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Dichotomy of major bacterial phyla inferred from gene arrangement comparisons.

A computer search for gene arrangements that are present in Gram-positive bacteria but are absent from Proteobacteria and vice versa was carried out. Four such arrangements were detected, based on which major bacterial phyla were divided into two groups; Thermotoga, Deinococcus-Thermus, Chloroflexi (green non-sulfur bacteria), and Fusobacteria, represent Gram-positive bacterial gene arrangements, while Aquifex, Spirochetes, Planctomycetes, Chlorobi (green sulfur bacteria), Bacteroides show Proteobacterial arrangements. The division is almost consistent with another partition of the major phyla based on the comparison of domain architectures of RNA polymerase subunits and sigma factor, suggesting a fundamental split of the major bacterial phyla at an early stage of bacterial evolution.

Bacteria↗

Sequence and genetic organization of the 19.3-kb erythromycin- and dalfopristin-resistance plasmid pLME300 from Lactobacillus fermentum ROT1.

Lactobacillus fermentum ROT1 was isolated from a raw milk dairy product. It is resistant to novobiocin, tetracycline, erythromycin and dalfopristin. A chromosomal tetracycline-resistance determinant was identified as tetM. A 19,398-bp plasmid (pLME300), present in several erythromycin-resistant strains of Lb. fermentum, was isolated from strain ROT1 and completely sequenced. Based on putative open reading frames, pLME300 contains at least four different functional regions. In region I, ORF1 shows high homologies to replication proteins of different theta-replicating plasmids. In addition, a tandem repeat of a 22-bp sequence appears 4.5 times. In region II, ORF3 may code for a methylase, and ORF4 has homologies to Mrr restriction system proteins of Deinococcus radiodurans and Escherichia coli suggesting a restriction-modification system. Region III harbours antibiotic-resistance genes, coding for a macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLS) methylase Erm(LF) and the streptogramin A acetyltransferase Vat(E), which is identical to Vat(E) from Enterococcus faecium. Furthermore, region III shows a 91% nucleotide sequence identity to an erm-vat linkage of E. faecium. Region IV carries ORFs that appear to be involved in plasmid mobilization as characterized by a putative origin of transfer and a mobilization protein. pLME300 is the largest completely sequenced multi-resistance plasmid isolated from any Lactobacillus strain so far.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Molecular analyses of microbial diversity associated with the Lonar soda lake in India: an impact crater in a basalt area.

The prokaryotic diversity associated with an Indian soda lake (Lonar Crater Lake) located in a basaltic soil area was investigated using a culture-independent approach. Community DNA was extracted directly from four sediment samples obtained by coring to depths of 10-20 cm. Small subunit rRNA genes (16S rDNA) were amplified by PCR using primers specific to the domains Bacteria and Archaea. The PCR products were cloned and sequenced. For the bacterial rDNA clone library, 500 clones were randomly selected for further analysis. After restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and subsequent sequencing, a total of 44 unique phylotypes were obtained. These phylotypes spanned a wide range within the domain Bacteria, occupying eight major lineages/phyla. 34% of the clones were classified as firmicutes. The other clones were grouped into proteobacteria (29.5%), actinobacteria (6.8%), deinococcus-thermus (4.5%), cytophages-flavobacterium-bacteroidetes (13.3%), planctomycetes (6.8%), cyanobacteria (4.5%) and spirochetes (2.27%). In the case of the archaeal 16S rDNA library, analysis of 250 randomly selected clones revealed the presence of 13 distinct phylotypes; 5 phylotypes were associated with Crenarchaeota and 8 with Euryarchaeota. Most of the euryarchaeota sequences were related to methanogens. Findings from this molecular study of a site investigated for the first time have revealed the presence of a highly diverse bacterial population and a comparatively less diverse archaeal population. The majority ( approximately 80%) of the cloned sequences show little affiliation with known taxa (<97% sequence similarity) and may represent novel taxa/sequences and organisms specifically adapted to this basaltic soda lake environment. Diversity analyses demonstrate greater diversity and evenness of bacterial species compared to a skewed representation of species for Archaea.

Archaea↗

Phylogenetic diversity and activity of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria from a hypersaline oil-polluted microbial mat.

