Cobalamin (vitamin B12) biosynthesis in Rhodobacter capsulatus

2002 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 646-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. McGoldrick ◽  
E. Deery ◽  
M. Warren ◽  
P. Heathcote

In Rhodobacter capsulatus, cobalamin biosynthesis has been shown to occur when the bacteria are grown either aerobically or anaerobically. However, a comparison of the main cobalamin biosynthetic operon found within R. capsulatus would suggest that the encoded proteins belong to the oxygen-dependent pathway for cobalamin biosynthesis, although, significantly, no homologue of the essential mono-oxygenase CobG has yet been detected. Nonetheless, within this main cob operon is found a large open reading frame termed orf663 that is not found in any other cobalamin biosynthetic operon. When overproduced in Escherichia coli, orf663 was found to encode a 90 kDa integral membrane protein. Some of this protein is cleaved within E. coli to give a soluble N-terminal region that can easily be purified and yields a 50 kDa flavoprotein. When expressed in harness with the genes for precorrin-3a synthesis, ORF663 appears to mediate the transformation of precorrin-3a into a new chromophoric compound. Another open reading frame in close proximity to orf663 is termed orf647, and was found to encode a 2Fe-2S ferredoxin-like protein. We suggest that these two proteins may provide an alternative oxygen-independent mechanism for ring contraction within R. capsulatus.

Genetics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 155 (3) ◽  
pp. 1105-1117 ◽  
Author(s):  
W John Haynes ◽  
Kit-Yin Ling ◽  
Robin R Preston ◽  
Yoshiro Saimi ◽  
Ching Kung

Abstract Pawn mutants of Paramecium tetraurelia lack a depolarization-activated Ca2+ current and do not swim backward. Using the method of microinjection and sorting a genomic library, we have cloned a DNA fragment that complements pawn-B (pwB/pwB). The minimal complementing fragment is a 798-bp open reading frame (ORF) that restores the Ca2+ current and the backward swimming when expressed. This ORF contains a 29-bp intron and is transcribed and translated. The translated product has two putative transmembrane domains but no clear matches in current databases. Mutations in the available pwB alleles were found within this ORF. The d4-95 and d4-96 alleles are single base substitutions, while d4-662 (previously pawn-D) harbors a 44-bp insertion that matches an internal eliminated sequence (IES) found in the wild-type germline DNA except for a single C-to-T transition. Northern hybridizations and RT-PCR indicate that d4-662 transcripts are rapidly degraded or not produced. A second 155-bp IES in the wild-type germline ORF excises at two alternative sites spanning three asparagine codons. The pwB ORF appears to be separated from a 5′ neighboring ORF by only 36 bp. The close proximity of the two ORFs and the location of the pwB protein as indicated by GFP-fusion constructs are discussed.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1385
Author(s):  
Giulia Pezzoni ◽  
Lidia Stercoli ◽  
Eleonora Pegoiani ◽  
Emiliana Brocchi

To evaluate the antigenic properties of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Open Reading Frame 2 and 3 (ORF2 and ORF3) codified proteins, we expressed different portions of ORF2 and the entire ORF3 in E. coli, a truncated ORF2, was also expressed in baculovirus. A panel of 37 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) was raised against ORF2 (1–660 amino acids) and MAbs were mapped and characterized using the ORF2 expressed portions. Selected HEV positive and negative swine sera were used to evaluate ORF2 and ORF3 antigens’ immunogenicity. The MAbs were clustered in six groups identifying six antigenic regions along the ORF2. Only MAbs binding to the sixth ORF2 antigenic region (394–608 aa) were found to compete with HEV positive sera and efficiently catch the recombinant antigen expressed in baculovirus. The ORF2 portion from 394–608 aa demonstrated to include most immunogenic epitopes with 85% of HEV positive swine sera reacting against the region from 461–544 aa. Only 5% of the selected HEV sera reacted against the ORF3 antigen.


Holzforschung ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang-Hua Chu ◽  
Pei-Min Kuo ◽  
Yu-Rong Chen ◽  
Sheng-Yang Wang

AbstractAnalyzing the gene sequences of terpene synthase (TPS) may contribute to a better understanding of terpenes biosynthesis and evolution of phylogenetic taxonomy.Chamaecyparis formosensisis an endemic and precious conifer of Taiwan. To understand the biosynthesis mechanism of terpenes in this tree, a full length of putative mono-TPS, named asCf-Pin(GeneBank accession no. EU099434), was obtained by PCR method and RACE extension. TheCf-Pinhas an 1887-bp open reading frame and encodes 628 amino acids. To identify the function ofCf-Pin,the recombinant protein fromEscherichia coliwas incubated with geranyl diphosphate, produced one major product, the structure of which was elucidated. GC/MS analysis and matching of retention time and mass spectrum with authentic standards revealed that this product isα-pinene. This is the first report of cloning of a mono-TPS and functionally expressed inE. coliand which could be identified asα-pinene synthase from a Cupressaceae conifer.


2000 ◽  
Vol 182 (23) ◽  
pp. 6834-6841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Ducote ◽  
Shubha Prakash ◽  
Gregg S. Pettis

ABSTRACT Efficient interbacterial transfer of streptomycete plasmid pIJ101 requires the pIJ101 tra gene, as well as acis-acting plasmid function known as clt. Here we show that the minimal pIJ101 clt locus consists of a sequence no greater than 54 bp in size that includes essential inverted-repeat and direct-repeat sequences and is located in close proximity to the 3′ end of the korB regulatory gene. Evidence that sequences extending beyond the minimal locus and into thekorB open reading frame influence clt transfer function and demonstration that clt-korB sequences are intrinsically curved raise the possibility that higher-order structuring of DNA and protein within this plasmid region may be an inherent feature of efficient pIJ101 transfer.


