A physiological study of functional expression in Escherichia coli of the cloned yeast imidazoleglycerolphosphate dehydratase gene

A cosmid for selecting genes by complementation in Aspergillus nidulans: Selection of the developmentally regulated yA locus

We constructed a 9.9-kilobase cloning vector, designated pKBY2, for isolating genes by complementation of mutations in Aspergillus nidulans. pKBY2 contains the bacteriophage lambda cos site, to permit in vitro assembly of phage particles; a bacterial origin of replication and genes for resistance to ampicillin and chloramphenicol, to permit propagation in Escherichia coli; the A. nidulans trpC(+) gene, to permit selection in Aspergillus; and a unique BamHI restriction site, to permit insertion of DNA fragments produced by digestion with restriction endonucleases BamHI, BglII, Mbo I, or Sau3A. We used this cosmid to form a quasirandom recombinant DNA library containing 35- to 40-kilobase DNA fragments from a wild-type strain of A. nidulans. DNA from this library transformed a yellow-spored (yA(-)) pabaA(-)trpC(-)Aspergillus strain (FGSC237) to trpC(+) at frequencies of approximately 10 transformants per mug of DNA. Three of approximately 1000 trpC(+)pabaA(-) colonies obtained were putative yA(+) transformants, because they produced wild-type (green) spores. DNA from each of the green-spored transformants contained pKBY2 sequences and DNA from two transformants transduced E. coli to ampicillin resistance following treatment in vitro with a lambda packaging extract. The cosmids recovered in E. coli had similar restriction patterns and both yielded trpC(+) transformants of A. nidulans FGSC237, 85% of which produced green spores. Several lines of evidence indicate that the recovered cosmids contain a wild-type copy of the yA gene.

Purification and characterization of the imidazoleglycerol-phosphate dehydratase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from recombinant Escherichia coli

The HIS3+ gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the recombinant imidazoleglycerol-phosphate dehydratase (IGPD) purified to homogeneity. Laser-desorption and electrospray m.s. indicated a molecular ion within 2 units of that expected (23833.3) on the basis of the protein sequence, with about half of the polypeptide lacking the N-terminal formylmethionine residue. IGPD initially purified as an apoprotein was catalytically inactive and mainly a trimer of M(r) 70,000. Addition of Mn2+ (but not Mg2+) caused this to assemble to an active (40 units/mg) enzyme (Mn-IGPD) comprising of 24 subunits (M(r) 573,000) and containing 1.35 +/- 0.1 Mn atoms/polypeptide subunit. An enzyme with an identical activity and metal content was also obtained when the fermenter growth medium of recombinant Escherichia coli was supplemented with MnCl2, and IGPD was purified through as Mn-IGPD rather than as the apoenzyme and assembled in vitro. Inhibition by EDTA indicated that the intrinsic Mn2+ was essential for activity. The retention of activity over time after dilution to very low concentrations of enzyme (< 20 nM) indicated that the metal remained in tight association with the protein. A novel continuous assay method was developed to facilitate the kinetic characterization of Mn-IGPD. At pH 7.0, the Km for IGP was 0.10 +/- 0.02 mM and the Ki value for inhibition by 1,2,4-triazole, 0.12 +/- 0.02 mM. In contrast with other reports, thiols had no influence on catalytic activity. The activity of Mn-IGPD varied with enzyme concentration in such a way as to suggest that it dissociates to a less active form at very low concentrations. Significant inhibition by the product, imidazole acetol phosphate, was inferred from the shape of the progress curve. Titration with, the potent competitive inhibitor, 2-hydroxy-3-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)propyl phosphonate indicated that Mn-IGPD contained 0.9 +/- 0.1 catalytic sites/protomer. The activity nearly doubled in the presence of high concentrations of Mn2+; the apparent Ks for stimulation was 20 microM. The basis of this effect was obscure, since there was no corresponding increase in the titre of active sites. Neither was there a discernable shift in the values of Km or Ki (above), although exogenous Mn2+ did reduce the optimum pH for kcat, from 7.2 to 6.8. On the basis of a single site/subunit, the maximum rate of catalytic turnover at 30 degrees C was 32 s-1.

Yeast HIS3 expression in Escherichia coli depends upon fortuitous homology between eukaryotic and prokaryotic promoter elements

The yeast imidazoleglycerolphosphate dehydratase gene HIS3, when introduced into Escherichia coli, is transcribed and translated with sufficient fidelity to produce functional enzyme. The following lines of evidence indicate that E. coli RNA polymerase recognizes a particular region of HIS3 DNA as a promoter sequence. First, this promoter contains nucleotide sequences that resemble the canonical prokaryotic promoter elements, the -10 and -35 regions. Second, HIS3 transcription in vitro by E. coli RNA polymerase is initiated at the predicted site downstream from the conserved sequences. Third, deletion mutations that successively encroach upon the 5' end of the HIS3 gene indicate that the promoter is necessary and sufficient for expression in E. coli. Fourth, a single base-pair change that behaves as an "up-promoter" mutation alters the -35 region such that it becomes identical with the consensus sequence. Because the -10 region of this promoter coincides with the TATA promoter element that is necessary for expression in yeast cells, it is possible directly to compare prokaryotic and eukaryotic promoter function. Analysis of 51 deletion and substitution mutations indicates that the patterns of mutant phenotypes are quite different for each organism. Therefore, although prokaryotic -10 regions are similar in sequence to eukaryotic TATA elements and although the same his3 region serves both functions, it appears that this represents an evolutionary coincidence whose current functional basis is minimal. The evolutionary significance of the homology between prokaryotic and eukaryotic promoter elements is discussed.

