scholarly journals Analysis of the Mobilization Functions of the Vancomycin Resistance Transposon Tn1549, a Member of a New Family of Conjugative Elements

2009 ◽  
Vol 192 (3) ◽  
pp. 702-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krassimira Tsvetkova ◽  
Jean-Christophe Marvaud ◽  
Thierry Lambert
Keyword(s):  
Dna Cleavage ◽  
Vancomycin Resistance ◽  
Transcription Analysis ◽  
Rolling Circle ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Integrative And Conjugative Elements ◽  
New Family ◽  
Clostridium Symbiosum ◽  
Coupling Protein ◽  
Nick Site

ABSTRACT Conjugative transfer from Clostridium symbiosum to enterococci of Tn1549, which confers VanB-type vancomycin resistance, has been reported. This indicates the presence of a transfer origin (oriT) in the element. Transcription analysis of Tn1549 indicated that orf29, orf28, orfz, and orf27 were cotranscribed. A pACYC184 derivative containing 250 bp intergenic to orf29-orf30 of Tn1549 was mobilized in Escherichia coli recA::RP4::Δnic provided that orf28 and orf29 were delivered simultaneously. These open reading frame (ORF) genes were able to promote mobilization in trans, but a cis-acting preference was observed. On the basis of a mobilization assay, a minimal 28-bp oriT was delimited, although the frequency of transfer was significantly reduced compared to that of a 130-bp oriT fragment. The minimal oriT contained an inverted repeat and a core, which was homologous to the cleavage sequence found in certain Gram-positive rolling-circle replicating (RCR) plasmids. While Orf29 was a mobilization accessory component similar to MobC proteins, Orf28 was identified as a relaxase belonging to a new phyletic cluster of the MOBp superfamily. The nick site was identified within oriT by an oligonucleotide cleavage assay. Closely related oriTs linked to mobilization genes were detected in data banks; they were found in various integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) originating mainly from anaerobes. These results support the notion that Tn1549 is a member of a MOBp clade. Interestingly, the Tn1549-derived constructs were mobilized by RP4 in E. coli, suggesting that a relaxosome resulting from DNA cleavage by Orf28 interacted with the coupling protein TraG. This demonstrates the capacity of Tn1549 to be mobilized by a heterologous transfer system.

scholarly journals Characterization of Two Novel Polyomaviruses of Birds by Using Multiply Primed Rolling-Circle Amplification of Their Genomes

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (7) ◽  
pp. 3523-3531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reimar Johne ◽  
Walter Wittig ◽  
Daniel Fernández-de-Luco ◽  
Ursula Höfle ◽  
Hermann Müller
Keyword(s):  
Rolling Circle Amplification ◽  
Large Tumor ◽  
Rolling Circle ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Field Samples ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Avian Polyomavirus ◽  
Avian Group ◽  
Pyrrhula Pyrrhula

ABSTRACT Polyomaviruses are small nonenveloped particles with a circular double-stranded genome, approximately 5 kbp in size. The mammalian polyomaviruses mainly cause persistent subclinical infections in their natural nonimmunocompromised hosts. In contrast, the polyomaviruses of birds—avian polyomavirus (APV) and goose hemorrhagic polyomavirus (GHPV)—are the primary agents of acute and chronic disease with high mortality rates in young birds. Screening of field samples of diseased birds by consensus PCR revealed the presence of two novel polyomaviruses in the liver of an Eurasian bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula griseiventris) and in the spleen of a Eurasian jackdaw (Corvus monedula), tentatively designated as finch polyomavirus (FPyV) and crow polyomavirus (CPyV), respectively. The genomes of the viruses were amplified by using multiply primed rolling-circle amplification and cloned. Analysis of the FPyV and CPyV genome sequences revealed a close relationship to APV and GHPV, indicating the existence of a distinct avian group among the polyomaviruses. The main characteristics of this group are (i) involvement in fatal disease, (ii) the existence of an additional open reading frame in the 5′ region of the late mRNAs, and (iii) a different manner of DNA binding of the large tumor antigen compared to that of the mammalian polyomaviruses.

scholarly journals Autonomous Replication of the Conjugative Transposon Tn916

2016 ◽  
Vol 198 (24) ◽  
pp. 3355-3366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurel D. Wright ◽  
Alan D. Grossman
Keyword(s):  
Gene Transfer ◽  
Horizontal Gene Transfer ◽  
Origin Of Replication ◽  
Rolling Circle Replication ◽  
Conjugative Transposon ◽  
Rolling Circle ◽  
Autonomous Replication ◽  
Integrative And Conjugative Elements ◽  
Rolling Circle Mechanism ◽  
Origin Of Transfer

