title: Localization of the Leptospira interrogans metF gene on the CII secondary chromosome.
abstract: An open reading frame of 885 nucleotides was identified as the Leptospira interrogans metF gene. The deduced amino acid sequence (294 amino acids) showed similarities with Escherichia coli methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MetF or MTHFR) (33% identity) and with the N-terminal part of human MTHFR (33% identity). The L. interrogans metF gene complements an E. coli metF mutant to prototrophy, suggesting the functionality of the folate branch converging to form methionine. In addition, the L. interrogans MetF was found to be thermolabile. The metF gene belonged to the CII secondary chromosome, in contrast to the previously isolated metY and metX genes, which have been localized to the CI chromosome of Leptospira sp.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Bactériologie Moléculaire et Médicale, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du docteur Roux, 75724 Cedex 15, Paris, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bourhy
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saint Girons
mesh_terms: D045103:5,10-Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (FADH2); D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D008715:Methionine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D045102:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase (NAD+); D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013696:Temperature; D014895:Weil Disease / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D008715:Methionine; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D045102:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase (NAD+); D045103:5,10-Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (FADH2); C472209:metf protein, E coli