Sequence analysis of a 101-kilobase plasmid required for agar degradation by a Microscilla isolate.
An agar-degrading marine bacterium identified as a Microscilla species was isolated from coastal California marine sediment. This organism harbored a single 101-kb circular DNA plasmid designated pSD15. The complete nucleotide sequence of pSD15 was obtained, and sequence analysis indicated a number of genes putatively encoding a variety of enzymes involved in polysaccharide utilization. The most striking feature was the occurrence of five putative agarase genes. Loss of the plasmid, which occurred at a surprisingly high frequency, was associated with loss of agarase activity, supporting the sequence analysis results.
Zhong
Z
Z
Division of Biology and Center for Molecular Genetics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0322, USA.
Toukdarian
A
A
Helinski
D
D
Knauf
V
V
Sykes
S
S
Wilkinson
J E
JE
O'Bryne
C
C
Shea
T
T
DeLoughery
C
C
Caspi
R
R
D000362:Agar / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004261:DNA Replication; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000382:microbiology; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D011134:Polysaccharides; D000362:Agar; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; C019624:agarase