ABSTRACTIntegrative and conjugative elements (ICEs), also known as conjugative transposons, are self-transferable elements that are widely distributed among bacterial phyla and are important drivers of horizontal gene transfer. Many ICEs carry genes that confer antibiotic resistances to their host cells and are involved in the dissemination of these resistance genes. ICEs reside in host chromosomes but under certain conditions can excise to form a plasmid that is typically the substrate for transfer. A few ICEs are known to undergo autonomous replication following activation. However, it is not clear if autonomous replication is a general property of many ICEs. We found that Tn916, the first conjugative transposon identified, replicates autonomously via a rolling-circle mechanism. Replication of Tn916was dependent on the relaxase encoded byorf20of Tn916. The origin of transfer of Tn916,oriT(916), also functioned as an origin of replication. Using immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, we found that the relaxase (Orf20) and the two putative helicase processivity factors (Orf22 and Orf23) encoded by Tn916likely interact in a complex and that the Tn916relaxase contains a previously unidentified conserved helix-turn-helix domain in its N-terminal region that is required for relaxase function and replication. Lastly, we identified a functional single-strand origin of replication (sso) in Tn916that we predict primes second-strand synthesis during rolling-circle replication. Together these results add to the emerging data that show that several ICEs replicate via a conserved, rolling-circle mechanism.IMPORTANCEIntegrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) drive horizontal gene transfer and the spread of antibiotic resistances in bacteria. ICEs reside integrated in a host genome but can excise to create a plasmid that is the substrate for transfer to other cells. Here we show that Tn916, an ICE with broad host range, undergoes autonomous rolling-circle replication when in the plasmid form. We found that the origin of transfer functions as a double-stranded origin of replication and identified a single-stranded origin of replication. It was long thought that ICEs do not undergo autonomous replication. Our work adds to the evidence that ICEs replicate autonomously as part of their normal life cycle and indicates that diverse ICEs use the same replicative mechanism.

Direct detection of circulating microRNAs in serum of cancer patients by coupling protein-facilitated specific enrichment and rolling circle amplification

2014 ◽  
Vol 50 (25) ◽  
pp. 3292-3295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng-Yi Hong ◽  
Xian Chen ◽  
Juan Li ◽  
Jing-Hua Chen ◽  
Guonan Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Rolling Circle Amplification ◽  
Circulating Mirnas ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Circulating Micrornas ◽  
Rolling Circle ◽  
Coupling Protein

A simple method for direct detection of circulating miRNAs in serum by coupling p19 protein-facilitated specific enrichment and RCA.

Molecular Beacon Enables Combination of Highly Processive and Highly Sensitive Rolling Circle Amplification Readouts for Detection of DNA-Modifying Enzymes

Nano LIFE ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 05 (02) ◽  
pp. 1541002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emil L. Kristoffersen ◽  
Maria Gonzalez ◽  
Magnus Stougaard ◽  
Cinzia Tesauro
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Dna Cleavage ◽  
Topoisomerase I ◽  
Drug Response ◽  
Molecular Beacon ◽  
Rolling Circle Amplification ◽  
Dna Topoisomerase ◽  
Rolling Circle ◽  
Topoisomerase Ib ◽  
Highly Sensitive

Here we present an optimized readout format for detection of the circularized products from a DNA-based sensor for measurement of DNA-modifying enzymes including DNA Topoisomerase I. The basic design of the DNA-sensor relies on the use of a substrate that can be circularized by the activity of DNA-modifying enzymes like type IB Topoisomerases and subsequently amplified by a rolling circle amplification (RCA) mechanism. The RCA process can be followed in real-time by the addition of a molecular beacon with a fluorophore/quencher pair. Upon hybridization to the amplified product, the fluorophore/quencher pair is separated, giving rise to a fluorescent signal, measurable in pseudo real-time using a qPCR machine or in a fluorimeter. The RCA products in complex with the molecular beacon can subsequently be moved to microscopic slides and analyzed in a fluorescence microscope. We describe the proof of the principle of this molecular beacon-based method combining the qPCR readout format with the standard Rolling circle Enhanced Enzymatic Assay previously reported. Although the qPCR setup is less sensitive, it allows easy, fast, and high-throughput measurement of enzyme activities. Human Topoisomerase IB (TopIB) is a well-known target for the clinically used anticancer drugs of the camptothecin family. The cytotoxic effect of camptothecins correlates directly with the intracellular TopIB activity affecting reversibly the Topoisomerase/DNA cleavage complexes. Therefore, we envisioned that the presented method may find use for the prediction of cellular drug response and for drug screening to discover novel molecules that specifically inhibit TopIB or other DNA-modifying enzymes.