Expression of a wheat alpha-amylase gene in Escherichia coli: recognition of the translational initiation site and the signal peptide

Transcription of a full-length cDNA clone of wheat alpha-amylase using a lac promoter in Escherichia coli results in synthesis of a precursor alpha-amylase polypeptide of the correct size, indicating that translation initiates correctly. Recognition of the plant translational initiation site by E. coli ribosomes is 15-20% as efficient as the ribosome-binding site of the beta-lactamase gene when it is fused to alpha-amylase. The alpha-amylase signal peptide is recognised in E. coli resulting in secretion of the enzyme into the periplasmic space; deletion of the signal peptide prevents secretion. Replacement of the alpha-amylase signal peptide with a beta-lactamase signal peptide also enables the bacterial cell to secrete the enzyme. The presence of the beta-lactamase and the alpha-amylase signal peptides in tandem results in secretion of the enzyme and removal of both signal peptides.

Efficient expression of the Escherichia coli leuB gene in yeast

Efficient expression of the Escherichia coli leuB (beta-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase) gene occurred in yeast after in vitro DNase digestion and religation of plasmid bound leuB and the yeast HIS3 DNA which placed the 5' end of the yeast HIS3 gene immediately adjacent to the coding region of the E. coli leuB gene. Two structurally distinct classes of gene fusions were constructed, each involved portions of the yeast HIS3 gene which contributed DNA sequences responsible for leuB expression in yeast. The first class involved fusion of the HIS3 coding region to bacterial DNA resulting in the production of a fusion protein with beta-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase activity. The second class consisted of bacterial DNA, including the leuB coding region, fused to the HIS3 promotor region with the absence of any portion of the HIS3 coding region. In both constructions the HIS3 promotor region is required for transcription, however, translation of the class two fusion is initiated at a bacterial DNA coded AUG, and the 5' end of the mRNA coded by the leuB gene mapped predominantly at bacterial DNA sequences. The DNA sequence responsible for the 5' end of the HIS3 mRNAs remain in the class two gene fusions but this did not preclude the initiation of transcription at bacterial DNA sequences. The pattern of mRNA initiation at bacterial DNA suggests that DNA sequences at, or adjacent to, the site of transcription initiation are involved in the determination of the sites of initiation, and perhaps the frequency at which initiation occurs.

DNA sequences flanking an E. coli insertion element IS2 in a cloned yeast TRP5 gene

The insertion of an Escherichia coli IS2 element upstream from a cloned yeast TRP5 gene results in an increased level of active tryptophan synthase in trpAB E. coli host cells. This insertion occurs about 60 bp upstream from the first AUG of the TRP5 gene and is associated with a duplication of the sequence TTACA at the target site. The nucleotide sequence corresponding to the first 173 amino acids of the yeast TRP5 gene has also been determined. The N-terminal region of the yeast tryptophan synthase includes areas of strong homology with the alpha-subunit of the corresponding E. coli enzyme. Sequences from the 5' untranslated region upstream from the TRP5 gene are compared to homologous areas of other yeast genes.

Cloning of the HIS5 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by yeast transformation

A yeast DNA fragment complementing a yeast his5 mutation was cloned on a shuttle vector, YRp7, by transformation of the yeast host with plasmid DNA prepared from a gene bank constructed in the Escherichia coli host. That the DNA fragment contains the yeast HIS5 gene was confirmed by the integration of the cloned plasmid into the his5 region of the yeast chromosome. The cloned yeast HIS5 gene weakly complemented the E. coli hisC mutation and gave rise to a slow-growing E. coli transformant without addition of histidine. From the slow-growing culture, rapidly growing variants of E. coli were easily obtained by mutations either in the bacterial chromosome or in the plasmid.

Deletion mapping a eukaryotic promoter

The phenotypes of 24 mutants that successively delete DNA sequences adjacent to the 5' end of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) his3 structural gene are described. Deletions retaining greater than 155 base pairs before the mRNA coding sequences are phenotypically indistinguishable from the wild-type his3 allele. Deletions having end points between 113 and 65 base pairs before the transcription initiation site express his3 at reduced levels. Mutations retaining less than 45 base pairs are indistinguishable from null alleles of the his3 locus. These results indicate (i) that a sequence(s) located 113--155 base pairs upstream from the transcribed region is necessary for wild-type expression and (ii) that the T-A-T-A box (a sequence in front of most eukaryotic genes) is not sufficient for wild-type promoter function. Thus, the yeast his3 promoter region appears large when compared with prokaryotic promoters, suggesting that it may be more complex than a simple site of interaction between RNA polymerase and DNA.

