title: Reverse gyrase is not a prerequisite for hyperthermophilic life.
abstract: We disrupted the reverse gyrase gene from a hyperthermophilic archaeon, Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1. An apparent positive supercoiling activity that was observed in the host strain was not found in the disruptant strain. We found that a lack of reverse gyrase led to a retardation in growth that was more striking at higher temperatures. However, the disruption of the reverse gyrase gene did not lead to a lethal phenotype at 90 degrees C. This study provides experimental evidence that reverse gyrase is not a prerequisite for hyperthermophilic life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Atomi
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matsumi
authors.forename: Tadayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imanaka
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D013696:Temperature; D019712:Thermococcus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*
chemical_list: C041813:DNA reverse gyrase; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I