title: Identification of a gene, rgg, which regulates expression of glucosyltransferase and influences the Spp phenotype of Streptococcus gordonii Challis.
abstract: Streptococcus gordonii Challis was previously shown to give rise to phase variants expressing high (Spp+) or low (Spp-) levels of extracellular glucosyltransferase (GTF) activity. Here, shotgun cloning of an S. gordonii Spp+ chromosomal digest resulted in a chimeric plasmid (pAM5010) able to complement the Spp- phenotype. In addition, introduction of pAM5010 into an Spp+ strain resulted in a 10-fold increase in GTF expression. Deletion analysis of pAM5010 identified a 1.2-kb DNA segment which exhibited the same functional properties as pAM5010. Nucleotide sequence analysis of this region revealed a gene approximately 1 kb in size. The gene was designated rgg. Disruption of the chromosomal rgg gene open reading frame in an Spp+ strain resulted in strain DS512, which displayed an Spp(-)-like phenotype and had 3% of wild-type GTF activity. A plasmid containing the rgg gene was able to complement the DS512 phenotype and significantly increase GTF expression above wild-type levels. Sequence analysis and other data showed that the S. gordonii GTF determinant, designated gtfG, is located 66 bp downstream of the rgg gene. The sequence also revealed interesting inverted repeats which may play a role in the regulation of gtfG. We conclude that rgg positively regulates the expression of GTF and influences expression of the Spp phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-0402.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Sulavik
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tardif
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Clewell
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005809:Genes, Regulator / Q000235:genetics*; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010641:Phenotype; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000235:genetics*; D013298:Streptococcus sanguis / Q000235:genetics; D015534:Trans-Activators
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; C074779:rgg protein, Streptococcus; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; C101905:GtfG protein, Streptococcus gordonii