scholarly journals Genetic Footprinting in Bacteria

2001 ◽  
Vol 183 (5) ◽  
pp. 1694-1706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta S. Hare ◽  
Scott S. Walker ◽  
Thomas E. Dorman ◽  
Jonathan R. Greene ◽  
Luz-Maria Guzman ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT In vivo genetic footprinting was developed in the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae to simultaneously assess the importance of thousands of genes for the fitness of the cell under any growth condition. We have developed in vivo genetic footprinting forEscherichia coli, a model bacterium and pathogen. We further demonstrate the utility of this technology for rapidly discovering genes that affect the fitness of E. coli under a variety of growth conditions. The definitive features of this system include a conditionally regulated Tn10 transposase with relaxed sequence specificity and a conditionally regulated replicon for the vector containing the transposase and mini-Tn10transposon with an outwardly oriented promoter. This system results in a high frequency of randomly distributed transposon insertions, eliminating the need for the selection of a population containing transposon insertions, stringent suppression of transposon mutagenesis, and few polar effects. Successful footprints have been achieved for most genes longer than 400 bp, including genes located in operons. In addition, the ability of recombinant proteins to complement mutagenized hosts has been evaluated by genetic footprinting using a bacteriophage λ transposon delivery system.

1993 ◽  
Vol 296 (3) ◽  
pp. 851-857 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Belyaeva ◽  
L Griffiths ◽  
S Minchin ◽  
J Cole ◽  
S Busby

The Escherichia coli cysG promoter has been subcloned and shown to function constitutively in a range of different growth conditions. Point mutations identify the -10 hexamer and an important 5′-TGN-3′ motif immediately upstream. The effects of different deletions suggest that specific sequences in the -35 region are not essential for the activity of this promoter in vivo. This conclusion was confirmed by in vitro run-off transcription assays. The DNAase I footprint of RNA polymerase at the cysG promoter reveals extended protection upstream of the transcript start, and studies with potassium permanganate as a probe suggest that the upstream region is distorted in open complexes. Taken together, the results show that the cysG promoter belongs to the ‘extended -10’ class of promoters, and the base sequence is similar to that of the P1 promoter of the E. coli galactose operon, another promoter in this class. In vivo, messenger initiated at the cysG promoter appears to be processed by cleavage at a site 41 bases downstream from the transcript start point.


2007 ◽  
Vol 85 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongmei Dong ◽  
Xiaohu Xu ◽  
Mohong Deng ◽  
Xiaojun Yu ◽  
Hu Zhao ◽  
...  

The aim of the study was to prepare an active recombinant human perforin by comparing 5 candidate segments of human perforin. Full-length perforin, MAC1 (28–349 aa), MAC2 (166–369 aa), C-100, and N-60 of human perforin were selected as candidate active segments and designated, respectively, HP1, HP2, HP3, HP4, and HP5. The target genes were amplified by PCR and the products were individually subcloned into pGEM-T. The genes for HP1, HP2, HP3, and HP5 were subcloned into pET-DsbA, whereas pET-41a (+) was used as the expression vector of HP4. The fusion proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli BL21pLysS(DE3) and purified using nickel nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) agarose affinity chromatography. The hemolysis microassay was used as an activity assay of fusion protein. From this study, we obtained the recombinant plasmids pGEM-T-HP1, -HP2, -HP3, -HP4 and -HP5, consisting of 1600, 960, 600, 300bp, and 180, respectively. From these recombinant plasmids, expression plasmids were successfully constructed and expressed in E. coli BL21pLysS(DE3). The resultant fusion proteins, affinity purified using Ni–NTA, were ~80, 58, 45, 44, and 30 kDa, respectively. The recombinant proteins were assayed for activity on hemolysis. HP2 and HP5 were the only recombinant proteins that were active in hemolysis, and the hemolytic function was concentration dependent. These results demonstrate that active recombinant forms of perforin can be synthesized in a prokaryote model. The recombinant N-60 and MAC1 (28–349 aa) of human perforin have the function of forming pores. Our study provides the experimental basis for further investigation on the application of perforin.


