title: Cloning and characterization of the ponA gene encoding penicillin-binding protein 1 from Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis.
abstract: The ponA gene encoding penicillin-binding protein 1 (PBP 1) from Neisseria gonorrhoeae was cloned by a reverse genetic approach. PBP 1 was purified from solubilized membranes of penicillin-susceptible strain FA19 by covalent ampicillin affinity chromatography and used to obtain an NH2-terminal amino acid sequence. A degenerate oligonucleotide based on this protein sequence and a highly degenerate oligonucleotide based on a conserved amino acid motif found in all class A high-molecular-mass PBPs were used to isolate the PBP 1 gene (ponA). The ponA gene encodes a protein containing all of the conserved sequence motifs found in class A PBPs, and expression of the gene in Escherichia coli resulted in the appearance of a new PBP that comigrated with PBP 1 purified from N. gonorrhoeae. A comparison of the gonococcal ponA gene to its homolog isolated from Neisseria meningitidis revealed a high degree of identity between the two gene products, with the greatest variability found at the carboxy terminus of the two deduced PBP 1 protein sequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599-7365, USA.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ropp
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Nicholas
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D006602:Hexosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000235:genetics*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000235:genetics*; D010404:Penicillin V / Q000378:metabolism; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase; D010404:Penicillin V