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Hot spot mutations in morphological transforming region II (ORF 79) of cytomegalovirus strains causing disease from bone marrow transplant recipients.

Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifying the morphological transforming region II (mtrII) of cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been shown to be useful in the detection of CMV DNA in bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients. However, there has never been any report on mutation hot spots and subtypes of this open reading frame. Using primers derived from sequences upstream and downstream of mtrII (ORF 79), CMV DNA from peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) and conventional CMV culture of 16 BMT recipients were amplified by PCR, cloned into pUC118, and sequenced. The amino acid sequences were predicted using the standard triplet code. The DNA sequences obtained from direct amplification of CMV in PBL obtained from the 16 patients were 100% identical to the corresponding ones obtained by amplification of CMV DNA extracted from conventional CMV culture. Within mtrII (ORF 79), hot spot single base mutations were observed at positions +40 (G-->A), +123 (A-->G), +213 (T-->C), and +219 (T-->C). However, because of third base degeneracy, only amino acid 14 was changed from valine to isoleucine in the predicted protein of 13 patients. This corresponded to the hot spot mutation at position +40 (GTC-->ATC), while the rest were silent mutations. An insertion of 3 bases (ACG) was observed in the CMV DNA of 10 patients at positions +91 to +93, leading to a threonine insertion at amino acid 31 in these patients. For patient no. 147 there was a 65 bp deletion in the CMV DNA amplified later in the course of BMT as compared with that early in the course. This gave rise to a frame shift mutation and a change of more than 70% in the predicted amino acid sequence of the protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Subgenomic RNA7 is transcribed with different leader-body junction sites in PRRSV (strain VR2332) infection of CL2621 cells.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), like all members of the order Nidoviridae, is expressed in the infected cell as a nested set of subgenomic (sg) RNAs with a common 5'-leader sequence. We have determined that the 5'-leader sequence for the US prototype strain (VR2332, Collins, et al., 1992) is distinct from the European prototype strain [Lelystad (LV); Wensvoort, et al., 1991, Meulenberg et al., 1993a], yet these two strains use almost the same sequence for downstream sites of 5'-leader-body junction formation. Analysis of VR2332 genomic sequence identified several potential 5'-leader-body junction sequences upstream of open reading frame (ORF) 7, coding for the nucleocapsid protein, that could be used for generation of VR2332 sgRNA7 transcripts. Sequence determinations of RT-PCR-generated cDNA clones of sgRNA7 identified two species of RNA7 transcripts in infected cells, one utilizing a leader-body junction sequence (AUAACC) 123 nucleotides upstream of the AUG start site and one utilizing a sequence (UAAACC) 9 nucleotides upstream of the AUG start site for ORF7 translation.

5' Untranslated Regions↗

Malate synthase from Streptomyces clavuligerus NRRL3585: cloning, molecular characterization and its control by acetate.

Malate synthase is a key enzyme of the glyoxylate cycle, which is an anaplerotic pathway essential for growth on acetate as the sole carbon source. The aceB gene, encoding malate synthase from Streptomyces clavuligerus NRRL 3585, was cloned using PCR and fully sequenced. The ORF obtained encodes 541 amino acids with a deduced Mr of 60000, consistent with the observed Mr (62000-64000) of most malate synthase enzymes reported so far. The aceB gene has a high G+C content (71.5 mol%), especially in the third codon position. A 50 bp region upstream of the malate synthase ORF was predicted to be a prokaryotic promoter region. The relationship between carbon source, antibiotic (cephalosporin) biosynthesis and malate synthase activity was investigated. Growth of S. clavuligerus on acetate as the major carbon source was delayed, compared to that on glycerol. Furthermore, high levels of malate synthase activity were associated with the presence of acetate in the growth medium. Growth on acetate also resulted in lower levels of cephalosporin production, compared to that on glycerol. The cloned S. clavuligerus aceB gene was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). Transformants exhibited an approximately 71-fold increase in malate synthase activity, compared to the control, thereby demonstrating high-level expression of soluble and enzymically active malate synthase in the heterologous host.

Acetates↗

Transposon mutagenesis reinforces the correlation between Mycoplasma pneumoniae cytoskeletal protein HMW2 and cytadherence.

A new genetic locus associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae cytadherence was previously identified by transposon mutagenesis with Tn4001. This locus maps approximately 160 kbp from the genes encoding cytadherence-associated proteins HMW1 and HMW3, and yet insertions therein result in loss of these proteins and a hemadsorption-negative (HA-) phenotype, prompting the designation cytadherence-regulatory locus (crl). In the current study, passage of transformants in the absence of antibiotic selection resulted in loss of the transposon, a wild-type protein profile, and a HA+ phenotype, underscoring the correlation between crl and M. pneumoniae cytadherence. Nucleotide sequence analysis of crl revealed open reading frames (ORFs) orfp65, orfp216, orfp41, and orfp24, arranged in tandem and flanked by a promoter-like and a terminator-like sequence, suggesting a single transcriptional unit, the P65 operon. The 5' end of orfp65 mRNA was mapped by primer extension, and a likely promoter was identified just upstream. The product of each ORF was identified by using antisera prepared against fusion proteins. The previously characterized surface protein P65 is encoded by orfp65, while the 190,000 Mr cytadherence-associated protein HMW2 is a product of orfp216. Proteins with sizes of 47,000 and 41,000 Mr and unknown function were identified for orfp41 and orfp24, respectively. Structural analyses of HMW2 predict a periodicity highly characteristic of a coiled-coil conformation and five leucine zipper motifs, indicating that HMW2 probably forms dimers in vivo, which is consistent with a structural role in cytadherence. Each transposon insertion mapped to orfp216 but affected the levels of all products of the P65 operon. HMW2 is thought to form a disulfide-linked dimer, formerly designated HMW5, and examination of an hmw2 deletion mutant confirms that HMW5 is a product of the hmw2 gene.

Bacterial Adhesion↗

Sequence and linkage analysis of the Coxiella burnetii citrate synthase-encoding gene.

The nucleotide (nt) sequence of the Coxiella burnetii citrate synthase-encoding gene (gltA), previously cloned in Escherichia coli, was determined. The nt sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame (ORF) of 1290 bp capable of coding for a protein of 430 amino acids (aa) with a deduced Mr of 48,633. Preceding an ATG start codon, a possible transcription start point (tsp) with homology to the E. coli promoter consensus was detected. A poly-purine-rich region occurred immediately upstream from the gltA reading frame and potentially serves as a ribosome-binding site. Additionally, a G + C-rich region of dyad symmetry 3' to the translational stop codon was found that could possibly function as a Rho-independent transcriptional termination signal. A large, nearly perfect, inverted repeat was identified upstream from the gltA tsp and was shown by Southern analysis to be present in multiple copies in the C. burnetii genome. The deduced aa sequence of C. burnetii GltA was optimally aligned with enzymes from various prokaryotic sources and one eukaryotic source (pig heart). Using perfect aa identity, the C. burnetii enzyme demonstrated the greatest homology with GltA from Acinetobacter anitratum (65%). Although only 26% aa identity was seen with the pig heart enzyme, many of the residues identified in ligand binding appear to be conserved. Sequencing studies of a region centered approx. 5.6 kb upstream from gltA revealed an ORF read with opposite polarity that encodes a peptide highly homologous to the C terminus of the flavoprotein subunit of E. coli succinate dehydrogenase. This report represents the first nt sequence analysis of a gene of known function from the obligate intracellular parasite, C. burnetii.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Cloning and characterization of a gene cluster involved in tetrahydrofuran degradation in Pseudonocardia sp. strain K1.

A gene cluster involved in the utilization of tetrahydrofuran by Pseudonocardia sp. strain K1 was cloned and sequenced. Analysis of a 9.2-kb DNA fragment revealed eight ORFs. The genes designated as thmADBC encode the components of a putative monooxygenase exhibiting a high similarity to different binuclear-iron-containing multicomponent monooxygenases. thmA encodes the derived 545-amino-acid oxygenase alpha-subunit, thmD the 360-amino-acid reductase component, thmB the 346-amino-acid oxygenase beta-subunit, and thmC the 117-amino-acid coupling protein. Upstream of the thm genes, an additional ORF ( sad) was identified coding for a protein with high similarity to various aldehyde dehydrogenases. A succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase activity was specifically expressed in tetrahydrofuran-grown cells. N-terminal sequence analysis of the purified protein revealed that it is encoded by sad. Northern blot analysis indicated that transcription of the thm genes and sad was specifically induced during growth on tetrahydrofuran. Mono-, di- and polycistronic transcripts of these genes were detected. Primer-extension analysis identified transcriptional start sites 37, 61, and 41 bp upstream of the translation start of sad, thmA, and thmB, respectively. Additional ORFs were identified upstream ( orfY) and downstream ( orfZ and aldH) of the thm genes. Furthermore, the data indicated that the analyzed gene cluster was present as a single copy and located on a plasmid.

