title: Novel RepA-MCM proteins encoded in plasmids pTAU4, pORA1 and pTIK4 from Sulfolobus neozealandicus.
abstract: Three plasmids isolated from the crenarchaeal thermoacidophile Sulfolobus neozealandicus were characterized. Plasmids pTAU4 (7,192 bp), pORA1 (9,689 bp) and pTIK4 (13,638 bp) show unusual properties that distinguish them from previously characterized cryptic plasmids of the genus Sulfolobus. Plasmids pORA1 and pTIK4 encode RepA proteins, only the former of which carries the novel polymerase-primase domain of other known Sulfolobus plasmids. Plasmid pTAU4 encodes a mini-chromosome maintenance protein homolog and no RepA protein; the implications for DNA replication are considered. Plasmid pORA1 is the first Sulfolobus plasmid to be characterized that does not encode the otherwise highly conserved DNA-binding PlrA protein. Another encoded protein appears to be specific for the New Zealand plasmids. The three plasmids should provide useful model systems for functional studies of these important crenarchaeal proteins.
authors.affiliation: Danish Archaea Centre, Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Copenhagen, Sølvgade 83H, DK-1307 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Greve
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Hoa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Phan
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brügger
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zillig
authors.forename: Qunxin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: She
authors.forename: Roger A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Garrett
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs / Q000235:genetics; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019843:Archaeal Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics*; D019641:DNA, Archaeal / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009520:New Zealand; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000235:genetics; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D016944:Sulfolobus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019843:Archaeal Proteins; D019641:DNA, Archaeal; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D004265:DNA Helicases