A 'phase-shift' fusion system for the regulation of foreign gene expression by lambda repressor in gram-negative bacteria

Evaluation of the E. coli ribosomal rrnB P1 promoter and phage-derived lysis genes for the use in a biological containment system: a concept study

A concept study devised for the development of a biological containment system has been conducted. We show that the lysis genes of different phage origin function in a variety of bacteria. They may therefore be suited for conditional suicide cassettes. Moreover, we tested whether the Escherichia coli rrnB P1 promoter could function as an environmentally responsive element sensing poor growth conditions expected after an accidental release of E. coli production strains from a bioreactor. Mimicking poor nutrient conditions by production of the alarmone guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp) with a plasmid encoded ppGpp synthetase I, the rrnB P1 promoter activity was completely turned off. These experiments suggested that the rrnB P1 promoter may be used as an efficient biosensor for altered growth conditions. A concept for a conditional suicide system employing the rrnB P1 promoter and phage-derived lysis genes as key components is discussed.

Phosphorylation site mutants of the mannitol transport protein enzyme IImtl of Escherichia coli: studies on the interaction between the mannitol translocating C-domain and the phosphorylation site on the energy-coupling B-domain

Mannitol binding and translocation catalyzed by the C domain of the Escherichia coli mannitol transport protein enzyme IImtl is influenced by domain B. This interaction was studied by monitoring the effects of mutating the B domain phosphorylation site, C384, on the kinetics of mannitol binding to the C domain. The dissociation constants for mannitol to the C384 mutants in inside-out membrane vesicles varied from 45 nM for the wild-type enzyme to 306 nM for the mutants. The rate constants pertinent to the binding equilibrium were also altered by the mutations. The association rate of mannitol to the cytoplasmic binding site in the mutants was accelerated for all mutants. The exchange rate of bound mannitol on the wild-type enzyme was shown to be pH dependent with a pKa of approximately 8 and increasing rates at higher pH. This rate was increased for all the mutants, but the pKas differed for the various mutants. The exchange rate for binding to the isolated IICmtl, however, was not pH dependent and exhibited a low rate. Exchange measured at 4 degrees C showed that, of the two steps, binding and occlusion, involved in binding to wild-type EIImtl in inside-out vesicles, only one could be detected for the C384E and C384L mutants. This suggests that the mutations increased the rate of the occlusion step so that it was no longer separable from the initial binding step or that the mutations eliminated the occlusion step altogether. The change in the mannitol binding kinetics of the C domain indicates that the B and C domains of EIImtl influence each other's conformation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Expression and characterization of a structural and functional domain of the mannitol-specific transport protein involved in the coupling of mannitol transport and phosphorylation in the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system of Escherichia coli

The mannitol-specific transport protein in Escherichia coli, EIImtl, consists of three structural and functional domains: a hydrophilic EIII-like domain (the A domain); a hydrophobic transmembrane domain (the C domain); and a second hydrophilic domain (the B domain) which connects the A and C domains together. The A domain contains the first phosphorylation site, His554, while the B domain contains the second phosphorylation site, Cys384. The phosphoryl group which is needed for the active transport of mannitol is sequentially transferred from P-enolpyruvate via the two phosphorylation sites to mannitol bound to the substrate binding site. In this paper, the expression, purification, and initial characterization of the B domain, IIBmtl, are described. Oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis was used to produce an amber stop codon (TAG) and HindIII restriction site in a flexible loop between the B and A domains in the subcloned gene fragment coding for IIBAmtl (van Weeghel et al., 1991c). The gene fragment coding for IIBmtl was then subcloned behind strong promoters, located in two different expression/mutagenesis vectors, which directed the expression of the 15.3-kDa polypeptide in Escherichia coli. The domain was purified from E. coli crude cell extracts by using Q-Sepharose Fast Flow, S-Sepharose Fast Flow, and hydroxylapatite column steps. This purification procedure resulted in 1 mg of pure IIBmtl/g of cell, wet weight. The purified B domain was analyzed in vitro for its catalytic activity with membranes containing the phosphorylation site mutant form of EIImtl, C384S, and with the transmembrane domain, IICmtl. The B domain, together with purified IIA, was able to restore the P-enolpyruvate-dependent phosphorylation activity of the membrane-bound C domain. Steady-state mannitol phosphorylation kinetics at saturating EI, HPr, and IIAmtl yielded an apparent Km of P-IIBmtl for IICmtl of 200 microM and an apparent Vmax of 71 nmol of mtl-P min-1 mg of membrane protein)-1. This Vmax value is comparable to that of wild-type EIImtl measured under the same experimental conditions.