The diversity and function of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria (AHB) in cyanobacterial mats have been largely overlooked. We used culture-dependent and molecular techniques to explore the species diversity, degradative capacities and functional guilds of AHB in the photic layer (2mm) of an oil-polluted microbial mat from Saudi Arabia. Enrichment isolation was carried out at different salinities (5% and 12%) and temperatures (28 and 45 degrees C) and on various substrates (acetate, glycolate, Spirulina extract and crude oils). Counts of most probable number showed a numerical abundance of AHB in the range of 1.15-8.13x10(6) cellsg(-1) and suggested the presence of halotolerant and thermotolerant populations. Most of the 16S rRNA sequences of the obtained clones and isolates were phylogenetically affiliated to the groups Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteriodetes and Alphaproteobacteria. Groups like Deltaproteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Planctomycetes, Spirochaetes, Acidobacteria and Deinococcus-Thermus were only detected by cloning. The strains isolated on acetate and glycolate belonged to the genera Marinobacter, Halomonas, Roseobacter and Rhodobacter whereas the strains enriched on crude oil belonged to Marinobacter and Alcanivorax. Members of the Bacteriodetes group were only enriched on Spirulina extract indicating their specialization in the degradation of cyanobacterial dead cells. The substrate spectra of representative strains showed the ability of all AHB to metabolize cyanobacterial photosynthetic and fermentation products. However, the unique in situ conditions of the mat apparently favored the enrichment of versatile strains that grew on both the cyanobacterial exudates and the hydrocarbons. We conclude that AHB in cyanobacterial mats represent a diverse community that plays an important role in carbon-cycling within microbial mats.

Bacteria, Aerobic↗

Tapping-mode atomic force microscopy produces faithful high-resolution images of protein surfaces.

Compared to contact-mode atomic force microscopy (CMAFM), tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (TMAFM) has the advantage of allowing imaging surfaces of macromolecules, even when they are only weakly attached to the support. In this study, TMAFM is applied to two different regular protein layers whose structures are known to great detail, the purple membrane from Halobacterium salinarum and the hexagonally packed intermediate (HPI) layer from Deinococcus radiodurans, to assess the faithfulness of high-resolution TMAFM images. Topographs exhibited a lateral resolution between 1.1 and 1. 5 nm and a vertical resolution of approximately 0.1 nm. For all protein surfaces, TMAFM and CMAFM topographs were in excellent agreement. TMAFM was capable of imaging the fragile polypeptide loop connecting the transmembrane alpha-helices E and F of bacteriorhodopsin in its native extended conformation. The standard deviation (SD) of averages calculated from TMAFM topographs exhibited an enhanced minimum (between 0.1 and 0.9 nm) that can be assigned to the higher noise of the raw data. However, the SD difference, indicating the flexibility of protein subunits, exhibited an excellent agreement between the two imaging modes. This demonstrates that the recently invented imaging-mode TMAFM has the ability to faithfully record high-resolution images and has sufficient sensitivity to contour individual peptide loops without detectable deformations.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Mapping flexible protein domains at subnanometer resolution with the atomic force microscope.

The mapping of flexible protein domains with the atomic force microscope is reviewed. Examples discussed are the bacteriorhodopsin from Halobacterium salinarum, the head-tail-connector from phage phi29, and the hexagonally packed intermediate layer from Deinococcus radiodurans which all were recorded in physiological buffer solution. All three proteins undergo reversible structural changes that are reflected in standard deviation maps calculated from aligned topographs of individual protein complexes. Depending on the lateral resolution (up to 0.8 nm) flexible surface regions can ultimately be correlated with individual polypeptide loops. In addition, multivariate statistical classification revealed the major conformations of the protein surface.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Sequence and structural conservation in RNA ribose zippers.

