scholarly journals Isolation and Characterization of cLV25, a Bacteroides fragilis Chromosomal Transfer Factor Resembling Multiple Bacteroides sp. Mobilizable Transposons

2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (7) ◽  
pp. 1895-1904 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen A. Bass ◽  
David W. Hecht
Keyword(s):  
Transfer Factor ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Shuttle Vector ◽  
Bacteroides Fragilis ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽  
Dna Transfer ◽  
Conjugative Plasmid ◽  
Significant Similarity ◽  
Transfer Factors ◽  
Isolation And Characterization

ABSTRACT Horizontal DNA transfer contributes significantly to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes in Bacteroides fragilis. To further our understanding of DNA transfer in B. fragilis, we isolated and characterized a new transfer factor, cLV25. cLV25 was isolated from B. fragilis LV25 by its capture on the nonmobilizable Escherichia coli-Bacteroides shuttle vector pGAT400ΔBglII. Similar to other Bacteroides sp. transfer factors, cLV25 was mobilized in E. coli by the conjugative plasmid R751. Using Tn1000 mutagenesis and deletion analysis of cLV25, two mobilization genes, bmgA and bmgB, were identified, whose predicted proteins have similarity to DNA relaxases and mobilization proteins, respectively. In particular, BmgA and BmgB were homologous to MocA and MocB, respectively, the two mobilization proteins of the B. fragilis mobilizable transposon Tn4399. A cis-acting origin of transfer (oriT) was localized to a 353-bp region that included nearly all of the intergenic region between bmgB and orf22 and overlapped with the 3′ end of orf22. This oriT contained a putative nic site sequence but showed no significant similarity to the oriT regions of other transfer factors, including Tn4399. Despite the lack of sequence similarity between the oriTs of cLV25 and Tn4399, a mutation in the cLV25 putative DNA relaxase, bmgA, was partially complemented by Tn4399. In addition to the functional cross-reaction with Tn4399, a second distinguishing feature of cLV25 is that predicted proteins have similarity to proteins encoded not only by Tn4399 but by several Bacteroides sp. transfer factors, including NBU1, NBU2, CTnDOT, Tn4555, and Tn5520.

scholarly journals Bacteroides fragilis Transfer Factor Tn5520: the Smallest Bacterial Mobilizable Transposon Containing Single Integrase and Mobilization Genes That Function inEscherichia coli

1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (8) ◽  
pp. 2564-2571 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gayatri Vedantam ◽  
Thomas J. Novicki ◽  
David W. Hecht
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Shuttle Vector ◽  
Insertion Site ◽  
Bacteroides Fragilis ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Transfer Factors ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Isolation And Characterization

ABSTRACT Many bacterial genera, including Bacteroides spp., harbor mobilizable transposons, a class of transfer factors that carry genes for conjugal DNA transfer and, in some cases, antibiotic resistance. Mobilizable transposons are capable of inserting into and mobilizing other, nontransferable plasmids and are implicated in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. This paper presents the isolation and characterization of Tn5520, a new mobilizable transposon from Bacteroides fragilis LV23. At 4,692 bp, it is the smallest mobilizable transposon reported from any bacterial genus. Tn5520 was captured from B. fragilis LV23 by using the transfer-deficient shuttle vector pGAT400ΔBglII. The termini of Tn5520 contain a 22-bp imperfect inverted repeat, and transposition does not result in a target site repeat. Tn5520 also demonstrates insertion site sequence preferences characterized by A-T-rich nucleotide sequences. Tn5520 has been sequenced in its entirety, and two large open reading frames whose predicted protein products exhibit strong sequence similarity to recombinase-integrase enzymes and mobilization proteins, respectively, have been identified. The transfer, mobilization, and transposition properties of Tn5520 have been studied, revealing that Tn5520mobilizes plasmids in both B. fragilis andEscherichia coli at high frequency and also transposes inE. coli.

scholarly journals Isolation and Characterization of BTF-37: Chromosomal DNA Captured from Bacteroides fragilis That Confers Self-Transferability and Expresses a Pilus-Like Structure in Bacteroides spp. and Escherichia coli

2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (3) ◽  
pp. 728-738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gayatri Vedantam ◽  
David W. Hecht
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Transfer Factor ◽  
Shuttle Vector ◽  
Bacteroides Fragilis ◽  
Functional Assay ◽  
Broad Host Range ◽  
Chromosomal Dna ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Isolation And Characterization