Murein-metabolizing enzymes from Escherichia coli: existence of a second lytic transglycosylase

In addition to the soluble lytic transglycosylase, a murein-metabolizing enzyme with a molecular mass of 70 kDa (Slt70), Escherichia coli possesses a second lytic transglycosylase, which has been described as a membrane-bound lytic transglycosylase (Mlt; 35 kDa; EC 3.2.1.-). The mlt gene, which supposedly encodes Mlt, was cloned, and the complete nucleotide sequence was determined. The open reading frame, identified on a 1.7-kb SalI-PstI fragment, codes for a protein of 323 amino acids (M(r) = 37,410). Two transmembrane helices and one membrane-associated helix were predicted in the N-terminal half of the protein. Lysine and arginine residues represent up to 15% of the amino acids, resulting in a calculated isoelectric point of 10.0. The deduced primary structure did not show significant sequence similarity to Slt70 from E. coli. High-level expression of the presumed mlt gene was not paralleled by an increase in murein hydrolase activity. To clarify the identity of the second transglycosylase, we purified an enzyme with the specificity of a transglycosylase from an E. coli slt deletion strain. The completely soluble transglycosylase, with a molecular mass of approximately 35 kDa, was designated Slt35. Its determined 26 N-terminal amino acids showed similarity to a segment in the middle of the Slt70 primary structure. Polyclonal anti-Mlt antibodies, which had been used for the isolation of the mlt gene, were found to cross-react with Mlt as well as with Slt35, suggesting that the previously described Mlt preparation was contaminated with Slt35. We conclude that the second transglycosylase of E. coli is not a membrane-bound protein but rather is a soluble protein.

Cytoplasmic high-level expression of a soluble, enzymatically active form of the Escherichia coli penicillin-binding protein 5 and purification by dye chromatography

High-level expression of a soluble form of penicillin-binding protein 5 (PBP5), called PBP5s, and translocation across the cytoplasmic membrane results in lysis of Escherichia coli cells. The detrimental effect of increased amounts of this D,D-carboxypeptidase on the stability of murein polymer can be avoided by accumulation of the overexpressed protein in the cytoplasm. The signal peptide of the structural gene dacAs, coding for PBP5s was deleted by creating a BamHI site at the site of processing and the truncated gene dacAsc was cloned under the control of the lambda PR promoter. Temperature induction resulted in a 200-fold overproduction of the mature PBP5s in the cytosol (PBP5sc) which is no longer harmful to the cells. PBP5sc could quantitatively be recovered in the soluble fraction after disrupting the cells. The protein retained full enzymatic activity as measured by the release of D-alanine from bisacetyl-L-Lys-D-Ala-D-Ala and formation of [14C]penicillin-protein complex at a 1:1 stoichiometry. A one-step purification procedure using the immobilized dye Procion rubine MX-B resulted in homogeneous preparations of both wild-type and mutated forms of PBP5sc.

Murein-metabolizing enzymes from Escherichia coli: sequence analysis and controlled overexpression of the slt gene, which encodes the soluble lytic transglycosylase

The complete nucleotide sequence of the slt gene encoding the soluble lytic transglycosylase (Slt; EC 3.2.1.-) from Escherichia coli has been determined. The largest open reading frame identified on a 2.5-kb PvuII-SalI fragment indicates that the enzyme is translated as a preprotein of either 654 or 645 amino acids, depending on which of two potential start codons is used. The two possible translation products differ only in the lengths of their predicted signal peptides, 36 or 27 amino acids, respectively. In both cases, processing results in a soluble mature protein of 618 amino acids (Mr = 70,468). The deduced primary structure of the mature protein was confirmed by N-terminal sequencing and determination of the amino acid composition of the isolated transglycosylase. The slt gene contains a high percentage of rare codons, comparable to other low-expressed genes. A hairpin structure that could serve as a transcriptional terminator is located downstream of the slt coding region and precedes the trpR open reading frame at 99.7 min on the E. coli chromosomal map. A computer-assisted search did not reveal any significant sequence similarity to other known carbohydrate-degrading enzymes, including lysozymes. Interestingly, a stretch of 151 amino acids at the C terminus of the transglycosylase shows similarity to the N-terminal portion of the internal virion protein D from bacteriophage T7. Overexpression of the slt gene, under the control of the temperature-inducible phage lambda pR promoter, results in a 250-fold overproduction of the mature transglycosylase, whereas after deletion of the signal peptide a 100-fold overproduction of the enzyme is observed in the cytoplasm.