The "ribose zipper", an important element of RNA tertiary structure, is characterized by consecutive hydrogen-bonding interactions between ribose 2'-hydroxyls from different regions of an RNA chain or between RNA chains. These tertiary contacts have previously been observed to also involve base-backbone and base-base interactions (A-minor type). We searched for ribose zipper tertiary interactions in the crystal structures of the large ribosomal subunit RNAs of Haloarcula marismortui and Deinococcus radiodurans, and the small ribosomal subunit RNA of Thermus thermophilus and identified a total of 97 ribose zippers. Of these, 20 were found in T. thermophilus 16 S rRNA, 44 in H. marismortui 23 S rRNA (plus 2 bridging 5 S and 23 S rRNAs) and 30 in D. radiodurans 23 S rRNA (plus 1 bridging 5 S and 23 S rRNAs). These were analyzed in terms of sequence conservation, structural conservation and stability, location in secondary structure, and phylogenetic conservation. Eleven types of ribose zippers were defined based on ribose-base interactions. Of these 11, seven were observed in the ribosomal RNAs. The most common of these is the canonical ribose zipper, originally observed in the P4-P6 group I intron fragment. All ribose zippers were formed by antiparallel chain interactions and only a single example extended beyond two residues, forming an overlapping ribose zipper of three consecutive residues near the small subunit A-site. Almost all ribose zippers link stem (Watson-Crick duplex) or stem-like (base-paired), with loop (external, internal, or junction) chain segments. About two-thirds of the observed ribose zippers interact with ribosomal proteins. Most of these ribosomal proteins bridge the ribose zipper chain segments with basic amino acid residues hydrogen bonding to the RNA backbone. Proteins involved in crucial ribosome function and in early stages of ribosomal assembly also stabilize ribose zipper interactions. All ribose zippers show strong sequence conservation both within these three ribosomal RNA structures and in a large database of aligned prokaryotic sequences. The physical basis of the sequence conservation is stacked base triples formed between consecutive base-pairs on the stem or stem-like segment with bases (often adenines) from the loop-side segment. These triples have previously been characterized as Type I and Type II A-minor motifs and are stabilized by base-base and base-ribose hydrogen bonds. The sequence and structure conservation of ribose zippers can be directly used in tertiary structure prediction and may have applications in molecular modeling and design.

Bacteria↗

L22 ribosomal protein and effect of its mutation on ribosome resistance to erythromycin.

The ribosomal protein L22 is a core protein of the large ribosomal subunit interacting with all domains of the 23S rRNA. The triplet Met82-Lys83-Arg84 deletion in L22 from Escherichia coli renders cells resistant to erythromycin which is known as an inhibitor of the nascent peptide chain elongation. The crystal structure of the Thermus thermophilus L22 mutant with equivalent triplet Leu82-Lys83-Arg84 deletion has been determined at 1.8A resolution. The superpositions of the mutant and the wild-type L22 structures within the 50S subunits from Haloarcula marismortui and Deinococcus radiodurans show that the mutant beta-hairpin is bent inward the ribosome tunnel modifying the shape of its narrowest part and affecting the interaction between L22 and 23S rRNA. 23S rRNA nucleotides of domain V participating in erythromycin binding are located on the opposite sides of the tunnel and are brought to those positions by the interaction of the 23S rRNA with the L22 beta-hairpin. The mutation in the L22 beta-hairpin affects the orientation and distances between those nucleotides. This destabilizes the erythromycin-binding "pocket" formed by 23S rRNA nucleotides exposed at the tunnel surface. It seems that erythromycin, while still being able to interact with one side of the tunnel but not reaching the other, is therefore unable to block the polypeptide growth in the drug-resistant ribosome.

Crystallography, X-Ray↗

High resolution structure of the large ribosomal subunit from a mesophilic eubacterium.

We describe the high resolution structure of the large ribosomal subunit from Deinococcus radiodurans (D50S), a gram-positive mesophile suitable for binding of antibiotics and functionally relevant ligands. The over-all structure of D50S is similar to that from the archae bacterium Haloarcula marismortui (H50S); however, a detailed comparison revealed significant differences, for example, in the orientation of nucleotides in peptidyl transferase center and in the structures of many ribosomal proteins. Analysis of ribosomal features involved in dynamic aspects of protein biosynthesis that are partially or fully disordered in H50S revealed the conformations of intersubunit bridges in unbound subunits, suggesting how they may change upon subunit association and how movements of the L1-stalk may facilitate the exit of tRNA.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Bactericidal action of 308 nm excimer-laser radiation: an in vitro investigation.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of 308 nm excimer-laser radiation on bacterial growth. Six different bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus faecalis, Lactococcis lactis, Salmonella typhimurium, and Deinococcus radiodurans) were exposed in vitro to various doses and energy densities of laser radiation. To exclude bacterial killing by supraphysiological heating, the temperature change in the samples during irradiation was measured. Extended antimicrobial effects of XeCl excimer-laser radiation depending on the time of radiation, the energy density of the laser beam, and the irradiated bacterial strain were observed. Reduction of bacterial growth is independent of temperature and not linked to any ablative tissue removal. In almost all cases, a 99.9% reduction of bacteria was reached by total radiation times < 100 ms. The proven antimicrobial effects of 308 nm excimer-laser radiation may be of significant clinical importance in endodontics and periodontology in the future.

