Efficient gene inactivation in Bacillus anthracis.

Konstantin Y Shatalin; Alex A Neyfakh

doi:10.1016/j.femsle.2005.03.029

Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 15837388

Efficient gene inactivation in Bacillus anthracis.

Konstantin Y Shatalin·Alex A Neyfakh

View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

A procedure for high-efficiency gene inactivation in Bacillus anthracis has been developed. It is based on a highly temperature-sensitive plasmid vector carrying kanamycin resistance cassette surrounded by DNA fragments flanking the desired insertion site. The approach was tested by constructing glutamate racemase E1 (racE1), glutamate racemase E2 (racE2) and comEC knock-out mutants of B. anthracis strain DeltaANR. Allelic replacements were observed at high frequencies, ranging from approximately 0.5% for racE2 up to 50% for racE1 and comEC. The system can be used for genetic validation of potential drug targets.

Explore related subjects

Amino Acid Isomerases Bacillus anthracis Bacterial Proteins DNA, Bacterial Kanamycin Resistance Methyltransferases Molecular Sequence Data Mutagenesis, Insertional Plasmids Racemases and Epimerases Recombination, Genetic Sequence Analysis, DNA Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

Konstantin Y Shatalin, Alex A Neyfakh. 2005-04-15. Efficient gene inactivation in Bacillus anthracis.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.femsle.2005.03.029

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2006

A B lymphocyte mitogen is a Brucella abortus virulence factor required for persistent infection.

Microbial pathogens with the ability to establish chronic infections have evolved strategies to actively modulate the host immune response. Brucellosis is a disease caused by a Gram-negative intracellular pathogen that if not treated during the initial phase of the infection becomes chronic as the bacteria persist for the lifespan of the host. How this pathogen and others achieve this action is a largely unanswered question. We report here the identification of a Brucella abortus gene (prpA) directly involved in the immune modulation of the host. PrpA belongs to the proline-racemase family and elicits a B lymphocyte polyclonal activation that depends on the integrity of its proline-racemase catalytic site. Stimulation of splenocytes with PrpA also results in IL-10 secretion. Construction of a B. abortus-prpA mutant allowed us to assess the contribution of PrpA to the infection process. Mice infected with B. abortus induced an early and transient nonresponsive status of splenocytes to both Escherichia coli LPS and ConA. This phenomenon was not observed when mice were infected with a B. abortus-prpA mutant. Moreover, the B. abortus-prpA mutant had a reduced capacity to establish a chronic infection in mice. We propose that an early and transient nonresponsive immune condition of the host mediated by this B cell polyclonal activator is required for establishing a successful chronic infection by Brucella.

Amino Acid Isomerases↗

PubMed2006

Analysis of proline reduction in the nosocomial pathogen Clostridium difficile.

Clostridium difficile, a proteolytic strict anaerobe, has emerged as a clinically significant nosocomial pathogen in recent years. Pathogenesis is due to the production of lethal toxins, A and B, members of the large clostridial cytotoxin family. Although it has been established that alterations in the amino acid content of the growth medium affect toxin production, the molecular mechanism for this observed effect is not yet known. Since there is a paucity of information on the amino acid fermentation pathways used by this pathogen, we investigated whether Stickland reactions might be at the heart of its bioenergetic pathways. Growth of C. difficile on Stickland pairs yielded large increases in cell density in a limiting basal medium, demonstrating that these reactions are tied to ATP production. Selenium supplementation was required for this increase in cell yield. Analysis of genome sequence data reveals genes encoding the protein components of two key selenoenzyme reductases, glycine reductase and d-proline reductase (PR). These selenoenzymes were expressed upon the addition of the corresponding Stickland acceptor (glycine, proline, or hydroxyproline). Purification of the selenoenzyme d-proline reductase revealed a mixed complex of PrdA and PrdB (SeCys-containing) proteins. PR utilized only d-proline but not l-hydroxyproline, even in the presence of an expressed and purified proline racemase. PR was found to be independent of divalent cations, and zinc was a potent inhibitor of PR. These results show that Stickland reactions are key to the growth of C. difficile and that the mechanism of PR may differ significantly from that of previously studied PR from nonpathogenic species.

Amino Acid Isomerases↗

PubMed2006

Synthesis of DL-tryptophan by modified broad specificity amino acid racemase from Pseudomonas putida IFO 12996.

Broad specificity amino acid racemase (E.C. 5.1.1.10) from Pseudomonas putida IFO 12996 (BAR) is a unique racemase because of its broad substrate specificity. BAR has been considered as a possible catalyst which directly converts inexpensive L-amino acids to DL-amino acid racemates. The gene encoding BAR was cloned to utilize BAR for the synthesis of D-amino acids, especially D-Trp which is an important intermediate of pharmaceuticals. The substrate specificity of cloned BAR covered all of the standard amino acids; however, the activity toward Trp was low. Then, we performed random mutagenesis on bar to obtain mutant BAR derivatives with high activity for Trp. Five positive mutants were isolated after the two-step screening of the randomly mutated BAR. After the determination of the amino acid substitutions in these mutants, it was suggested that the substitutions at Y396 and I384 increased the Trp specific racemization activity and the racemization activity for overall amino acids, respectively. Among the positive mutants, I384M mutant BAR showed the highest activity for Trp. L-Trp (20 mM) was successfully racemized, and the proportion of D-Trp was reached 43% using I384M mutant BAR, while wild-type BAR racemized only 6% of initial L-Trp.

Amino Acid Isomerases↗