title: Differential cross-complementation patterns of Escherichia coli and Neisseria gonorrhoeae RecA proteins.
abstract: The Escherichia coli RecA protein is one of the best-studied enzymes, but less is understood about how RecA homologues of other species are similar to or different from the E. coli RecA. In the Gram-negative pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae (the gonococcus; Gc), the causative agent of gonorrhoea, RecA is involved in DNA transformation, pilin antigenic variation, and DNA repair. By expressing the recA genes from Gc and E. coli under control of lac regulatory sequences in E. coli, the authors have shown that the Gc RecA fully complements an E. coli recA mutant for homologous recombination, but only partially complements for survival to DNA damage. By expressing similar constructs in Gc, it was shown that the E. coli RecA complements for pilin antigenic variation, partially complements for DNA transformation, but does not complement for survival to DNA damage, suggesting that species-specific interactions are important for DNA repair, but not for homologous recombination. Co-expression of the E. coli recA and recX genes in Gc suggests that in this heterologous system RecX modulates RecA-mediated processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology-Immunology, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA1.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Stohl
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology-Immunology, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA1.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blount
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology-Immunology, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA1.
authors.forename: H Steven
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Seifert
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D010641:Phenotype; D011938:Rec A Recombinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C430523:RecX protein, Xanthomonas campestris; D011938:Rec A Recombinases