ABSTRACT We report the isolation and preliminary characterization of BTF-37, a new 52-kb transfer factor isolated from Bacteroides fragilis clinical isolate LV23. BTF-37 was obtained by the capture of new DNA in the nonmobilizable Bacteroides-Escherichia coli shuttle vector pGAT400ΔBglII using a functional assay. BTF-37 is self-transferable within and from Bacteroides and also self-transfers in E. coli. Partial DNA sequencing, colony hybridization, and PCR revealed the presence of Tet element-specific sequences in BTF-37. In addition, Tn5520, a small mobilizable transposon that we described previously (G. Vedantam, T. J. Novicki, and D. W. Hecht, J. Bacteriol. 181:2564–2571, 1999), was also coisolated within BTF-37. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy of Tet element-containing Bacteroides spp. and BTF-37-harboring Bacteroides and E. coli strains revealed the presence of pilus-like cell surface structures. These structures were visualized in Bacteroides spp. only when BTF-37 and Tet element strains were induced with subinhibitory concentrations of tetracycline and resembled those encoded by E. coli broad-host-range plasmids. We conclude that we have captured a new, self-transferable transfer factor from B. fragilis LV23 and that this new factor encodes a tetracycline-inducible Bacteroides sp. conjugation apparatus.

scholarly journals Isolation and characterization of PEP3, a gene required for vacuolar biogenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 5801-5812
Author(s):  
R A Preston ◽  
M F Manolson ◽  
K Becherer ◽  
E Weidenhammer ◽  
D Kirkpatrick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Gene Product ◽  
Zinc Finger ◽  
Genomic Library ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Carboxypeptidase Y ◽  
Lag Phase ◽  
Significant Similarity ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Isolation And Characterization

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae PEP3 gene was cloned from a wild-type genomic library by complementation of the carboxypeptidase Y deficiency in a pep3-12 strain. Subclone complementation results localized the PEP3 gene to a 3.8-kb DNA fragment. The DNA sequence of the fragment was determined; a 2,754-bp open reading frame predicts that the PEP3 gene product is a hydrophilic, 107-kDa protein that has no significant similarity to any known protein. The PEP3 predicted protein has a zinc finger (CX2CX13CX2C) near its C terminus that has spacing and slight sequence similarity to the adenovirus E1a zinc finger. A radiolabeled PEP3 DNA probe hybridized to an RNA transcript of 3.1 kb in extracts of log-phase and diauxic lag-phase cells. Cells bearing pep3 deletion/disruption alleles were viable, had decreased levels of protease A, protease B, and carboxypeptidase Y antigens, had decreased repressible alkaline phosphatase activity, and contained very few normal vacuolelike organelles by fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy but had an abundance of extremely small vesicles that stained with carboxyfluorescein diacetate, were severely inhibited for growth at 37 degrees C, and were incapable of sporulating (as homozygotes). Fractionation of cells expressing a bifunctional PEP3::SUC2 fusion protein indicated that the PEP3 gene product is present at low abundance in both log-phase and stationary cells and is a vacuolar peripheral membrane protein. Sequence identity established that PEP3 and VPS18 (J. S. Robinson, T. R. Graham, and S. D. Emr, Mol. Cell. Biol. 11:5813-5824, 1991) are the same gene.

scholarly journals Molecular Mechanisms Influencing Bacterial Conjugation in the Intestinal Microbiota

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Neil ◽  
Nancy Allard ◽  
Sébastien Rodrigue
Keyword(s):  
Intestinal Microbiota ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽  
Dna Transfer ◽  
Conjugative Plasmid ◽  
Microbial Populations ◽  
Bacterial Conjugation ◽  
Mating Pair ◽  
Dense Population ◽  
Factors Influencing

Bacterial conjugation is a widespread and particularly efficient strategy to horizontally disseminate genes in microbial populations. With a rich and dense population of microorganisms, the intestinal microbiota is often considered a fertile environment for conjugative transfer and a major reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes. In this mini-review, we summarize recent findings suggesting that few conjugative plasmid families present in Enterobacteriaceae transfer at high rates in the gut microbiota. We discuss the importance of mating pair stabilization as well as additional factors influencing DNA transfer efficiency and conjugative host range in this environment. Finally, we examine the potential repurposing of bacterial conjugation for microbiome editing.

scholarly journals Isolation and characterization of PEP3, a gene required for vacuolar biogenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 5801-5812 ◽  
Author(s):  
R A Preston ◽  
M F Manolson ◽  
K Becherer ◽  
E Weidenhammer ◽  
D Kirkpatrick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Gene Product ◽  
Zinc Finger ◽  
Genomic Library ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Carboxypeptidase Y ◽  
Lag Phase ◽  
Significant Similarity ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Isolation And Characterization