2005 ◽  
Vol 70 (12) ◽  
pp. 1401-1407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Markovic ◽  
Sandra Vojnovic ◽  
Milija Jovanovic ◽  
Branka Vasiljevic

The KgmB methylase from Streptomyces tenebrarius was expressed and purified using the QIAexpress System. Two expression vectors were made: pQEK-N, which places a (His)6 tag at the N-terminus, and pQEK-C, which places a (His)6 tag at the C-terminus of the recombinant KgmB protein. Kanamycin resistance of the E. coli cells containing either the pQEK-N or the pQEK-C recombinant plasmids confirmed the functionality of both KgmB-His fusion proteins in vivo. Interestingly, different levels of expression were observed between these two recombinant proteins. Namely, KgmB methylase with the (His)6 tag at the N-terminus showed a higher level of expression. Purification of the (His)6-tagged proteins using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography was performed under native conditions and the KgmB methylase with (His)6 tag at the N-terminus was purified to homogeneity >95 %. The recombinant KgmB protein was detected on a Western blot using anti-Sgm antibodies.


2000 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 884-889 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuyo Nishihara ◽  
Masaaki Kanemori ◽  
Hideki Yanagi ◽  
Takashi Yura

ABSTRACT To examine the effects of overexpression of trigger factor (TF) on recombinant proteins produced in Escherichia coli, we constructed plasmids that permitted controlled expression of TF alone or together with the GroEL-GroES chaperones. The following three proteins that are prone to aggregation were tested as targets: mouse endostatin, human oxygen-regulated protein ORP150, and human lysozyme. The results revealed that TF overexpression had marked effects on the production of these proteins in soluble forms, presumably through facilitating correct folding. Whereas overexpression of TF alone was sufficient to prevent aggregation of endostatin, overexpression of TF together with GroEL-GroES was more effective for ORP150 and lysozyme, suggesting that TF and GroEL-GroES play synergistic roles in vivo. Although coexpression of the DnaK-DnaJ-GrpE chaperones was also effective for endostatin and ORP150, coexpression of TF and GroEL-GroES was more effective for lysozyme. These results attest to the usefulness of the present expression plasmids for improving protein production inE. coli.


2008 ◽  
Vol 190 (18) ◽  
pp. 6170-6177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda D. Rankin ◽  
Diane M. Bodenmiller ◽  
Jonathan D. Partridge ◽  
Shirley F. Nishino ◽  
Jim C. Spain ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Chromatin immunoprecipitation and microarray (ChIP-chip) analysis showed that the nitric oxide (NO)-sensitive repressor NsrR from Escherichia coli binds in vivo to the promoters of the tynA and feaB genes. These genes encode the first two enzymes of a pathway that is required for the catabolism of phenylethylamine (PEA) and its hydroxylated derivatives tyramine and dopamine. Deletion of nsrR caused small increases in the activities of the tynA and feaB promoters in cultures grown on PEA. Overexpression of nsrR severely retarded growth on PEA and caused a marked repression of the tynA and feaB promoters. Both the growth defect and the promoter repression were reversed in the presence of a source of NO. These results are consistent with NsrR mediating repression of the tynA and feaB genes by binding (in an NO-sensitive fashion) to the sites identified by ChIP-chip. E. coli was shown to use 3-nitrotyramine as a nitrogen source for growth, conditions which partially induce the tynA and feaB promoters. Mutation of tynA (but not feaB) prevented growth on 3-nitrotyramine. Growth yields, mutant phenotypes, and analyses of culture supernatants suggested that 3-nitrotyramine is oxidized to 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenylacetate, with growth occurring at the expense of the amino group of 3-nitrotyramine. Accordingly, enzyme assays showed that 3-nitrotyramine and its oxidation product (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenylacetaldehyde) could be oxidized by the enzymes encoded by tynA and feaB, respectively. The results suggest that an additional physiological role of the PEA catabolic pathway is to metabolize nitroaromatic compounds that may accumulate in cells exposed to NO.


2011 ◽  
Vol 64 (8) ◽  
pp. 1736-1742 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Soleimani ◽  
B. Ormeci ◽  
O. B. Isgor ◽  
S. Papavinasam

Sulfide is known to be an important factor in microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) of metals and concrete deterioration in wastewater treatment structures and sewer pipelines. A sulfide biosensor was used to determine the effectiveness of Escherichia coli DH5α biofilm as a protective barrier against MIC. The biofilm was shown to be effective in protecting surfaces from sulfide and helping to reduce MIC using amperometric measurements. The results also indicated that the growth conditions of E. coli DH5α may have an impact on the performance of the biofilm as a sulfide barrier. The simple method provided in this work enables the comparison of several microbial biofilms and selection of the ones with potential to prevent MIC in a relatively short time.


