Plasmids of the pT181 family show replication-specific initiator protein modification.
The rolling circle plasmids of Staphylococcus aureus regulate their replication by controlling initiator (Rep) protein synthesis. It was demonstrated recently that the pT181 initiator protein RepC is inactivated during pT181 replication by the addition of an oligodeoxynucleotide, giving rise to a new form, RepC* (A. Rasooly and R. P. Novick, Science, 262:1048-1050). We establish here that this initiator modification occurs with four other members of the pT181 family and that it occurs in Bacillus subtilis as well as S. aureus. These results suggest that Rep conversion to Rep* is probably universal among plasmids of the pT181 family and is not host dependent.
Rasooly
A
A
Department of Plasmid Biology, Public Health Research Institute, New York, New York 10016.
Projan
S J
SJ
Novick
R P
RP
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000502:physiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C043650:RepC protein, Staphylococcus aureus