Wild-type Escherichia coli producing microcins B17, D93, J25, and L; cloning of genes for microcin L production and immunity

For the first time, an Escherichia coli strain producing four microcins (Mcc), B17, D93, J25, and L, and showing immunity to Mcc V was isolated and characterized. Each of the gene clusters encoding the production of Mcc B17, D93, and L was cloned separately. The gene cluster for Mcc L was cloned within a 13.5-kb HindIII–SalI fragment, which includes the Mcc V immunity gene, cvi.Key words: microcin B17, microcin D93, microcin L, multiproduction, cloning.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome III left telomere has a type X, but not a type Y', ARS region

A yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae telomeric region was isolated by chromosome walking from HML alpha, the most distal known gene on the chromosome III left (IIIL) end. The terminal heterodisperse 3.3-kilobase (kb) SalI fragment on chromosome IIIL, 8.6 kb distal to HML alpha, was cloned in a circular vector to generate a telomeric probe. Southern hybridization and DNA sequencing analyses indicated that 0.6 kb (+/- 200 base pairs) of 5'-C1-3A-3' simple tandem repeat sequence, adjacent to a 1.2-kb type X ARS region, constitutes the telomere on the chromosome IIIL end, and no type Y' ARS region homologies exist between HML alpha and the IIIL terminus.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome III left telomere has a type X, but not a type Y', ARS region.

A yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae telomeric region was isolated by chromosome walking from HML alpha, the most distal known gene on the chromosome III left (IIIL) end. The terminal heterodisperse 3.3-kilobase (kb) SalI fragment on chromosome IIIL, 8.6 kb distal to HML alpha, was cloned in a circular vector to generate a telomeric probe. Southern hybridization and DNA sequencing analyses indicated that 0.6 kb (+/- 200 base pairs) of 5'-C1-3A-3' simple tandem repeat sequence, adjacent to a 1.2-kb type X ARS region, constitutes the telomere on the chromosome IIIL end, and no type Y' ARS region homologies exist between HML alpha and the IIIL terminus.

Primary structure of the RAD52 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The RAD52 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is involved in genetic recombination and DNA repair, was cloned by transformation of rad52-1 mutant cells to methyl methanesulfonate resistance with BamHI fragments of Rad+ genomic DNA inserted into the Escherichia coli-S. cerevisiae shuttle vector YRp7. A plasmid carrying a 2.0-kilobase BamHI fragment was found to partially complement methyl methanesulfonate sensitivity of the rad52-1 mutant. By using this fragment as a hybridization probe, a plasmid that fully complemented the methyl methanesulfonate sensitivity of the mutant was isolated, which carries a 3.3-kilobase SalI fragment containing most of the 2.0-kilobase BamHI fragment. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the SalI fragment revealed the presence of a large open reading frame of 1,512 nucleotides. The rad52-1 mutant DNA has a single-base change in this reading frame, which leads to an amino acid substitution. Analysis of mRNA synthesized in yeast by the S1 mapping technique disclosed possible transcription initiation and termination points of the RAD52 gene and suggested formation of the gene product without splicing of the transcript.

Primary structure of the RAD52 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The RAD52 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is involved in genetic recombination and DNA repair, was cloned by transformation of rad52-1 mutant cells to methyl methanesulfonate resistance with BamHI fragments of Rad+ genomic DNA inserted into the Escherichia coli-S. cerevisiae shuttle vector YRp7. A plasmid carrying a 2.0-kilobase BamHI fragment was found to partially complement methyl methanesulfonate sensitivity of the rad52-1 mutant. By using this fragment as a hybridization probe, a plasmid that fully complemented the methyl methanesulfonate sensitivity of the mutant was isolated, which carries a 3.3-kilobase SalI fragment containing most of the 2.0-kilobase BamHI fragment. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the SalI fragment revealed the presence of a large open reading frame of 1,512 nucleotides. The rad52-1 mutant DNA has a single-base change in this reading frame, which leads to an amino acid substitution. Analysis of mRNA synthesized in yeast by the S1 mapping technique disclosed possible transcription initiation and termination points of the RAD52 gene and suggested formation of the gene product without splicing of the transcript.

Transposition of yeast mating type genes from two translocations of the left arm of chromosome III.

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the HIS4C gene lies on the left arm of chromosome III. We analyzed two chromosomal rearrangements that have HIS4C translocated either to chromosome XII or to a new translocation chromosome. Using the cmt mutation that allows expression of the normally silent copies of mating type genes, we found that both of these translocations also carried HML alpha, more than 30 map units distal to HIS4C which normally lies on chromosome III. In the case of the translocation chromosome (designated T3), we also found an exchange event between HML alpha on the translocation chromosome and HMLa on chromosome III. In diploids containing two T3 chromosomes (one carrying HML alpha and the carrying HMLa), we found that HML was 32 centimorgans from HIS4C, which was 10 centimorgans from an unknown centromere. In homothallic strains carrying HMLa MATa HMRa on chromosome III, switching from MATa to MAT alpha could occur by using the HML alpha on the translocation as the sole donor of alpha information. Transposition from HML alpha on chromosome T3 was about 20 to 40% as efficient as transposition from intact chromosome III. In contrast, transposition from the HML alpha inserted into chromosome XII was reduced about 100-fold. This reduced efficiency did not appear to be caused by an alteration in the sequences immediately surrounding HML alpha in the translocation. The translocated HML alpha sequence was located in the same size (29-kilobase) SalI fragment as was found in chromosome III, and the same EcoRI, HindIII, and BglII restriction sites were also found. Furthermore, HML alpha was still under the control of the CMT gene, which maintains HML as a silent copy of mating type information. These results suggested that the position of the HML alpha sequence plays an important role in the efficiency of mating type switching.

Transposition of yeast mating type genes from two translocations of the left arm of chromosome III

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the HIS4C gene lies on the left arm of chromosome III. We analyzed two chromosomal rearrangements that have HIS4C translocated either to chromosome XII or to a new translocation chromosome. Using the cmt mutation that allows expression of the normally silent copies of mating type genes, we found that both of these translocations also carried HML alpha, more than 30 map units distal to HIS4C which normally lies on chromosome III. In the case of the translocation chromosome (designated T3), we also found an exchange event between HML alpha on the translocation chromosome and HMLa on chromosome III. In diploids containing two T3 chromosomes (one carrying HML alpha and the carrying HMLa), we found that HML was 32 centimorgans from HIS4C, which was 10 centimorgans from an unknown centromere. In homothallic strains carrying HMLa MATa HMRa on chromosome III, switching from MATa to MAT alpha could occur by using the HML alpha on the translocation as the sole donor of alpha information. Transposition from HML alpha on chromosome T3 was about 20 to 40% as efficient as transposition from intact chromosome III. In contrast, transposition from the HML alpha inserted into chromosome XII was reduced about 100-fold. This reduced efficiency did not appear to be caused by an alteration in the sequences immediately surrounding HML alpha in the translocation. The translocated HML alpha sequence was located in the same size (29-kilobase) SalI fragment as was found in chromosome III, and the same EcoRI, HindIII, and BglII restriction sites were also found. Furthermore, HML alpha was still under the control of the CMT gene, which maintains HML as a silent copy of mating type information. These results suggested that the position of the HML alpha sequence plays an important role in the efficiency of mating type switching.