title: A Bacillus cereus cytolytic determinant, cereolysin AB, which comprises the phospholipase C and sphingomyelinase genes: nucleotide sequence and genetic linkage.
abstract: A cloned cytolytic determinant from the genome of Bacillus cereus GP-4 has been characterized at the molecular level. Nucleotide sequence determination revealed the presence of two open reading frames. Both open reading frames were found by deletion and complementation analysis to be necessary for expression of the hemolytic phenotype by Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli hosts. The 5' open reading frame was found to be nearly identical to a recently reported phospholipase C gene derived from a mutant B. cereus strain which overexpresses the respective protein, and it conferred a lecithinase-positive phenotype to the B. subtilis host. The 3' open reading frame encoded a sphingomyelinase. The two tandemly encoded activities, phospholipase C and sphingomyelinase, constitute a biologically functional cytolytic determinant of B. cereus termed cereolysin AB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City 73190.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gilmore
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Cruz-Rodz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leimeister-Wächter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kreft
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Goebel
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005796:Genes; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics*; D010957:Plasmids; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase / Q000235:genetics*; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C006953:cereolysin; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; D010738:Type C Phospholipases; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase