scholarly journals Cloning and thermostability of TaqI endonuclease isoschizomers from Thermus species SM32 and Thermus filiformis Tok6A1

1998 ◽  
Vol 333 (2) ◽  
pp. 425-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiguo CAO ◽  
Jing LU ◽  
Simon G. WELCH ◽  
Ralph A. D. WILLIAMS ◽  
Francis BARANY

Two TaqI endonuclease (hereafter referred to as TaqI) isoschizomer genes, tsp32IR from Thermus species SM32 of Azores and tfiTok6A1I from T. filiformis Tok6A1 of New Zealand, were cloned in Escherichia coli. The overexpressed enzymes were partly purified and their thermostability was determined. In the medium-salt buffer, Tsp32IR, TfiTok6A1I and one previously cloned TaqI isoschizomer (TthHB8I) were more thermostable than TaqI. Tsp32IR remained partly active up to 90 °C in the low-salt buffer. Six amino acid residues that are identical in the three high thermostability isoschizomers (Tsp32IR, TfiTok6A1I and TthHB8I) but differ in TaqI might provide added rigidity for thermostabilization. These include four proline residues located in or near loop regions, and one alanine and one arginine located at helix regions in the predicted TaqI endonuclease secondary structure. The possible role of these residues in thermostabilization was evaluated by mutagenizing the TaqI enzyme. Mutants generated at these six positions were less thermostable than wild-type TaqI. The results suggest that the surrounding sequence or structural context might be as important as the mutation itself. The nucleotide sequence data reported in this paper for TfiTok6A1I and Tsp32IR appear in the GenBank Database under the accession numbers U86869 and U86870 respectively.

2013 ◽  
Vol 454 (3) ◽  
pp. 585-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joana Sá-Pessoa ◽  
Sandra Paiva ◽  
David Ribas ◽  
Inês Jesus Silva ◽  
Sandra Cristina Viegas ◽  
...  

In the present paper we describe a new carboxylic acid transporter in Escherichia coli encoded by the gene yaaH. In contrast to what had been described for other YaaH family members, the E. coli transporter is highly specific for acetic acid (a monocarboxylate) and for succinic acid (a dicarboxylate), with affinity constants at pH 6.0 of 1.24±0.13 mM for acetic acid and 1.18±0.10 mM for succinic acid. In glucose-grown cells the ΔyaaH mutant is compromised for the uptake of both labelled acetic and succinic acids. YaaH, together with ActP, described previously as an acetate transporter, affect the use of acetic acid as sole carbon and energy source. Both genes have to be deleted simultaneously to abolish acetate transport. The uptake of acetate and succinate was restored when yaaH was expressed in trans in ΔyaaH ΔactP cells. We also demonstrate the critical role of YaaH amino acid residues Leu131 and Ala164 on the enhanced ability to transport lactate. Owing to its functional role in acetate and succinate uptake we propose its assignment as SatP: the Succinate–Acetate Transporter Protein.


1999 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert M Penner ◽  
Nathan J Roth ◽  
Beatrice Rob ◽  
Helga Lay ◽  
Reuben E Huber

Substitutions for Tyr-503 of β-galactosidase caused large decreases of the activity. Both the galactosylation (k2) and degalactosylation (k3) rates were decreased. Substitutions by residues without transferable protons, caused k3 to decrease much more than k2 while substitutions with residues having transferable protons, caused approximately equal decreases of k2 and k3. Several lines of evidence showed this. The Km values of the substituted enzymes were much smaller than those for the wild type if the substituted amino acid residues did not have transferable protons; this was not the case when the substituted residues had transferable protons. Inhibition studies showed that the Km values were not small because of small Ks values but were small because of relatively small k3 values (compared with the k2 values). The conclusion that the k3 values are small relative to k2 upon substitution with residues without transferable protons is also based upon other studies: studies indicating that the reaction rates were similar with different substrates, studies in the presence of alcohol acceptors, studies showing that the rate of inactivation by 2,4-dinitrophenyl-2-deoxy-2-F-β-D-galactopyranoside decreased much less than the rate of reactivation; studies on burst kinetics, and pH studies. The data suggest that Tyr-503 may be important for the degalactosylation reaction because of its ability to transfer protons and thereby facilitate cleavage of the transient covalent bond between galactose and Glu-537. Key words: β-galactosidase, tyrosine, mechanism, acid catalysis.


2016 ◽  
Vol 119 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Liu ◽  
Yanmei Qi ◽  
Shu-Chan Hsu ◽  
Siavash Saadat ◽  
Saum Rahimi ◽  
...  

Cellular repressor of E1A-stimulated genes 1 (CREG1) is a 24 kD glycoprotein essential for early embryonic development. Our immunofluorescence studies revealed that CREG1 is highly expressed at myocyte junctions in both embryonic and adult hearts. To explore it role in cardiomyogenesis, we employed gain- and loss-of-function analyses demonstrating that CREG1 is required for the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell into cohesive myocardium-like structures. Chimeric cultures of wild-type and CREG1 knockout ES cells expressing cardiac-specific reporters showed that the cardiomyogenic effect of CREG1 is cell autonomous. Furthermore, we identified a novel interaction between CREG1 and Sec8 of the exocyst complex, which tethers vesicles to the plasma membrane. Mutations of the amino acid residues D141 and P142 to alanine in CREG1 abolished its binding to Sec8. To address the role of the CREG1-Sec8 interaction in cardiomyogenesis, we rescued CREG1 knockout ES cells with wild-type and Sec8-binding mutant CREG1 and showed that CREG1 binding to Sec8 promotes cardiomyocyte differentiation and cohesion. Mechanistically, CREG1, Sec8 and N-cadherin all localize at cell-cell adhesion sites. CREG1 overexpression enhances the assembly of adherens and gap junctions. By contrast, its knockout inhibits the Sec8-N-cadherin interaction and induces their degradation. Finally, shRNA-mediated knockdown of Sec8 leads to cardiomyogenic defects similar to CREG1 knockout. These results suggest that the CREG1 binding to Sec8 enhances the assembly of intercellular junctions and promotes cardiomyogenesis.


2015 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. 187-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renu Verma ◽  
Thaís Cabrera Galvão Rojas ◽  
Renato Pariz Maluta ◽  
Janaína Luisa Leite ◽  
Livia Pilatti Mendes da Silva ◽  
...  

The extraintestinal pathogen termed avian pathogenicEscherichia coli(APEC) is known to cause colibacillosis in chickens. The molecular basis of APEC pathogenesis is not fully elucidated yet. In this work, we deleted a component of the Yad gene cluster (yadC) in order to understand the role of Yad in the pathogenicity of the APEC strain SCI-07.In vitro, the transcription level ofyadCwas upregulated at 41°C and downregulated at 22°C. TheyadCexpressionin vivowas more pronounced in lungs than in spleen, suggesting a role in the early steps of the infection. Chicks infected with the wild-type and mutant strains presented, respectively, 80% and 50% mortality rates. The ΔyadCstrain presented a slightly decreased ability to adhere to HeLa cells with or without thed-mannose analog compared with the wild type. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) assays showed thatfimHwas downregulated (P< 0.05) andcsgAandecpAwere slightly upregulated in the mutant strain, showing thatyadCmodulates expression of other fimbriae. Bacterial internalization studies showed that the ΔyadCstrain had a lower number of intracellular bacteria recovered from Hep-2 cells and HD11 cells than the wild-type strain (P< 0.05). Motility assays in soft agar demonstrated that the ΔyadCstrain was less motile than the wild type (P< 0.01). Curiously, flagellum-associated genes were not dramatically downregulated in the ΔyadCstrain. Taken together, the results show that the fimbrial adhesin Yad contributes to the pathogenicity and modulates different biological characteristics of the APEC strain SCI-07.


