title: Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus cereus PcrA helicases can support DNA unwinding and in vitro rolling-circle replication of plasmid pT181 of Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: Replication of rolling-circle replicating (RCR) plasmids in gram-positive bacteria requires the unwinding of initiator protein-nicked plasmid DNA by the PcrA helicase. In this report, we demonstrate that heterologous PcrA helicases from Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus cereus are capable of unwinding Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pT181 from the initiator-generated nick and promoting in vitro replication of the plasmid. These helicases also physically interact with the RepC initiator protein of pT181. The ability of PcrA helicases to unwind noncognate RCR plasmids may contribute to the broad-host-range replication and dissemination of RCR plasmids in gram-positive bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA.
authors.forename: Syam P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.forename: Poulami
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mitra
authors.forename: Asma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naqvi
authors.forename: Saleem A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004261:DNA Replication; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C043650:RepC protein, Staphylococcus aureus; C084217:pcrA protein, Bacteria; D004265:DNA Helicases