title: Amplification of the aroA gene from Escherichia coli results in tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate.
abstract: The predominant cellular target of the herbicide glyphosate is thought to be the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphoric acid synthase (EPSP synthase). As a means of biologically testing this finding, we cloned a segment of DNA from Escherichia coli that encodes this enzyme. Clones carrying the gene for EPSP synthase were identified by genetic complementation. Cells that contain a multicopy plasmid carrying the EPSP synthase gene overproduce the enzyme 5- to 17-fold and exhibit at least an 8-fold increased tolerance to glyphosate. These experiments provide direct biological evidence that EPSP synthase is a major site of glyphosate action in E. coli and that, in an amplified form, it can serve as a selectable glyphosate resistance marker.
mesh_terms: D051229:3-Phosphoshikimate 1-Carboxyvinyltransferase; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D005784:Gene Amplification; D005796:Genes; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005998:Glycine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006540:Herbicides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014166:Transferases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D000097797:Glyphosate
chemical_list: D051229:3-Phosphoshikimate 1-Carboxyvinyltransferase; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D005998:Glycine; D006540:Herbicides; D014166:Transferases; D000097797:Glyphosate