title: Conditional expression of the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein gene in Escherichia coli.
abstract: Bacterial plasmids that directed expression of the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (G-protein) gene under control of the tryptophan operon regulatory region were constructed. A plasmid directing the synthesis of a G-protein-like protein (containing the NH2-terminal segment of seven amino acids encoded by the trpE gene fused to the complete G-protein sequence lacking only its NH2-terminal methionine) could be transformed into trpR+ (repressed) but not into trpR- (derepressed) cells. This result suggested initially that derepressed synthesis of the G-protein-like protein encoded by this plasmid was lethal in Escherichia coli. Deletion of the sequence encoding the large hydrophobic segment near the COOH terminus of G-protein did not overcome this lethality. Lethality of derepressed synthesis was overcome by deletion of the G-protein gene region encoding 10 amino acids in the hydrophobic NH2-terminal domain (signal peptide). Tryptic peptide mapping demonstrated that the G-protein-like protein and some truncated proteins encoded by the plasmid contained G-protein protein sequences. Antisera to vesicular stomatitis virus precipitated the G-protein-like protein, showing that it shares antigenic determinants with the authentic G-protein protein.
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004274:DNA, Recombinant / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009876:Operon; D010957:Plasmids; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014721:Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / Q000235:genetics*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004274:DNA, Recombinant; D006023:Glycoproteins; D014764:Viral Proteins