Analysis and characterization of the IncFV plasmid pED208 transfer region.
pED208 is a transfer-derepressed mutant of the IncFV plasmid, F(0)lac, which has an IS2 element inserted in its traY gene, resulting in constitutive overexpression of its transfer (tra) region. The pED208 transfer region, which encodes proteins responsible for pilus synthesis and conjugative plasmid transfer, was sequenced and found to be very similar to the F tra region in terms of its organization although most pED208 tra proteins share only about 45% amino acid identity. All the essential genes for F transfer had homologs within the pED208 transfer region with the exception of traQ, which encodes the chaperone for stable F-pilin expression. F(0)lac appears to have a fertility inhibition system different than the FinOP system of other F-like plasmids, and its transfer efficiency was increased in the presence of F or R100, suggesting that it could be mobilized by these plasmids. The F-like transfer systems specified by F, R100, and F(0)lac were highly specific for their cognate origins of transfer (oriT) as measured by their abilities to mobilize chimeric oriT-containing plasmids.
Department of Biological Sciences, CW405 Biological Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9.
Jun
J
Lu
Jan
J
Manchak
William
W
Klimke
Colin
C
Davidson
Neville
N
Firth
Ronald A
RA
Skurray
Laura S
LS
Frost
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D014162:Transfection
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases