High-level, inducible gene expression in Lactobacillus sakei and Lactobacillus plantarum using versatile expression vectors

Vectors have been developed for inducible gene expression in Lactobacillus sakei and Lactobacillus plantarum in which expression of the gene of interest is driven by strong, regulated promoters from bacteriocin operons found in L. sakei strains. The activity of these promoters is controlled via a two-component signal transduction system, which responds to an externally added peptide pheromone. The vectors have a modular design, permitting easy exchange of all essential elements: the inducible promoter, the cognate regulatory system, the gene of interest, the antibiotic resistance marker and the replicon. Various variants of these so-called 'pSIP' vectors were constructed and tested, differing in terms of the bacteriocin regulon from which the regulatory elements were derived (sakacin A or sakacin P), the regulated promoter selected from these regulons, and the replicon (derived from p256 or pSH71). Using beta-glucuronidase (GusA) and aminopeptidase N (PepN) as reporters, it was shown that the best vectors permitted inducible, pheromone-dose-dependent gene expression at very high levels, while displaying moderate basal activities when not induced. The most effective set-up was obtained using a vector containing the pSH71 replicon, the orfX promoter from the sakacin P regulon, and the cognate regulatory genes, in a L. sakei host. GusA levels obtained with this set-up were approximately ten times higher than the levels obtained with prototype pSIP versions, whereas PepN levels amounted to almost 50% of total cellular protein.

Plasmid p256 from Lactobacillus plantarum represents a new type of replicon in lactic acid bacteria, and contains a toxin-antitoxin-like plasmid maintenance system

Lactobacillus plantarum NC7 harbours a single 7.2 kb plasmid called p256. This report describes the complete nucleotide sequence and annotation of p256, as well as the identification of the minimal replicon of the plasmid. Based on sequence features in the unusually small (0.7 kb) minimal replicon, and the absence of a gene for a replication-relevant protein, p256 seems to represent a hitherto unknown type of theta replicon in lactic acid bacteria (LAB), with a relatively low copy-number. In addition, a putative toxin-antitoxin (TA) locus was identified. Experiments with variants of p256 indicated that the TA system was involved in plasmid maintenance. Furthermore, controlled expression of the TA genes stabilized vectors derived from the p256 replicon. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first time a TA locus with a demonstrated plasmid maintenance function has been identified in LAB. Transformation of several LAB with plasmids derived from p256 indicated that it has a narrow host range. Several effective expression vectors based on the p256 replicon have been constructed.

Plasmid p256 from Lactobacillus plantarum represents a new type of replicon in lactic acid bacteria, and contains a toxin-antitoxin-like plasmid maintenance system

Lactobacillus plantarum NC7 harbours a single 7.2 kb plasmid called p256. This report describes the complete nucleotide sequence and annotation of p256, as well as the identification of the minimal replicon of the plasmid. Based on sequence features in the unusually small (0.7 kb) minimal replicon, and the absence of a gene for a replication-relevant protein, p256 seems to represent a hitherto unknown type of theta replicon in lactic acid bacteria (LAB), with a relatively low copy-number. In addition, a putative toxin-antitoxin (TA) locus was identified. Experiments with variants of p256 indicated that the TA system was involved in plasmid maintenance. Furthermore, controlled expression of the TA genes stabilized vectors derived from the p256 replicon. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first time a TA locus with a demonstrated plasmid maintenance function has been identified in LAB. Transformation of several LAB with plasmids derived from p256 indicated that it has a narrow host range. Several effective expression vectors based on the p256 replicon have been constructed.

High-level gene expression in Lactobacillus plantarum using a pheromone-regulated bacteriocin promoter

AIMS

To use promoters and regulatory genes involved in the production of the bacteriocin sakacin P to obtain high-level regulated gene expression in Lactobacillus plantarum.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In a plasmid containing all three operons naturally involved in sakacin P production, the genes encoding sakacin P and its immunity protein were replaced by the aminopeptidase N gene from Lactococcus lactis (pepN) or the beta-glucuronidase gene from Escherichia coli (gusA). The new genes were precisely fused to the start codon of the sakacin P gene and the stop codon of the immunity gene. This set-up permitted regulated (external pheromone controlled) overexpression of both reporter genes in L. plantarum NC8. For PepN, production levels amounted to as much as 40% of total cellular protein.

CONCLUSIONS

Promoters and regulatory genes involved in production of sakacin P are suitable for establishing inducible high-level gene expression in L. plantarum.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study describes a system for controllable gene expression in lactobacilli, giving some of the highest expression levels reported so far in this genus.

Construction of vectors for inducible gene expression in Lactobacillus sakei and L plantarum

We have constructed vectors for inducible expression of genes in Lactobacillus sakei and Lactobacillus plantarum. The key elements of these vectors are a regulatable promoter involved in the production of the bacteriocins sakacin A and sakacin P and the genes encoding the cognate histidine protein kinase and response regulator that are necessary to activate this promoter upon induction by a peptide pheromone. The vectors are built up of cassettes that permit easy exchange of all parts through restriction enzyme digestion and ligation. Using beta-glucuronidase as a reporter enzyme, variants of these vectors were compared with each other, and with a corresponding system based on genes involved in the production of nisin. Several of the new vectors permitted tightly controlled and efficient expression of beta-glucuronidase in both L. sakei and L. plantarum.