The cloned thyA gene was strongly expressed in L. lactis subsp. lactis, Escherichia coli, Rhizobium meliloti, and a fluorescent Pseudomonas strain. In addition, when fused to a promoterless enteric lac operon, the thyA gene drove expression of the lac genes in a number of gram-negative bacteria. In transformation experiments with thyA mutants of E. coli and conjugation experiments with thyA mutants of R. meliloti, the lactococcal thyA gene permitted selection of transformants and transconjugants with the same efficiency as did genes for resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, or tetracycline. Starting from the broad-host-range plasmid pGD500, a plasmid, designated pPR602, was constructed which is completely free of antibiotic resistance genes and has the lactococcal thyA gene fused to a promoterless lac operon. This plasmid will permit growth of thyA mutant strains in the absence of thymidine or thymine and has a number of unique restriction sites which can be used for cloning.19902117883