scholarly journals Incomer, a DD36E family of Tc1/mariner transposons newly discovered in animals

Mobile DNA ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yatong Sang ◽  
Bo Gao ◽  
Mohamed Diaby ◽  
Wencheng Zong ◽  
Cai Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Horizontal Transfer ◽  
Myotis Lucifugus ◽  
Pairwise Distance ◽  
Base Pairs ◽  
Dna Transposons ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Consensus Sequences ◽  
New Family ◽  
Copy Numbers ◽  
Close Relationship

Abstract Background The Tc1/mariner superfamily might represent the most diverse and widely distributed group of DNA transposons. Several families have been identified; however, exploring the diversity of this superfamily and updating its classification is still ongoing in the life sciences. Results Here we identified a new family of Tc1/mariner transposons, named Incomer (IC), which is close to, but distinct from the known family DD34E/Tc1. ICs have a total length of about 1.2 kb, and harbor a single open reading frame encoding a ~ 346 amino acid transposase with a DD36E motif and flanked by short terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) (22–32 base pairs, bp). This family is absent from prokaryotes, and is mainly distributed among vertebrates (141 species of four classes), including Agnatha (one species of jawless fish), Actinopterygii (132 species of ray-finned fish), Amphibia (four species of frogs), and Mammalia (four species of bats), but have a restricted distribution in invertebrates (four species in Insecta and nine in Arachnida). All ICs in bats (Myotis lucifugus, Eptesicus fuscus, Myotis davidii, and Myotis brandtii) are present as truncated copies in these genomes, and most of them are flanked by relatively long TIRs (51–126 bp). High copy numbers of miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs) derived from ICs were also identified in bat genomes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that ICs are more closely related to DD34E/Tc1 than to other families of Tc1/mariner (e.g., DD34D/mariner and DD × D/pogo), and can be classified into four distinct clusters. The host and IC phylogenies and pairwise distance comparisons between RAG1 genes and all consensus sequences of ICs support the idea that multiple episodes of horizontal transfer (HT) of ICs have occurred in vertebrates. In addition, the discovery of intact transposases, perfect TIRs and target site duplications of ICs suggests that this family may still be active in Insecta, Arachnida, frogs, and fish. Conclusions Exploring the diversity of Tc1/mariner transposons and revealing their evolutionary profiles will help provide a better understanding of the evolution of DNA transposons and their impact on genomic evolution. Here, a newly discovered family (DD36E/Incomer) of Tc1/mariner transposons is described in animals. It displays a similar structural organization and close relationship with the known DD34E/Tc1 elements, but has a relatively narrow distribution, indicating that DD36E/IC might have originated from the DD34E/Tc1 family. Our data also support the hypothesis of horizontal transfer of IC in vertebrates, even invading one lineage of mammals (bats). This study expands our understanding of the diversity of Tc1/mariner transposons and updates the classification of this superfamily.

scholarly journals Transfer of Vancomycin Resistance Transposon Tn1549 from Clostridium symbiosum to Enterococcus spp. in the Gut of Gnotobiotic Mice

2006 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 1054-1062 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aline Launay ◽  
Susan A. Ballard ◽  
Paul D. R. Johnson ◽  
M. Lindsay Grayson ◽  
Thierry Lambert
Keyword(s):  
Hot Spots ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Vancomycin Resistance ◽  
Conjugative Transposons ◽  
Target Dna ◽  
Enterococcus Spp ◽  
Clostridium Symbiosum ◽  
Gnotobiotic Mice ◽  
Flanking Regions

ABSTRACT The vancomycin resistance vanB2 gene cluster is disseminated worldwide and has been found in phylogenetically remote bacterial genera. The vanB2 operon is part of conjugative transposons Tn1549/Tn5382, but conjugative transposition of these elements has not been demonstrated. We have obtained transfer of a Tn1549-like element (referred to herein as “Tn1549-like”) from Clostridium symbiosum MLG101 to Enterococcus faecium 64/3 and Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2 in the digestive tract of gnotobiotic mice and to E. faecium 64/3 in vitro. Retransfer of Tn1549-like from an E. faecium transconjugant also containing Tn916 to E. faecium BM77 was obtained in vitro, albeit at a very low frequency. Transfer efficiency was found to be both donor and recipient dependent. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis of total SmaI-digested DNA of 48 transconjugants indicated in 27 instances the acquisition of ca. 34 kb of DNA. Two transconjugants harbored two copies of the transposon. Sequencing of the flanking regions of Tn1549-like in 48 transconjugants revealed 29 integration events in 26 loci in the E. faecium genome, and two hot spots for insertion were identified. Integration of the transposon was associated with the acquisition of 5 (n = 18) or 6 (n = 7) bp of donor DNA or with 5-bp duplications of target DNA in the remaining transconjugants. These data demonstrate functionality of the Tn1549-like element and attest that the transfer of the vanB operon between enterococci and human commensal anaerobes occurs in the intestinal environment.