Actinomycetales↗

Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the carboxynorspermidine decarboxylase gene from Vibrio alginolyticus.

The gene (nspC) encoding carboxynorspermidine decarboxylase (CANS DC), the last enzyme in norspermidine biosynthesis, in Vibrio alginolyticus was isolated by immuno-screening and its complete nucleotide sequence was determined. Sequence analysis of the subcloned fragment (2.0 kb) revealed an ORF of 1131 bp encoding a protein of 377 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 42,008 Da. The sequence of 20 N-terminal amino acids of purified CANS DC was found to be identical to that predicted from the nspC gene. A putative ribosome binding sequence was observed 8 bp upstream from the translation start site (ATG), and promoter- and terminator-like sequences were detected upstream and downstream of the ORF, respectively. Database searches identified no similar proteins, but the deduced amino acid sequence contained a putative pyridoxal 5'-phosphate binding region similar to those of the bacterial meso-2,6-diaminopimelate decarboxylases and eukaryotic ornithine decarboxylases. Another full ORF was found on the opposite strand downstream from the nspC gene. It encoded a protein of 69 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 7441 Da, which exhibited some weak similarity to ScrR, a repressor protein of V. alginolyticus, in the helix-turn-helix DNA binding domain, but did not appear to be expressed in the host cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification and characterization of a gene on Rhizobium meliloti pSyma, syrB, that negatively affects syrM expression.

The Rhizobium meliloti SyrM protein activates transcription of nodD3 and syrA. Regulation of syrM is complex and may involve as yet undiscovered genes. Here we report the isolation of insertion mutants showing increased expression of a syrM-gusA gene fusion. Characterization of one mutant strain, designated SYR-B, revealed a mutation consisting of a transposon insertion linked to a large deletion. The corresponding wild-type DNA was cloned as a 5.3-kb BamHI fragment. Genetic and physical analysis of this DNA demonstrated that an open reading frame (ORF) near one end of the fragment, encoding the 16.5-kDa SyrB protein, is responsible for the repression of syrM activity. Results of complementation experiments with the 5.3-kb BamHI DNA led us to hypothesize that other genes within this DNA fragment interfere with the expression or activity of SyrB. Our analysis showed that the region upstream of syrB contains three ORFs. One ORF is similar to the Ros repressor of Agrobacterium tumefaciens and the MucR repressor of R. meliloti.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular characterization and transcriptional analysis of the putative hydrogenase gene of Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824.

A 2.8-kbp DNA region of Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 containing the putative hydrogenase gene (hydA) was cloned and sequenced. The 1,745-bp hydA encodes a 64,415-Da protein and presents strong identity with the [Fe] hydrogenase genes of Desulfovibrio and Clostridium species. The level of the putative hydA mRNA was high in cells from an acidogenic or an alcohologenic phosphate-limited continuous culture, while it was comparatively very low in cells from a solventogenic phosphate-limited continuous culture. These results were in agreement with the hydrogenase protein level, indicating that expression of hydA is regulated at the transcriptional level. Primer extension analysis identified a major transcriptional start site 90 bp upstream of the hydA start codon. The position of a putative rho-independent transcription terminator immediately downstream of the termination codon is in agreement with the size of the hydA transcript (1.9 kb) determined by Northern (RNA) blot experiments and confirms that the gene is transcribed as a monocistronic operon. Two truncated open reading frames (ORFs) were identified downstream and upstream of hydA and in opposite directions. The amino acid sequence deduced from ORF2 presents strong identity with ortho phosphoribosyl transferases involved in pyrimidine synthesis. The amino acid sequence deduced from ORF3 presents no significant similarity to any sequence in various available databases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Cloning and sequence analysis of the Antheraea pernyi nucleopolyhedrovirus gp64 gene.

