Roles of a 106-bp origin enhancer and Escherichia coli DnaA protein in replication of plasmid R6K.
A dnaA 'null' strain could not support replication of intact plasmid R6K or derivatives containing combinations of its three replication origins (alpha, gamma, beta). DnaA binds in vitro to sites in two functionally distinct segments of the central gamma origin. The 277-bp core segment is common to all three origins and contains DnaA box 2, which cannot be deleted without preventing replication. Immediately to the left of the core lies the 106-bp origin enhancer, which contains DnaA box 1. When the origin enhancer is deleted, the core alone can still initiate replication if levels of wt pi protein are decreased or if copy-up pi mutant proteins are provided in trans. DnaA does not effect expression of R6K replication initiator protein pi, although several DnaA boxes were identified in the coding segment of the pir gene, which encodes pi. Together these data suggest that a single DnaA box, 2, is sufficient for initiation from the gamma origin and might be sufficient for initiation from the gamma origin and might be sufficient and required for the activity of the alpha and beta origins as well. Implications of the DnaA protein binding to two domains of the gamma origin and the role of the 106-bp origin enhancer in replication are discussed.
Wu
F
F
Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706.
Goldberg
I
I
Filutowicz
M
M
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004265:DNA Helicases; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000235:genetics*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D015534:Trans-Activators
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C066312:DnaA protein, Bacteria; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; C499290:OppA protein, E coli; D015534:Trans-Activators; C046506:oligopeptide-binding protein, bacteria; C045264:replication initiator protein; D004265:DNA Helicases