2012 ◽  
Vol 75 (10) ◽  
pp. 1743-1750 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANDREA KROJ ◽  
HERBERT SCHMIDT

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains are important foodborne pathogens that are often transmitted to humans by the ingestion of raw or undercooked meat of bovine origin. To investigate adaptation of this pathogen during persistence and growth in ground meat, we established an in vivo expression technology model to identify genes that are expressed during growth in this food matrix under elevated temperatures (42°C). To improve on the antibiotic-based selection method, we constructed the promoter trap vector pAK-1, containing a promoterless kanamycin resistance gene. A genomic library of E. coli O157:H7 strain EDL933 was constructed in pAK-1 and used for promoter selection in ground meat. The 20 in vivo expressed genes identified were associated with transport processes, metabolism, macromolecule synthesis, and stress response. For most of the identified genes, only hypothetical functions could be assigned. The results of our study provide the first insights into the complex response of E. coli O157:H7 to a ground meat environment under elevated temperatures and establish a suitable vector for promoter studies or selection of in vivo induced promoters in foods such as ground meat.


2003 ◽  
Vol 185 (10) ◽  
pp. 3076-3080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Esposito ◽  
Gary F. Gerard

ABSTRACT The Escherichia coli nucleoid-associated protein Fis was previously shown to be involved in bacteriophage lambda site-specific recombination in vivo, enhancing the levels of both integrative recombination and excisive recombination. While purified Fis protein was shown to stimulate in vitro excision, Fis appeared to have no effect on in vitro integration reactions even though a 15-fold drop in lysogenization frequency had previously been observed in fis mutants. We demonstrate here that E. coli Fis protein does stimulate integrative lambda recombination in vitro but only under specific conditions which likely mimic natural in vivo recombination more closely than the standard conditions used in vitro. In the presence of suboptimal concentrations of Int protein, Fis stimulates the rate of integrative recombination significantly. In addition, Fis enhances the recombination of substrates with nonstandard topologies which may be more relevant to the process of in vivo phage lambda recombination. These data support the hypothesis that Fis may play an essential role in lambda recombination in the host cell.


2020 ◽  
pp. AAC.01858-20
Author(s):  
Clara Atterby ◽  
Marie Nykvist ◽  
Ulrika Lustig ◽  
Dan I. Andersson ◽  
Josef Järhult ◽  
...  

Emergence and selection of antibiotic resistance following exposure to high antibiotic concentrations have been repeatedly shown in clinical and agricultural settings, whereas the role of the weak selective pressures exerted by antibiotic levels below the minimum inhibitory concentration (sub-MIC) in aquatic environments due to anthropogenic contamination remains unclear. Here we have studied how exposure to sub-MIC levels of ciprofloxacin enriches for E. coli with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin using a Mallard colonization model. Mallards were inoculated with two isogenic ESBL-encoding E. coli strains, only differing by a gyrA mutation resulting in increased MIC to ciprofloxacin, and exposed to different levels of ciprofloxacin in their swimming water. Changes in the ratios of mutant to parental strains excreted in feces over time and ESBL-plasmid spread among the gut microbiota from individual birds were investigated. Results show that in vivo selection of gyrA mutants occurred in Mallards during exposure to ciprofloxacin at concentration previously found in aquatic environments. During colonization, resistance plasmids were readily transferred between strains in the intestines of the Mallards but conjugation frequencies were not affected by ciprofloxacin exposure. Our results highlight the potential for enrichment of resistant bacteria in wildlife and underline the importance of reducing antibiotic pollution in the environment.


2010 ◽  
Vol 432 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wu Wang ◽  
Hao Huang ◽  
Guoqiang Tan ◽  
Fan Si ◽  
Min Liu ◽  
...  

IscA is a key member of the iron–sulfur cluster assembly machinery in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms; however, the physiological function of IscA still remains elusive. In the present paper we report the in vivo evidence demonstrating the iron-binding activity of IscA in Escherichia coli cells. Supplement of exogenous iron (1 μM) in M9 minimal medium is sufficient to maximize the iron binding in IscA expressed in E. coli cells under aerobic growth conditions. In contrast, IscU, an iron–sulfur cluster assembly scaffold protein, or CyaY, a bacterial frataxin homologue, fails to bind any iron in E. coli cells under the same experimental conditions. Interestingly, the strong iron-binding activity of IscA is greatly diminished in E. coli cells under anaerobic growth conditions. Additional studies reveal that oxygen in medium promotes the iron binding in IscA, and that the iron binding in IscA in turn prevents formation of biologically inaccessible ferric hydroxide under aerobic conditions. Consistent with the differential iron-binding activity of IscA under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, we find that IscA and its paralogue SufA are essential for the iron–sulfur cluster assembly in E. coli cells under aerobic growth conditions, but not under anaerobic growth conditions. The results provide in vivo evidence that IscA may act as an iron chaperone for the biogenesis of iron–sulfur clusters in E. coli cells under aerobic conditions.


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