Analysis of Variance↗

Characterization of class 1 integron resistance gene cassettes and the identification of a novel IS-like element in Acinetobacter baumannii.

Based on hybridization studies, 21/32 multi-resistant clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii contain class 1 integrons. Amplification products were obtained from 20 of the hybridization-positive strains. A single dfrA7 cassette was identified in 18 of the isolates and an integron with two cassettes (aadB-aadA4) was found in only one strain. Amplicons were not obtained from one of the hybridization positive strains. DNA sequence analysis of a 6.080-kb fragment, cloned from this strain, identified the remnant of an integron, following insertion of IS26 into the 5(')-end of intI1. The 6.080-kb sequence carries an aminoglycoside resistance gene, linked to a portion of IS1133, which in turn is linked to a sequence that has properties of IS elements, including sequences that could stimulate transcription, and ORFs encoding amino acid sequences with similarity to a transposase from Deinococcus radiodurans.

Acinetobacter baumannii↗

Effect of the space environment on the induction of DNA-repair related proteins and recovery from radiation damage.

Recovery of bacterial cells from radiation damage and the effects of microgravity were examined in an STS-79 Shuttle/Mir Mission-4 experiment using the extremely radioresistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans. The cells were irradiated with gamma rays before the space flight and incubated on board the Space-Shuttle. The survival of the wild type cells incubated in space increased compared with the ground controls, suggesting that the recovery of this bacterium from radiation damage was enhanced under microgravity. No difference was observed for the survival of radiosensitive mutant rec30 cells whether incubated in space or on the ground. The amount of DNA-repair related RecA protein induced under microgravity was similar to those of ground controls, however, induction of PprA protein, the product of a newly found gene related to the DNA repair mechanism of D. radiodurans, was enhanced under microgravity compared with ground controls.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Identification of the cobalamin-dependent methionine synthase gene, metH, in Vibrio fischeri ATCC 7744 by sequencing using genomic DNA as a template.

To confirm the presence of cobalamin-dependent methionine synthase (CDMS) in luminous bacteria, which is a prerequisite for the substantiation of our proposals on the physiological function of the lux operon, we identified the CDMS gene (metH) in Vibrio fischeri ATCC 7744. Two partial metH sequences, one located near the 5'-terminus of the gene and the other near the 3'-terminus, were sequenced by a PCR based method. To design a new set of PCR primers located on the two flanking regions of the gene, the genomic DNA was sequenced by SUGDAT method (sequencing using genomic DNA as a template) upstream or downstream from the respective partial gene sequences. Subsequently a 4.2 kb DNA fragment containing the whole metH was amplified by PCR and sequenced. The number of amino acid residues comprising the protein (1226 amino acids) was comparable to those of known CDMSs. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 85, 74, 55, 31, 30, 52, or 52% identity with that of Vibrio cholerae, Escherichia coli, Deinococcus radiodurans, Synechocystis PCC6803, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Caenorhabditis elegans or Homo sapiens, respectively. All the predicted amino acid residues for the binding of cobalamin and S-adenosylmethionine were conserved. In the regulatory region of the V. fischeri metH, the binding site of the met repressor, MetJ, was present, although the site is atypically not present in E. coli metH or Salmonella typhimurium metH. It was shown that nucleotide sequences, even long ones, can be determined without a cloning step, if only parts of the DNA fragment to be sequenced are amplified by PCR.

5-Methyltetrahydrofolate-Homocysteine S-Methyltran↗

Preferential usage of some minor codons in bacteria.

In many bacterial species, such as Deinococcus radiodurans, Haemophilus influenzae, and Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, some minor codons are preferentially used near the initiation codon. Among these codons, there are some minor codons that have strong preference for the initiation site in the high codon adaptation index (CAI) group (comprising of highly expressed genes) rather than in the low CAI genes group (comprising of low expressing genes). In the present study, codon usage in the initiation site and in the rest of the gene was systematically compared in the 27 complete bacterial genomes and Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome. Furthermore, we classified genes into two groups according to the CAI values and conducted the same analysis for each of the two groups. Our results suggest a role for some minor codons in the initiation site of the regulating translation system in many bacteria. We have summarized codons that are preferentially used in the initiation site and probably play a role in regulating genes expression in these organisms.