2004 ◽  
Vol 186 (16) ◽  
pp. 5366-5375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Burghout ◽  
Frank Beckers ◽  
Emmie de Wit ◽  
Ria van Boxtel ◽  
Guy R. Cornelis ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The YscC secretin is a major component of the type III protein secretion system of Yersinia enterocolitica and forms an oligomeric structure in the outer membrane. In a mutant lacking the outer membrane lipoprotein YscW, secretion is strongly reduced, and it has been proposed that YscW plays a role in the biogenesis of the secretin. To study the interaction between the secretin and this putative pilot protein, YscC and YscW were produced in trans in a Y. enterocolitica strain lacking all other components of the secretion machinery. YscW expression increased the yield of oligomeric YscC and was required for its outer membrane localization, confirming the function of YscW as a pilot protein. Whereas the pilot-binding site of other members of the secretin family has been identified in the C terminus, a truncated YscC derivative lacking the C-terminal 96 amino acid residues was functional and stabilized by YscW. Pulse-chase experiments revealed that ∼30 min were required before YscC oligomerization was completed. In the absence of YscW, oligomerization was delayed and the yield of YscC oligomers was strongly reduced. An unlipidated form of the YscW protein was not functional, although it still interacted with the secretin and caused mislocalization of YscC even in the presence of wild-type YscW. Hence, YscW interacts with the unassembled YscC protein and facilitates efficient oligomerization, likely at the outer membrane.


Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 774
Author(s):  
Virginio Cepas ◽  
Victoria Ballén ◽  
Yaiza Gabasa ◽  
Miriam Ramírez ◽  
Yuly López ◽  
...  

Current Escherichia coli antibiofilm treatments comprise a combination of antibiotics commonly used against planktonic cells, leading to treatment failure. A better understanding of the genes involved in biofilm formation could facilitate the development of efficient and specific new antibiofilm treatments. A total of 2578 E. coli mutants were generated by transposon insertion, of which 536 were analysed in this study. After sequencing, Tn263 mutant, classified as low biofilm-former (LF) compared to the wild-type (wt) strain (ATCC 25922), showed an interruption in the purL gene, involved in the de novo purine biosynthesis pathway. To elucidate the role of purL in biofilm formation, a knockout was generated showing reduced production of curli fibres, leading to an impaired biofilm formation. These conditions were restored by complementation of the strain or addition of exogenous inosine. Proteomic and transcriptional analyses were performed to characterise the differences caused by purL alterations. Thirteen proteins were altered compared to wt. The corresponding genes were analysed by qRT-PCR not only in the Tn263 and wt, but also in clinical strains with different biofilm activity. Overall, this study suggests that purL is essential for biofilm formation in E. coli and can be considered as a potential antibiofilm target.


2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (10) ◽  
pp. 2850-2853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie Conter ◽  
Rachel Sturny ◽  
Claude Gutierrez ◽  
Kaymeuang Cam

ABSTRACT The RcsCB His-Asp phosphorelay system regulates the expression of several genes of Escherichia coli, but the molecular nature of the inducing signal is still unknown. We show here that treatment of an exponentially growing culture of E. coli with the cationic amphipathic compound chlorpromazine (CPZ) stimulates expression of a set of genes positively regulated by the RcsCB system. This induction is abolished in rcsB or rcsC mutant strains. In addition, treatment with CPZ inhibits growth. The wild-type strain is able to recover from this inhibition and resume growth after a period of adaptation. In contrast, strains deficient in the RcsCB His-Asp phosphorelay system are hypersensitive to CPZ. These results suggest that cells must express specific RcsCB-regulated genes in order to cope with the CPZ-induced stress. This is the first report of the essential role of the RcsCB system in a stress situation. These results also strengthen the notion that alterations of the cell envelope induce a signal recognized by the RcsC sensor.


