Helicobacter pylori genes hpcopA and hpcopP constitute a cop operon involved in copper export.
We previously reported that a gene hpcopA isolated from Helicobacter pylori is associated with copper transport. In the present study, the DNA upstream of the hpcopA was cloned and the nucleotide sequence analyzed. An open reading frame coding for 124 amino acids was predicted, which was connected in frame to the hpcopA. The deduced protein sequence exhibits striking homology with known copper-transporting P-type ATPases. Disruption of this ORF renders H. pylori hypersensitive to copper present in growth media, indicating that it encodes the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the hpCopA protein. Measurement of copper content in the wild-type and hpcopA-disrupted cells showed that the copper content was increased in the mutant cells, further supporting that the previous proposal that the gene hpcopA is involved in copper export. In addition, the cop operon consisting of the genes hpcopA and hpcopP was identified by primer extension and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Our results indicate that the genes for copper import and export are located in separate operons within H. pylori.
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Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Taylor
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D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism*; D000073840:Copper-Transporting ATPases; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000502:physiology; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D009876:Operon / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; D003300:Copper; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; D000073840:Copper-Transporting ATPases