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae PEP3 gene was cloned from a wild-type genomic library by complementation of the carboxypeptidase Y deficiency in a pep3-12 strain. Subclone complementation results localized the PEP3 gene to a 3.8-kb DNA fragment. The DNA sequence of the fragment was determined; a 2,754-bp open reading frame predicts that the PEP3 gene product is a hydrophilic, 107-kDa protein that has no significant similarity to any known protein. The PEP3 predicted protein has a zinc finger (CX2CX13CX2C) near its C terminus that has spacing and slight sequence similarity to the adenovirus E1a zinc finger. A radiolabeled PEP3 DNA probe hybridized to an RNA transcript of 3.1 kb in extracts of log-phase and diauxic lag-phase cells. Cells bearing pep3 deletion/disruption alleles were viable, had decreased levels of protease A, protease B, and carboxypeptidase Y antigens, had decreased repressible alkaline phosphatase activity, and contained very few normal vacuolelike organelles by fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy but had an abundance of extremely small vesicles that stained with carboxyfluorescein diacetate, were severely inhibited for growth at 37 degrees C, and were incapable of sporulating (as homozygotes). Fractionation of cells expressing a bifunctional PEP3::SUC2 fusion protein indicated that the PEP3 gene product is present at low abundance in both log-phase and stationary cells and is a vacuolar peripheral membrane protein. Sequence identity established that PEP3 and VPS18 (J. S. Robinson, T. R. Graham, and S. D. Emr, Mol. Cell. Biol. 11:5813-5824, 1991) are the same gene.

scholarly journals tISCpe8, an IS1595-Family Lincomycin Resistance Element Located on a Conjugative Plasmid in Clostridium perfringens

2009 ◽  
Vol 191 (20) ◽  
pp. 6345-6351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dena Lyras ◽  
Vicki Adams ◽  
Susan A. Ballard ◽  
Wee L. Teng ◽  
Pauline M. Howarth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clostridium Perfringens ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽  
Tetracycline Resistance ◽  
Conjugative Plasmid ◽  
Insertion Sequences ◽  
Genetic Element ◽  
Significant Similarity ◽  
Conjugative Transposon ◽  
Resistance Determinants ◽  
Lincomycin Resistance

ABSTRACT Clostridium perfringens is a normal gastrointestinal organism that is a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes and can potentially act as a source from which mobile elements and their associated resistance determinants can be transferred to other bacterial pathogens. Lincomycin resistance in C. perfringens is common and is usually encoded by erm genes that confer macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance. In this study we identified strains that are lincomycin resistant but erythromycin sensitive and showed that the lincomycin resistance determinant was plasmid borne and could be transferred to other C. perfringens isolates by conjugation. The plasmid, pJIR2774, is the first conjugative C. perfringens R-plasmid to be identified that does not confer tetracycline resistance. Further analysis showed that resistance was encoded by the lnuP gene, which encoded a putative lincosamide nucleotidyltransferase and was located on tISCpe8, a functional transposable genetic element that was a member of the IS1595 family of transposon-like insertion sequences. This element had significant similarity to the mobilizable lincomycin resistance element tISSag10 from Streptococcus agalactiae. Like tISSag10, tISCpe8 carries a functional origin of transfer within the resistance gene, allowing the element to be mobilized by the conjugative transposon Tn916. The similarity of these elements and the finding that they both contain an oriT-like region support the hypothesis that conjugation may result in the movement of DNA modules that are not obviously mobile since they are not linked to conjugation or mobilization functions. This process likely plays a significant role in bacterial adaptation and evolution.

scholarly journals Replication of Staphylococcal Multiresistance Plasmids

2000 ◽  
Vol 182 (8) ◽  
pp. 2170-2178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neville Firth ◽  
Sumalee Apisiridej ◽  
Tracey Berg ◽  
Brendon A. O'Rourke ◽  
Steve Curnock ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Heavy Metal Resistance ◽  
Metal Resistance ◽  
Replication Initiation ◽  
Conjugative Plasmid ◽  
Rolling Circle ◽  
Segregational Stability ◽  
Structural And Functional Properties ◽  
Resistance Plasmids ◽  
Genes Encoding