Frequent outbreaks of the purulence disease of Chinese oak silkworm are reported in Middle and Northeast China. The disease is produced by the pathogen Antheraea pernyi nucleopolyhedrovirus (AnpeNPV). To obtain molecular information of the virus, the polyhedra of AnpeNPV were purified and characterized. The genomic DNA of AnpeNPV was extracted and digested with HindIII. The genome size of AnpeNPV is estimated at 128 kb. Based on the analysis of DNA fragments digested with HindIII, 23 fragments were bigger than 564 bp. A genomic library was generated using HindIII and the positive clones were sequenced and analysed. The gp64 gene, encoding the baculovirus envelope protein GP64, was found in an insert. The nucleotide sequence analysis indicated that the AnpeNPV gp64 gene consists of a 1,530 nucleotide open reading frame (ORF), encoding a protein of 509 amino acids. Of the eight gp64 homologues, the AnpeNPV gp64 ORF shared the most sequence similarity with the gp64 gene of Anticarsia gemmatalis NPV, but not Bombyx mori NPV. The upstream region of the AnpeNPV gp64 ORF encoded the conserved transcriptional elements for early and late stage of the viral infection cycle. These results indicated that AnpeNPV belongs to group I NPV and was far removed in molecular phylogeny from the BmNPV.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Early integration of high copy HPV16 detectable in women with normal and low grade cervical cytology and histology.

BACKGROUND: Integration of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA has been considered a late event in cervical carcinogenesis. However, integrated forms of HPV were recently detected in cancer precursor lesions using a new real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the deletions at the 3362-3443 region of HPV16 E2 OBJECTIVE: To study the frequency of HPV16 DNA integration in cervical lesions and compare the sensitivity of an additional upstream region of the E2 ORF (2962-3138) in detecting HPV integration. METHODS: Using the TaqMan based PCR, HPV16 positive DNA samples were analysed in 164 cervical scrapings from women participating in a multicentre screening trial. Biopsy confirmation was available in 62 cases. RESULTS: Primers targeting the 3362-3443 region detected the majority of E2 deletions. In only 23% of the samples was the E2 upstream region equal or better target than the 3362-3443 region. Mixed (episomal/integrated) pattern was the most prevalent physical state of HPV16, also present in PAP smears with normal morphology. Pure integrated form was most prevalent in HSIL and cancer lesions, but also detectable in low grade abnormalities (NSIL, ASC-US, LSIL). Women with only integrated HPV16 were almost 10 years older than those with episomal HPV16. Viral load of integrated HPV16 was related to cytological abnormality (p = 0.003) but not to histology. CONCLUSIONS: Integrated HPV16 is present in low grade cervical lesions, mostly mixed with the episomal form. Women with the pure integrated form of HPV16 are older than those with the other forms.

Adolescent↗

Production and properties of the native Chromobacterium violaceum fucose-binding lectin (CV-IIL) compared to homologous lectins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA-IIL) and Ralstonia solanacearum (RS-IIL).

Chromobacterium violaceum is a versatile, violet pigment (violacein)-producing beta-proteobacterium, confined to tropical and subtropical regions, dwelling in soil and water, like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Ralstonia solanacearum. These three bacteria are saprophytes that occasionally become aggressive opportunistic pathogens virulently attacking animals (the first two) and plants (the third). The recent availability of their genome sequences enabled identification in the C. violaceum genome of an ORF (locus no. 1744) that is similar to those of P. aeruginosa and R. solanacearum lectins, PA-IIL and RS-IIL, respectively. A recombinant protein, CV-IIL, encoded by that ORF exhibited fucose>mannose-specific lectin activity resembling PA-IIL. This paper describes production and properties of the native CV-IIL, which, like PA-IIL and RS-IIL, is probably also a quorum-sensing-driven secondary metabolite, appearing concomitantly with violacein. Its formation is repressed in the CV026 mutant of C. violaceum, which lacks endogenous N-acylhomoserine lactone. The upstream extragenic sequence of its ORF contains a 20 bp sequence (5'-101-120) with partial similarities to the luxI-box and the related P. aeruginosa and R. solanacearum promoter boxes of quorum-sensing-controlled genes. The lectin level is augmented by addition of trehalose to the medium. The subunit size of CV-IIL (around 11.86 kDa) is similar to those of PA-IIL (11.73 kDa) and RS-IIL (11.60 kDa). Like PA-IIL, in the tetrameric form CV-IIL preferentially agglutinates alpha1-2 fucosylated H-positive human erythrocytes (regardless of their A, B or O type), as opposed to the O(h) Bombay type, but differs from it in having no interaction with rabbit erythrocytes and in displaying stronger affinity to l-galactose than to l-fucose. The greater similarity of CV-IIL to PA-IIL than to RS-IIL might be related to the selective adaptation of both C. violaceum and P. aeruginosa to animal tissues versus the preferential homing of R. solanacearum to plants.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Identification of greA encoding a transcriptional elongation factor as a member of the carA-orf-carB-greA operon in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.