Purification of penicillin-binding protein 4 of Escherichia coli as a soluble protein by dye-affinity chromatography

The dacB gene of Escherichia coli, coding for penicillin-binding protein 4 (PBP4) was cloned under the control of the phage lambda pR promoter and cro gene translation signals. Depression of the phage lambda promoter for 2 h at 42 degrees C in E. coli led to the maximum over-production of PBP4 to 3.8% of the total soluble protein. Expression at 42 degrees C but not at 40 degrees C or 37 degrees C led to incomplete processing and aggregation of the preform of PBP4. Cibacron navyblue 2G-E was selected from a collection of triazine dyes as having a high affinity for PBP4. The immobilised dye was used in a two-step procedure to isolated 374 mg PBP4 from the soluble fraction of 125 g (wet mass) cells of the over-producing strain, with a recovery of 63.2% and a final purity of 99% as determined by active-site titration with radiolabelled penicillin. Saturation of PBP4 with various beta-lactam derivatives did not abolish binding to the dye material, nor was PBP4 eluted by addition of beta-lactams from the dye matrix. PBP4 behaved as a soluble protein throughout the purification, that was performed in the complete absence of detergents. Furthermore, in flotation experiments on sucrose density gradients and in Triton X-114 fractionation experiments, it showed the characteristics of a soluble protein. Cibacron navyblue 2G-E showed class specificity for all E. coli PBP except PBP3 and could be used for the isolation of these PBP from membrane extracts.

Transposon vectors for stable chromosomal integration of cloned genes in rhizosphere bacteria

A series of Tn5-based transposon-cloning vectors, in which many unique restriction sites lie within the transposon, have been constructed. These transposon vectors can be delivered, by conjugation, using a delivery vehicle containing a pBR322 replicon and the mobilization genes of plasmid RK2. In Pseudomonas sp., this delivery vehicle acts as a suicide plasmid, permitting transposition to the chromosome to be detected. To facilitate cloning into the transposon vector, the delivery vehicle has been simplified so that the useful cloning sites in the transposon are not duplicated. As a model system for the transposition of cloned genes, the xylE (coding for catechol-2,3-dioxygenase) has been transposed to a variety of Pseudomonads. The transposon vectors should be useful when a stable single copy of a cloned gene is desired. They should be particularly advantageous for the genetic engineering of soil bacteria for environmental studies (agriculture or pollution control) where the stability of the engineered strains, in the absence of continuous antibiotic selection, may be important.

Temperature-inducible gene expression in Bacillus subtilis mediated by the cI857-encoded repressor of bacteriophage lambda

An efficient system to control the expression of cloned genes in Bacillus subtilis was established by introducing the Escherichia coli bacteriophage lambda cI857 repressor-pR promoter system into this host. A staphylokinase reporter gene (sak42D), which was fused to the lambda pR promoter was constitutively expressed in B. subtilis even when the cI857 gene was present on the same plasmid. S1 nuclease mapping of the transcription start point confirmed that the pR promoter was active in B. subtilis. Constitutive expression under pR-control in B. subtilis was, therefore, likely to result from a lack of repressor formation caused by the inefficiency of cI857 expression signals in the Gram+ host. This lack of repressor synthesis was overcome by fusing the cI857 gene to sak42D transcription and translation signals which have previously been shown to function efficiently in B. subtilis. Plasmids carrying the cI857 gene together with an alpha-amylase-encoding gene (amy) under pR-control mediated temperature-inducible amy expression at 37 degrees C and 42 degrees C. The high repression factor (greater than or equal to 1400) was comparable to the OR efficiencies reported in E. coli.

Regulated high-level expression of the mannitol permease of the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent sugar phosphotransferase system in Escherichia coli

The structural gene (mtlA) of the Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent mannitol-transport protein (EIImtl) and its upstream promoter region (Pmtl) were subcloned approximately 150 base pairs downstream of a lambda PR promoter on a multicopy mutagenesis/expression vector and used to transform a mutant (MtlA-) E. coli strain. Induction at 42 degrees C led to 50 to 100-fold overproduction of EIImtl (5-10 mg/g of cell wet weight) relative to mannitol-induced levels in a wild-type (Mtl+) strain. Most of the overproduced protein was sequestered as an inactive form in inclusion bodies and cytoplasmic membranous structures. The protein could be extracted in an active form by rupturing the cells with lysozyme and sonication or with a passage through a French pressure cell and incubating the inclusion bodies and membranous structures with detergent (Lubrol PX or deoxycholate) in the presence of Q or S Sepharose ion-exchange resin for several hours. This procedure resulted in a 20- to 25-fold overproduction of active EIImtl compared with mannitol-induced wild-type levels.

