title: Characterization and expression analysis of the exopolysaccharide gene cluster in Lactobacillus fermentum TDS030603.
abstract: Part of the exopolysaccharide gene cluster of Lactobacillus fermentum TDS030603 was characterized. It consists of 11,890 base pairs and is located in the chromosomal DNA, 13 open reading frames of which were encoded. Out of the 13 open reading frames, six were found to be involved in exopolysaccharide synthesis; however, five were similar to transposase genes of other lactobacilli, and two were functionally unrelated. Expression analysis revealed that the exopolysaccharide synthesis-related genes were expressed during cultivation. Southern analysis using specific primers for the exopolysaccharide genes indicated that duplication of the gene cluster did not occur. The plasmid-cured strain maintained its capacity for exopolysaccharide production, confirming that the exopolysaccharide gene cluster of this strain is located in the chromosomal DNA, similarly to thermophilic lactic acid bacteria. Our results indicate that this exopolysaccharide gene cluster is likely to be functional, although extensive gene rearrangement occurs.
authors: Meat and Milk Hygiene, Graduate School of Animal and Food Hygiene, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors: Tong
authors: T
authors: Dan
authors: Kenji
authors: K
authors: Fukuda
authors: Michiko
authors: M
authors: Sugai-Bannai
authors: Naoya
authors: N
authors: Takakuwa
authors: Hidemasa
authors: H
authors: Motoshima
authors: Tadasu
authors: T
authors: Urashima
mesh_terms: D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D021901:DNA, Intergenic / Q000235:genetics; D020440:Gene Duplication; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D023281:Genomics; D052197:Limosilactobacillus fermentum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D019895:Transposases / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D021901:DNA, Intergenic; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D019895:Transposases