2007 ◽  
Vol 75 (7) ◽  
pp. 3315-3324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric J. Gauger ◽  
Mary P. Leatham ◽  
Regino Mercado-Lubo ◽  
David C. Laux ◽  
Tyrrell Conway ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Previously, we reported that the mouse intestine selected mutants of Escherichia coli MG1655 that have improved colonizing ability (M. P. Leatham et al., Infect. Immun. 73:8039-8049, 2005). These mutants grew 10 to 20% faster than their parent in mouse cecal mucus in vitro and 15 to 30% faster on several sugars found in the mouse intestine. The mutants were nonmotile and had deletions of various lengths beginning immediately downstream of an IS1 element located within the regulatory region of the flhDC operon, which encodes the master regulator of flagellum biosynthesis, FlhD4C2. Here we show that during intestinal colonization by wild-type E. coli strain MG1655, 45 to 50% of the cells became nonmotile by day 3 after feeding of the strain to mice and between 80 and 90% of the cells were nonmotile by day 15 after feeding. Ten nonmotile mutants isolated from mice were sequenced, and all were found to have flhDC deletions of various lengths. Despite this strong selection, 10 to 20% of the E. coli MG1655 cells remained motile over a 15-day period, suggesting that there is an as-yet-undefined intestinal niche in which motility is an advantage. The deletions appear to be selected in the intestine for two reasons. First, genes unrelated to motility that are normally either directly or indirectly repressed by FlhD4C2 but can contribute to maximum colonizing ability are released from repression. Second, energy normally used to synthesize flagella and turn the flagellar motor is redirected to growth.


2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (6) ◽  
pp. 634-643
Author(s):  
Juliano Alves ◽  
Miguel Garay-Malpartida ◽  
João M. Occhiucci ◽  
José E. Belizário

Procaspase-7 zymogen polypeptide is composed of a short prodomain, a large subunit (p20), and a small subunit (p10) connected to an intersubunit linker. Caspase-7 is activated by an initiator caspase-8 and -9, or by autocatalysis after specific cleavage at IQAD198↓S located at the intersubunit linker. Previously, we identified that PEST regions made of amino acid residues Pro (P), Glu (E), Asp (D), Ser (S), Thr (T), Asn (N), and Gln (Q) are conserved flanking amino acid residues in the cleavage sites within a prodomain and intersubunit linker of all caspase family members. Here we tested the impact of alanine substitution of PEST amino acid residues on procaspase-7 proteolytic self-activation directly in Escherichia coli. The p20 and p10 subunit cleavage were significantly delayed in double caspase-7 mutants in the prodomain (N18A/P26A) and intersubunit linker (S199A/P201A), compared with the wild-type caspase-7. The S199A/P201A mutants effectively inhibited the p10 small subunit cleavage. However, the mutations did not change the kinetic parameters (kcat/KM) and optimal tetrapeptide specificity (DEVD) of the purified mutant enzymes. The results suggest a role of PEST-amino acid residues in the molecular mechanism for prodomain and intersubunit cleavage and caspase-7 self-activation.


2004 ◽  
Vol 186 (5) ◽  
pp. 1304-1310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha Torres ◽  
Joan-Miquel Balada ◽  
Malcolm Zellars ◽  
Craig Squires ◽  
Catherine L. Squires

ABSTRACT Similarities between lambda and rRNA transcription antitermination have led to suggestions that they involve the same Nus factors. However, direct in vivo confirmation that rRNA antitermination requires all of the lambda Nus factors is lacking. We have therefore analyzed the in vivo role of NusB and NusG in rRNA transcription antitermination and have established that both are essential for it. We used a plasmid test system in which reporter gene mRNA was measured to monitor rRNA antiterminator-dependent bypass of a Rho-dependent terminator. A comparison of terminator read-through in a wild-type Escherichia coli strain and that in a nusB::IS10 mutant strain determined the requirement for NusB. In the absence of NusB, antiterminator-dependent terminator read-through was not detected, showing that NusB is necessary for rRNA transcription antitermination. The requirement for NusG was determined by comparing rRNA antiterminator-dependent terminator read-through in a strain overexpressing NusG with that in a strain depleted of NusG. In NusG-depleted cells, termination levels were unchanged in the presence or absence of the antiterminator, demonstrating that NusG, like NusB, is necessary for rRNA transcription antitermination. These results imply that NusB and NusG are likely to be part of an RNA-protein complex formed with RNA polymerase during transcription of the rRNA antiterminator sequences that is required for rRNA antiterminator-dependent terminator read-through.


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