A promoter-probe vector-host system for the cyanobacterium, Synechocystis PCC6803

A vector-host system for testing promoters in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC6803 has been constructed. It relies on a small Escherichia coli promoter-probe plasmid, pFF11, which has four unique restriction sites in a polylinker upstream from the cat reporter gene. This plasmid is able to obtain a cyanobacterial origin of replication by homologous recombination with the resident plasmid of the recipient host, generating a new E. coli-Synechocystis PCC6803 shuttle vector. This plasmid does not confer any detectable chloramphenicol acetyl transferase activity to this cyanobacterium in the absence of a promoter insert. Several heterologous promoters were tested in Synechocystis PCC6803 using this system. Results obtained with the lambda pR promoter and the repressor-encoding cI857 gene demonstrate that these elements can be used for high-level and tightly regulated gene expression in Synechocystis PCC6803.

Bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase-controlled specific gene expression in Pseudomonas

The rifampicin (Rif)-resistant RNA polymerase of phage T7 has proved invaluable for the exclusive over-expression, in Escherichia coli, of genes cloned downstream from the T7 phi 10 promoter [Tabor and Richardson, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82 (1985) 1074-1078]. Here, we demonstrate that the system can be extended to Gram-negative bacteria other than E. coli, by the use of compatible wide host range plasmids. As an example, the Rif-resistant in vivo synthesis and specific radiolabelling of E. coli galactokinase in Pseudomonas ATCC19151, is demonstrated. The incidental observation that 30 min after treatment with Rif, two polypeptides continue to be synthesized in plasmid-free Pseudomonas ATCC19151, indicates that these proteins are produced by very stable mRNA species.

Broad-host-range plasmid and M13 bacteriophage-derived vectors for promoter analysis in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

A set of bacteriophage and plasmid vectors containing xylE as a reporter gene was constructed for the analysis of promoters functional in Escherichia coli and in other Gram-negative bacteria. Two M13 bacteriophage derivatives, M13mVDX18 and M13mMK010, were designed for rapid cloning, screening and sequencing of DNA fragments promoting transcription in E. coli. To demonstrate their utility, total cellular DNA from a variety of bacterial species including Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO was shotgun cloned in M13 vectors and clones displaying promoter activity in E. coli were isolated. These randomly cloned promoters from P. aeruginosa, Borrelia burgdorferi, Streptococcus pneumoniae and other bacterial species were sequenced without a need for further subcloning manipulation. The promoter activity of P. aeruginosa clones was verified by subcloning inserts on a broad-host-range promoter probe vector pVDX18 and assaying the xylE transcription from these promoters in P. aeruginosa. The pVDX18 vector was also used for initial characterization of the algD promoter controlling mucoidy in P. aeruginosa. The activities of the wild-type and deletion clones of the algD promoter were compared. Results indicated that the region containing direct and inverted repeats at -55 to -110 bp upstream of the mRNA 5' end was important for the activation of the algD transcription in mucoid P. aeruginosa infecting cystic fibrosis patients.

Tightly regulated tac promoter vectors useful for the expression of unfused and fused proteins in Escherichia coli

A series of new plasmid expression vectors (the pTrc series) has been constructed for the regulated expression of genes in Escherichia coli. Based on pKK233-2 [Amann and Brosius, Gene 40 (1985) 183-190], the vectors carry a strong hybrid trp/lac promoter, the lacZ ribosome-binding site (RBS), the multiple cloning site of pUC18 and the rrnB transcription terminators. With the aid of synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides, the multiple cloning site has been inserted behind an NcoI site in three reading frames. Thus, the vectors are equally useful for the expression of proteins in their authentic, non-fused form (by using the NcoI site) and for the expression of fusion proteins (by choosing any of the cloning sites in the correct translational frame). To ensure complete repression of the hybrid trp/lac promoter during construction and growth in any host strain, the lacIq allele of the lac repressor gene was added to some of the vectors. The complete vector nucleotide sequence and examples of heterologous gene expression (human coagulation factor XIIIa and human placental anticoagulant protein PP4) with the new vectors are presented.