scholarly journals Molecular Characterization of Plasmid pBM300 from Bacillus megaterium QM B1551

2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 3068-3076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muthusamy Kunnimalaiyaan ◽  
Patricia S. Vary
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Megaterium ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Coding Region ◽  
Rolling Circle ◽  
Rep Protein ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Germination Ability ◽  
Rep Proteins ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Complete Sequencing

ABSTRACT Strain QM B1551 of Bacillus megaterium contains seven compatible plasmids: two small rolling circle plasmids and five theta-replicating plasmids with cross-hybridizing replicons. To expand our understanding of these plasmids, the replicon region (6.7 kb) from pBM300 was cloned, sequenced, and functionally characterized. Sequence analysis showed that the replication protein (RepM300) was highly homologous to two other plasmid Rep proteins of the same strain but to no other known proteins. Furthermore, the location of the replication origin was within the RepM300 coding region, and the origin contained three 12-base direct repeats. Deletion analysis of the replicon confirmed the role of the Rep protein and showed that open reading frame 2 (ORF2) was required for stability. However, the protein encoded by ORF2 is entirely different from the replicon stability proteins encoded by the other two replicons. The entire plasmid was isolated from the plasmid array by integrating a spectinomycin resistance gene and transforming a plasmidless strain, PV361. Complete sequencing showed that pBM300 was 26,300 bp long, had a G+C content of 35.2%, and contained 20 ORFs, two of which encoded proteins that had no similarity to other proteins in the database. The proteins encoded by the plasmid ORFs had similarity to proteins for mobilization and transfer, an integrase, a rifampin resistance protein, a cell wall hydrolase, glutathione synthase, and a biotin carboxylase. The similarities were to several gram-positive genera and a few gram-negative genera and archaea. oriT and ssoT-like regions were detected near two mob genes. These results suggest that pBM300 is a mobilizable hybrid plasmid that confers increased metabolic and germination ability on its host. Its replicon also helps define a new plasmid family.

scholarly journals Genetic Analysis of the Enterococcus Vancomycin Resistance Conjugative Plasmid pHTβ: Identification of the Region Involved in Cell Aggregation and traB, a Key Regulator Gene for Plasmid Transfer and Cell Aggregation

2008 ◽  
Vol 190 (23) ◽  
pp. 7739-7753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haruyoshi Tomita ◽  
Yasuyoshi Ike
Keyword(s):  
Deletion Mutant ◽  
Cell Aggregation ◽  
Vancomycin Resistance ◽  
Plasmid Transfer ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Conjugative Plasmid ◽  
Host Strain ◽  
Transcription Analysis ◽  
Transfer Frequency ◽  
Reading Frames

ABSTRACT The Enterococcus plasmid pHTβ (63.7 kbp) is a pheromone-independent, highly conjugative pMG1-like plasmid that carries a Tn1546-like transposon encoding vancomycin resistance. The transfer-related regions (Tra I, Tra II, and Tra III) containing oriT and a putative nickase gene (traI) have previously been identified in pHTβ, and in this study, we found that the plasmid conferred the ability to self-aggregate on the host strain Enterococcus faecalis FA2-2. A region where mutation resulted in the impairment of aggregation was identified and mapped to a point upstream of the transfer-related Tra I region. This region consisted of an approximately 6-kbp segment that contained the five open reading frames (ORFs) ORF9 to ORF13. These ORFs are considered to encode the aggregation function, although the precise mode of action of each ORF has not yet been elucidated. An in-frame deletion mutant of ORF10 resulted in reduced aggregation and decreased transfer frequency in broth mating. Transcription analysis of the aggregation region showed that the five ORFs from ORF9 to ORF13 form an operon structure, and a long transcript that started from a promoter region located upstream of ORF9 was identified. Tra II spans a 1.7-kbp region containing ORF56 and ORF57. Tn917-lac insertions into or an in-frame deletion mutant of ORF56 (187 amino acids) resulted in impaired transfer and aggregation. The cloned ORF56 complemented these functions in trans. The transcription levels of ORF10 and ORF13 were reduced in the in-frame mutants of ORF56, but this reduction was complemented by a cloned ORF56 in trans. The results indicated that ORF56 positively regulated the aggregation and plasmid transfer in the host strain, and ORF56 was designated traB.

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