1999 ◽  
Vol 380 (12) ◽  
pp. 1455-1459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eun Young Yun ◽  
Seok Woo Kang ◽  
Jae Sam Hwang ◽  
Tae Won Goo ◽  
Sang Hyun Kim ◽  
...  

Abstract We isolated a cDNA representing a message that was strongly induced by injection with E. coli in Bombyx mori. The 2160 bp cDNA has an open reading frame of 644 amino acids and the deduced product a predicted molecular mass of 71 kDa. The cDNA sequence shared high homology with the transferrins known so far, and its deduced peptide had unique features of transferrins, that is, sites of cystein residues and iron binding. We suggest that the B. mori transferrin plays an important role in the self-defense system.


2004 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 1570-1575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dae Heoun Baek ◽  
Jae Jun Song ◽  
Seok-Joon Kwon ◽  
Chung Park ◽  
Chang-Min Jung ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A new thermostable dipeptidase gene was cloned from the thermophile Brevibacillus borstelensis BCS-1 by genetic complementation of the d-Glu auxotroph Escherichia coli WM335 on a plate containing d-Ala-d-Glu. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that the gene included an open reading frame coding for a 307-amino-acid sequence with an M r of 35,000. The deduced amino acid sequence of the dipeptidase exhibited 52% similarity with the dipeptidase from Listeria monocytogenes. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity from recombinant E. coli WM335 harboring the dipeptidase gene from B. borstelensis BCS-1. Investigation of the enantioselectivity (E) to the P1 and P1′ site of Ala-Ala revealed that the ratio of the specificity constant (k cat /Km ) for l-enantioselectivity to the P1 site of Ala-Ala was 23.4 � 2.2 [E = (k cat /Km ) l,d /(k cat /Km ) d,d ], while the d-enantioselectivity to the P1′ site of Ala-Ala was 16.4 � 0.5 [E = (k cat /Km ) l,d /(k cat /Km ) l,l ] at 55�C. The enzyme was stable up to 55�C, and the optimal pH and temperature were 8.5 and 65�C, respectively. The enzyme was able to hydrolyze l-Asp-d-Ala, l-Asp-d-AlaOMe, Z-d-Ala-d-AlaOBzl, and Z-l-Asp-d-AlaOBzl, yet it could not hydrolyze d-Ala-l-Asp, d-Ala-l-Ala, d-AlaNH2, and l-AlaNH2. The enzyme also exhibited β-lactamase activity similar to that of a human renal dipeptidase. The dipeptidase successfully synthesized the precursor of the dipeptide sweetener Z-l-Asp-d-AlaOBzl.


1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (15) ◽  
pp. 4499-4504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederick M. Hahn ◽  
Anthony P. Hurlburt ◽  
C. Dale Poulter

ABSTRACT Isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase catalyzes the interconversion of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP). In eukaryotes, archaebacteria, and some bacteria, IPP is synthesized from acetyl coenzyme A by the mevalonate pathway. The subsequent isomerization of IPP to DMAPP activates the five-carbon isoprene unit for subsequent prenyl transfer reactions. In Escherichia coli, the isoprene unit is synthesized from pyruvate and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate by the recently discovered nonmevalonate pathway. An open reading frame (ORF696) encoding a putative IPP isomerase was identified in the E. coli chromosome at 65.3 min. ORF696 was cloned into an expression vector; the 20.5 kDa recombinant protein was purified in three steps, and its identity as an IPP isomerase was established biochemically. The gene for IPP isomerase, idi, is not clustered with other known genes for enzymes in the isoprenoid pathway. E. coli FH12 was constructed by disruption of the chromosomal idi gene with the aminoglycoside 3′-phosphotransferase gene and complemented by the wild-type idi gene on plasmid pFMH33 with a temperature-sensitive origin of replication. FH12/pFMH33 was able to grow at the restrictive temperature of 44°C and FH12 lacking the plasmid grew on minimal medium, thereby establishing thatidi is a nonessential gene. Although theV max of the bacterial protein was 20-fold lower than that of its yeast counterpart, the catalytic efficiencies of the two enzymes were similar through a counterbalance inKm s. The E. coli protein requires Mg2+ or Mn2+ for activity. The enzyme contains conserved cysteine and glutamate active-site residues found in other IPP isomerases.


1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (23) ◽  
pp. 7256-7265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birgitta Esberg ◽  
Hon-Chiu Eastwood Leung ◽  
Ho-Ching Tiffany Tsui ◽  
Glenn R. Björk ◽  
Malcolm E. Winkler

ABSTRACT The tRNA of the miaB2508::Tn10dCm mutant of Salmonella typhimurium is deficient in the methylthio group of the modified nucleosideN 6-(4-hydroxyisopentenyl)-2-methylthioadenosine (ms2io6A37). By sequencing, we found that the Tn10dCm of this strain had been inserted into thef474 (yleA) open reading frame, which is located close to the nag locus in both S. typhimurium and Escherichia coli. By complementation of the miaB2508::Tn10dCm mutation with a minimal subcloned f474 fragment, we showed thatf474 could be identified as the miaB gene, which is transcribed in the counterclockwise direction on the bacterial chromosome. Transcriptional studies revealed two promoters upstream ofmiaB in E. coli and S. typhimurium. A Rho-independent terminator was identified downstream of themiaB gene, at which the majority (96%) of themiaB transcripts terminate in E. coli, showing that the miaB gene is part of a monocistronic operon. A highly conserved motif with three cysteine residues was present in MiaB. This motif resembles iron-binding sites in other proteins. Only a weak similarity to an AdoMet-binding site was found, favoring the idea that the MiaB protein is involved in the thiolation step and not in the methylating reaction of ms2i(o)6A37 formation.


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