ABSTRACT Based on structural and functional properties, three groups of large staphylococcal multiresistance plasmids have been recognized, viz., the pSK1 family, pSK41-like conjugative plasmids, and β-lactamase–heavy-metal resistance plasmids. Here we describe an analysis of the replication functions of a representative of each of these plasmid groups. The replication initiation genes from theStaphylococcus aureus plasmids pSK1, pSK41, and pI9789::Tn552 were found to be related to each other and to the Staphylococcus xylosus plasmid pSX267 and are also related to rep genes of several plasmids from other gram-positive genera. Nucleotide sequence similarity between pSK1 and pI9789::Tn552 extended beyond theirrep genes, encompassing upstream divergently transcribed genes, orf245 and orf256, respectively. Our analyses revealed that genes encoding proteins related to the deducedorf245 product are variously represented, in several types of organization, on plasmids possessing six seemingly evolutionarily distinct types of replication initiation genes and including both theta-mode and rolling-circle replicons. Construction of minireplicons and subsequent functional analysis demonstrated that orf245is required for the segregational stability of the pSK1 replicon. In contrast, no gene equivalent to orf245 is evident on the conjugative plasmid pSK41, and a minireplicon encoding only the pSK41 rep gene was found to exhibit a segregational stability approaching that of the parent plasmid. Significantly, the results described establish that many of the large multiresistance plasmids that have been identified in clinical staphylococci, which were formerly presumed to be unrelated, actually utilize an evolutionarily related theta-mode replication system.

scholarly journals Functional Characterization of IS1999, an IS4 Family Element Involved in Mobilization and Expression of β-Lactam Resistance Genes

2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (18) ◽  
pp. 6506-6514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Aubert ◽  
Thierry Naas ◽  
Claire Héritier ◽  
Laurent Poirel ◽  
Patrice Nordmann
Keyword(s):  
Resistance Genes ◽  
Consensus Sequence ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽  
Conjugative Plasmid ◽  
Transposition Frequency ◽  
Transposase Gene ◽  
Reverse Transcription Pcr ◽  
Mutant Derivative ◽  
Rapid Amplification

ABSTRACT IS1999 and a point mutant derivative, IS1999.2, have been described inserted upstream of emerging antibiotic resistance genes bla VEB-1 and bla OXA-48. 5′ Rapid amplification of cDNA ends experiments revealed that expression of these β-lactamase genes was driven by the outward-directed promoter, Pout, located in the IS1999 elements. These findings led us to study IS1999-mediated gene mobilization. Thus, the transposition properties of IS1999 and of IS1999-based composite transposons, made of two copies of IS1999 in different orientations, were investigated. IS1999 or IS1999-based composite transposons were capable of transposing onto the conjugative plasmid pOX38-Gen. Sequence analysis of the insertion sites revealed that IS1999 inserted preferentially into DNA targets containing the consensus sequence NGCNNNGCN. Transposition was more efficient when at least one left inverted repeat end was located at an outside end of the transposon. The transposition frequency of IS1999.2 was 10-fold lower than that of IS1999, and transposition frequencies of the putative natural transposon, Tn1999, were below detection limits of our transposition assay. This reduced transposition frequency of IS1999.2-based elements may result from a lower transcription of the transposase gene, as revealed by reverse transcription-PCR analyses.

scholarly journals The embryonic RNA helicase gene (ERH): a new member of the DEAD box family of RNA helicases

1995 ◽  
Vol 308 (3) ◽  
pp. 839-846 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Sowden ◽  
W Putt ◽  
K Morrison ◽  
R Beddington ◽  
Y Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Expression Profile ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Rna Helicase ◽  
Chromosome 1 ◽  
Rna Helicases ◽  
High Sequence Similarity ◽  
Dead Box ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Helicase Gene ◽  
The Dead

DEAD box proteins share several highly conserved motifs including the characteristic Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp (D-E-A-D in the amino acid single-letter code) motif and have established or putative ATP-dependent RNA helicase activity. These proteins are implicated in a range of cellular processes that involve regulation of RNA function, including translation initiation, RNA splicing and ribosome assembly. Here we describe the isolation and characterization of an embryonic RNA helicase gene, ERH, which maps to mouse chromosome 1 and encodes a new member of the DEAD box family of proteins. The predicted ERH protein shows high sequence similarity to the testes-specific mouse PL10 and to the maternally acting Xenopus An3 helicase proteins. The ERH expression profile is similar, to that of An3, which localizes to the animal hemisphere of oocytes and is abundantly expressed in the embryo. ERH is expressed in oocytes and is a ubiquitous mRNA in the 9 days-post-conception embryo, and at later stages of development shows a more restricted pattern of expression in brain and kidney. The similarities in sequence and in expression profile suggest that ERH is the murine equivalent of the Xenopus An3 gene, and we propose that ERH plays a role in translational activation of mRNA in the oocyte and early embryo.

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