Amino Acids↗

hUNC93B1: a novel human gene representing a new gene family and encoding an unc-93-like protein.

We have identified a novel human gene UNC93B1 encoding a protein related to unc-93 of Caenorhabditis elegans. The combined sequence derived from several cDNA clones is 2282 bp and comparison with genomic sequence shows that the gene contains 11 exons. The longest open reading frame encodes a deduced sequence of 597 amino acids. Homology analysis shows that the hUNC93B1 gene is highly conserved and related to sequences in Arabidopsis thaliana, C. elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, chicken and mouse. Structural analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence of hUNC93B1 points to possible existence of multiple membrane-spanning domains. hUNC93B1 protein also displays some similarities to the bacterial ABC-2 type transporter signature and to ion transporters of Deinococcus radiodurans and Helicobacter pylori. As revealed by Northern analysis, the level of expression varies significantly between tissues, with the highest level detected in the heart. The gene was mapped to chromosomal band 11q13 by fluorescence in situ hybridization. We suggest that this gene is a member of a novel hUNC93B-related gene family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Crossover hot-spot instigator (Chi) sequences in Escherichia coli occupy distinct recombination/transcription islands.

Crossover hot-spot instigator (Chi) sequences (5'-GCTGGTGG-3') are orientation-dependent, strand-specific sequences implicated in RecA-mediated DNA recombination. In Escherichia coli and Haemophilus influenzae Chi and Chi-like sequences preferentially locate to approx. 1kb recombination 'islands' in the mRNA-synonymous strands of open reading frames (ORFs). Since mRNA-synonymous strands follow Szybalski's transcription direction rule in being G-rich, and the average ORF is about 1kb, then, on this basis alone, Chi sequences are seen to reside in 1kb G-rich 'islands'. However, RecA preferentially binds GT-rich sequences, suggesting that genomic context might potentiate Chi action. Consistent with this, we report for E. coli that 1kb sequence windows with Chi near their centres are a distinct subset of total 1kb windows, the mRNA-synonymous strands being preferentially enriched in both G and T. Chi function might be particularly important for bacteria that survive high temperature and radiation. These often exist in habitats where recombination with E. coli DNA would be unlikely, so canonical Chi sequences might not confer a selective disadvantage in this respect. In general, Chi sequences are not more frequent in thermophilic bacteria and Deinococcus radiodurans, than in E. coli and other mesophilic bacteria. Only two of five thermophilic bacteria examined showed preferential location of Chi sequences to mRNA-synonymous strands. In the thermophile Methanococcus jannaschii, windows containing the canonical Chi sequence do not form a distinct subset. We suggest that in thermophilic bacteria and D. radiodurans the Chi function may be achieved by sequences that differ from the canonical Chi sequence, or that the number of these sequences is sufficient, or that the Chi function is unnecessary.

Base Composition↗

Mutation of D. radiodurans in a gene homologous to ruvB of E. coli.

Following the digestion of chromosomal DNA of Deinococcus radiodurans with a restriction enzyme a partial genomic library was constructed using lambda phage as a vector. A phage clone whose DNA can complement the deficiency in a radiation-sensitive mutant of D. radiodurans was isolated. Following the subcloning using phasmid vector, a hybrid plasmid containing 1.2 kb inserted DNA was obtained. After the determination of nucleotide sequence, the deduced amino acid sequence showed close homology to RuvB protein of Escherichia coli; approximately 81% of the amino acids (310 residues in total) was homologous (152 were identical and 100 amino acids were similar). The putative protein has a conserved ATP binding domain characteristic of DNA helicases. However, we could not find an SOS promoter and ORF for RuvA protein in the sequence upstream of ruvB in contrast to the E. coli homologue. The mutant was transformed with exogenous DNA at the same rate as the wild-type cells, but it was moderately sensitive to UV, gamma-rays and to interstrand cross-linking reagents.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Engineering radiation-resistant bacteria for environmental biotechnology.

Seventy million cubic meters of ground and three trillion liters of groundwater have been contaminated by leaking radioactive waste generated in the United States during the Cold War. A cleanup technology is being developed based on the radiation-resistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans, which is being engineered to express bioremediating functions.

Bacteria↗