Genetic organization of transposon Tn10

Transposon Tn10 is 9300 bp in length, with 1400 bp inverted repeats at its ends. The inverted repeats are structurally intact IS-like sequences (Ross et al., 1979). Analysis of deletion mutants and structural variants of Tn10, reported below, shows that the two IS10 segments contain all of the Tn10-encoded genetic determinants, both sites and functions, that are required for transposition. Furthermore, the two repeats (IS10-Right and IS10-Left) are not functionally equivalent: IS10-Right is fully functional and is capable by itself of promoting normal levels of Tn10 transposition; IS10-Left functions only poorly by itself, promoting transposition at a very low level when IS10-Right is inactivated. Complementation analysis shows that IS10-Right encodes at least one function, required for Tn10 transposition, which can act in trans and which works at the ends of the element. Also, all of the sites specifically required for normal Tn10 transposition have been localized to the outermost 70 bp at each end of the element; there is no evidence that specific sites internal to the element play an essential role. Finally, Tn10 modulates its own transposition in such a way that transposition-defective point mutants, unlike deletion mutants, are not complemented by functions provided in trans; and wild-type Tn10, unlike deletion mutants, is not affected by functions provided in trans from a "high hopper" Tn10 element.

Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase activity of thymidine kinase-deficient Escherichia coli K-12 mutant transformed by hybrid plasmids

A hybrid plasmid (pAGO) that contains the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) thymidine kinase (TK) gene in the form of a 2-kilobase-pair (kbp) Pvu II fragment inserted at the Pvu II site of plasmid pBR322 was used to transform TK- Escherichia coli K-12 strain KY895. pAGO-transformed KY895 cells exhibited partially restored ability to incorporate [3H]dThd into DNA and an HSv-1-specific TK activity. Bacteria cured of plasmid pAGO (or transformed by plasmid pBR322) did not show enhanced incorporation of [3H]dThd into DNA or HSV-1 TK activity. Plasmid pMH1A was derived from pAGO by deletion of 2067 bp of DNA sequence from pBR322 and 105 bp from the HSV-1 TK gene. E. coli K-12 strain KY895 cells transformed by pMH1A did not show enhanced incorporation of [3H]dThd into bacterial DNA, although pMH1A DNA isolated from transformed KY895 cells, like pAGO DNA, did transform TK- mouse fibroblast [LM(TK-)] cells to the TK+ phenotype. The expression of HSV-1 TK activity by E. coli K-12 suggests that intervening sequences may be absent from the coding region of HSV-1 tk or that the coding region of the gene possesses short intervening sequences which do not disrupt the translational reading frame.

Expression of the HIS3 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in polynucleotide phosphorylase-deficient strains of Escherichia coli K-12

The PstI and BamHI fragments, containing the HIS3 (imidazoleglycerol phosphate dehydratase) gene of yeast obtained from pYehis2, and the ColE1-derived plasmid pBR322 were ligated in vitro and used to transform hisB463 strains of Escherichia coli K-12. Expression of the cloned HIS3 gene from yeast was markedly enhanced (3--5-fold) in polynucleotide phosphorylase (pnp)-deficient strains of E. coli. The levels of both HIS3 and plasmid-encoded mRNAs were increased in pnp- strains carrying the chimeric plasmids, whereas there was little difference in the levels of pBR322-specific mRNAs in pnp+ and pnp- strains. This increase in HIS3 mRNA appeared to be related to specific stabilization of the eukaryotic message due to its unique structural features, since the half-life of the HIS3 mRNA increased from 1.5 to 18.7 min, whereas no increase in the half-lives of pBR322 vehicle mRNAs was observed. A physical map of the plasmid pYehis2 was constructed using restriction endonuclease and molecular cloning techniques.

Cloning of the histidine transport genes from Salmonella typhimurium and characterization of an analogous transport system in Escherichia coli

The genes for the well-characterized high-affinity histidine transport system of S typhimurium have been cloned in lambda gt4. Genetic and physiological analyses of the analogous transport system of E coli were undertaken in order that available lambda vectors, recombinant DNA techniques, and a genetic selection for transport function might be used to isolate the Salmonella genes. The presence of the transport genes on a 12.4 Kb cloned DNA fragment has been confirmed 1) genetically, by complementation studies; 2) physiologically, by the rates of histidine uptake by bacteria containing this DNA; and 3) by demonstrating that the cloned DNA codes for the previously identified transport proteins J and P. The isolated fragment carries the entire transport operon, the argT gene and the ubiX locus, but neither the purF gene nor the ack/pta loci.