A homolog of the transcriptional elongation factor, GreA, was identified in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. The deduced amino acid sequence for GreA from this organism exhibits 65.2% identity to its counterpart in Escherichia coli K-12. The nucleotide sequence of greA from P. aeruginosa overlaps by four bases the 3' terminus of carB which encodes the large subunit of carbamoylphosphate synthetase. S1 nuclease experiments showed that level of the greA transcript is elevated approximately 10-fold under conditions of pyrimidine limitation, consistent with the conclusion that transcription is initiated from the previously identified pyrimidine-sensitive promoter upstream of the carA-orf-carB-greA operon. Transcriptional fusion experiments showed the presence of an additional weak promoter within the carB sequence. A greA insertional mutant of Pseudomonas aerugionsa was constructed by gene replacement. The mutant derivative grew well in rich medium but did not grow in minimal medium supplemented by arginine and nucleosides. The greA phenotype was suppressed by secondary mutations at a relatively high rate, consistent with the notion of an important physiological role for GreA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The structurally diverse intergenic regions of respiratory syncytial virus do not modulate sequential transcription by a dicistronic minigenome.

The first nine genes of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a nonsegmented negative-strand RNA virus, are separated by intergenic regions which range in size from 1 to 52 nucleotides for strain A2 and lack obvious consensus elements except that each ends in an A (genome sense). Their significance for gene expression was investigated by using RSV-CAT-LUC RNA, a helper-dependent cDNA-encoded dicistronic analog of RSV genomic RNA in which the viral genes were replaced by a negative-sense copy of the translational open reading frame (ORF) encoding chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) as the upstream, leader-proximal gene and that encoding luciferase (LUC) as the downstream gene. These foreign ORFs were flanked by the RSV gene-start (GS) and gene-end (GE) transcription signals and separated by the naturally occurring G/F intergenic region. The RSV-CAT-LUC minigenome was synthesized in vitro and transfected into RSV-infected cells, and synthesis of the CAT and LUC mRNAs was monitored by enzyme assay and Northern (RNA) blot hybridization. Surprisingly, substitution of each of the other naturally occurring RSV intergenic regions in turn did not significantly alter the absolute or relative amounts of the two mRNAs. Substitution of a nonnatural 10-nucleotide intergenic region, or elimination of the intergenic region altogether, also had little effect on the level of expression of the two genes. Four of the minigenome variants containing naturally occurring intergenic regions were modified further by replacing part of the LUC ORF with a second copy of the CAT ORF, so that each of the two mRNAs would hybridize equally with a CAT-specific probe and their relative molar amounts could be determined. The level of expression of the downstream gene was 0.30 to 0.36 that of the upstream one. This determined the magnitude of RSV transcriptional polarity across a gene pair and confirmed that this value was very similar among the various intergenic regions. Minigenome transcription also yielded a CAT-LUC readthrough mRNA at a level 0.10 to 0.13 that of the LUC mRNA. In summary, the structurally diverse RSV intergenic regions do not appear to play a role in modulating RSV gene expression.

Base Sequence↗

Characterization of bovine adenovirus type 3 early region 2B.

We have determined the nucleotide sequence of a 6999 base pair region of bovine adenovirus-3 covering map units 9.0 to 29.17, which contained the adenovirus homologs of IVa2 protein and the DNA replication proteins, precursor of terminal protein and DNA polymerase proteins. Analysis of the sequence for cis-acting elements suggests that transcripts of DNA polymerase and precursor of terminal protein are 3' co-terminal. In addition, this region also contains major late promoter sequence. The sequence to the left of IVa2 contains the ORF of pIX with a potential TATA box immediately upstream and two polyadenylation consensus signals immediately downstream of the ORF.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The mouse homolog of the bovine leukemia virus receptor is closely related to the delta subunit of adaptor-related protein complex AP-3, not associated with the cell surface.

A mouse cDNA (mBLVR1) which was highly homologous to the bovine cDNA of the bovine leukemia virus receptor (BLVR) gene was cloned. The mBLVR1 cDNA, of 4,730 bp, covered nearly the full length of the mRNA (about 5 kb) and included an open reading frame (ORF) encoding a protein of 1,199 amino acids. While the bovine BLVR protein was thought to be a type I transmembrane protein, the deduced protein coded by mBLVR1 did not appear to be a typical transmembrane protein. The ORF of mBLVR1 ended at a site 280 amino acids upstream of the termination codon of the bovine BLVR ORF, so the deduced mouse BLVR protein lacked the corresponding transmembrane and cytoplasmic regions of the predicted bovine BLVR protein. No significant hydrophobic region was found in the mouse protein. Recently, a human cDNA which was highly homologous (69.6% homology) to the mouse BLVR gene was reported. The cDNA encodes the delta subunit of the human adaptor-related protein complex AP-3, which aligned almost collinearly with the mouse BLVR protein. AP-3 and all other related adaptor protein complexes have been shown to be associated with intracellular vesicles but not with the cell surface. Thus, the mouse BLVR homolog appeared to be the mouse AP-3 delta subunit itself or closely related to it, but the bovine BLVR gene seemed slightly different from the adaptor subunit gene family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Murine gammaherpesvirus-68 encodes homologues of thymidine kinase and glycoprotein H: sequence, expression, and characterization of pyrimidine kinase activity.

We have sequenced a 4.5-kb fragment of DNA spanning the junction of the BamHI D and E fragments of murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV-68). This sequence was found to code for two major open reading frames (orfs) of 1934 and 2192 bp which showed significant homology to the thymidine kinase (TK) and glycoprotein H (gH) sequences of other gammaherpesviruses. Upstream from the TK gene another orf was found which showed amino acid sequence homology to the HSV1 UL24 gene. Analysis of the 1934-bp orf revealed the presence of all six of the recognized sites that are conserved between herpesvirus TKs although, uniquely among sequenced herpesvirus TK enzymes, MHV-68 lacks the consensus nucleotide binding site GXXGXGK, the second glycine being replaced by alanine. The MHV-68 TK has a predicted M(r) of 68,443, while the gH is predicted to have a M(r) of 82,890. Northern blot analysis showed an early TK message of 2.6 kb and a late gH-specific message of 2.5 kb. Both TK and gH probes detected a 4.3-kb late message, implying that this late message spans gH and TK. The TK coding sequence was expressed using an in vitro transcription translation system and was shown to encode functional TK activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characterization of the lysogenic repressor (c) gene of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa transposable bacteriophage D3112.

Bacteriophage D3112 is a Mu-like temperate transposable phage of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Genetic mapping and DNA sequence analysis have identified the left end of the phage genome as encoding the transposase enzyme (A) and the lysogenic (c) repressor. The c open reading frame (ORF), located at the leftmost end of the phage genome and transcribed from right to left, has four possible GTG initiation codons. Using site-directed mutagenesis, each of the four GTG codons was modified to GTA, which cannot serve as an initiation codon. Plasmids were constructed expressing either the wild-type repressor ORF or the ORFs containing the mutated GTA codons. When introduced into Pseudomonas aeruginosa, no immunity to superinfection by D3112 was observed when the second GTG had been mutated. Northern blotting analysis demonstrated that the D3112 c repressor is transcribed as a 900-nt mRNA. The promoter region was defined by transcriptional lacZ fusions and primer extension analyses to bp 972-940 from the left end of the phage genome. When the D3112 c repressor was overexpressed and purified as a fusion protein with a C-terminal six-histidine extension (cts15-His6), it showed high affinity for a 261-bp PvuII fragment localized directly upstream of the c repressor ORF. Our results indicate that although D3112 c shows higher amino acid similarity to the lambda family of repressors than it does to those of Mu and D108, it appears that its structure and function more accurately reflect an evolutionary ancestry with those from transposable coliphages Mu and D108.

Amino Acid Sequence↗