Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1991 May;173(9):3000–3009. doi: 10.1128/jb.173.9.3000-3009.1991

Cloning and characterization of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa lasR gene, a transcriptional activator of elastase expression.

M J Gambello 1, B H Iglewski 1
PMCID: PMC207884  PMID: 1902216

Abstract

We report the discovery of the lasR gene, which positively regulates elastase expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. The lasR gene was cloned by its ability to restore a positive elastase phenotype in strain PA103, a strain which possesses the elastase structural gene (lasB) but fails to synthesize the enzyme. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame of 716 nucleotides encoding a protein of approximately 27 kDa. A labeled LasR protein of 27 kDa was detected in Escherichia coli by using a T7 RNA polymerase expression system. A chromosomal deletion mutant of the lasR gene was constructed in PAO1 by gene replacement. This mutant (PAO-R1) is devoid of elastolytic activity and elastase antigen. The deduced amino acid sequence of LasR is 27% homologous to the positive activator LuxR of Vibrio fischeri and the suspected activator 28K-UvrC of E. coli. Northern (RNA) analysis of total cellular RNA from PAO1, PAO-R1, and PAO-R1 containing the lasR gene on a multicopy plasmid (pMG1.7) revealed that a functional lasR gene is required for transcription of the elastase structural gene (lasB).

Full text

PDF
3000

Images in this article

3002Image
on p.3002
3004Image
on p.3004
3005Image
on p.3005
3006Image
on p.3006
3006Image
on p.3006

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Allen P., Hart C. A., Saunders J. R. Isolation from Klebsiella and characterization of two rcs genes that activate colanic acid capsular biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. J Gen Microbiol. 1987 Feb;133(2):331–340. doi: 10.1099/00221287-133-2-331. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Backman K., Ptashne M., Gilbert W. Construction of plasmids carrying the cI gene of bacteriophage lambda. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1976 Nov;73(11):4174–4178. doi: 10.1073/pnas.73.11.4174. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bagdasarian M., Timmis K. N. Host: vector systems for gene cloning in Pseudomonas. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 1982;96:47–67. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-68315-2_4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bever R. A., Iglewski B. H. Molecular characterization and nucleotide sequence of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase structural gene. J Bacteriol. 1988 Sep;170(9):4309–4314. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.9.4309-4314.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Birnboim H. C., Doly J. A rapid alkaline extraction procedure for screening recombinant plasmid DNA. Nucleic Acids Res. 1979 Nov 24;7(6):1513–1523. doi: 10.1093/nar/7.6.1513. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Boyer H. W., Roulland-Dussoix D. A complementation analysis of the restriction and modification of DNA in Escherichia coli. J Mol Biol. 1969 May 14;41(3):459–472. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(69)90288-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Cole S. T., Raibaud O. The nucleotide sequence of the malT gene encoding the positive regulator of the Escherichia coli maltose regulon. Gene. 1986;42(2):201–208. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(86)90297-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Cutting S., Mandelstam J. The nucleotide sequence and the transcription during sporulation of the gerE gene of Bacillus subtilis. J Gen Microbiol. 1986 Nov;132(11):3013–3024. doi: 10.1099/00221287-132-11-3013. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Darzins A., Chakrabarty A. M. Cloning of genes controlling alginate biosynthesis from a mucoid cystic fibrosis isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol. 1984 Jul;159(1):9–18. doi: 10.1128/jb.159.1.9-18.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. David M., Daveran M. L., Batut J., Dedieu A., Domergue O., Ghai J., Hertig C., Boistard P., Kahn D. Cascade regulation of nif gene expression in Rhizobium meliloti. Cell. 1988 Aug 26;54(5):671–683. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(88)80012-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Deretic V., Gill J. F., Chakrabarty A. M. Gene algD coding for GDPmannose dehydrogenase is transcriptionally activated in mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol. 1987 Jan;169(1):351–358. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.1.351-358.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Devereux J., Haeberli P., Smithies O. A comprehensive set of sequence analysis programs for the VAX. Nucleic Acids Res. 1984 Jan 11;12(1 Pt 1):387–395. doi: 10.1093/nar/12.1part1.387. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Engebrecht J., Silverman M. Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory locus controlling expression of bacterial genes for bioluminescence. Nucleic Acids Res. 1987 Dec 23;15(24):10455–10467. doi: 10.1093/nar/15.24.10455. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Figurski D. H., Helinski D. R. Replication of an origin-containing derivative of plasmid RK2 dependent on a plasmid function provided in trans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1979 Apr;76(4):1648–1652. doi: 10.1073/pnas.76.4.1648. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Frank D. W., Iglewski B. H. Kinetics of toxA and regA mRNA accumulation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol. 1988 Oct;170(10):4477–4483. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.10.4477-4483.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Friedman A. M., Long S. R., Brown S. E., Buikema W. J., Ausubel F. M. Construction of a broad host range cosmid cloning vector and its use in the genetic analysis of Rhizobium mutants. Gene. 1982 Jun;18(3):289–296. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(82)90167-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Friedrich M. J., Kadner R. J. Nucleotide sequence of the uhp region of Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1987 Aug;169(8):3556–3563. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.8.3556-3563.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Henikoff S., Wallace J. C., Brown J. P. Finding protein similarities with nucleotide sequence databases. Methods Enzymol. 1990;183:111–132. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(90)83009-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Holloway B. W., Krishnapillai V., Morgan A. F. Chromosomal genetics of Pseudomonas. Microbiol Rev. 1979 Mar;43(1):73–102. doi: 10.1128/mr.43.1.73-102.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Howe T. R., Iglewski B. H. Isolation and characterization of alkaline protease-deficient mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro and in a mouse eye model. Infect Immun. 1984 Mar;43(3):1058–1063. doi: 10.1128/iai.43.3.1058-1063.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Kraft R., Tardiff J., Krauter K. S., Leinwand L. A. Using mini-prep plasmid DNA for sequencing double stranded templates with Sequenase. Biotechniques. 1988 Jun;6(6):544-6, 549. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Kunst F., Debarbouille M., Msadek T., Young M., Mauel C., Karamata D., Klier A., Rapoport G., Dedonder R. Deduced polypeptides encoded by the Bacillus subtilis sacU locus share homology with two-component sensor-regulator systems. J Bacteriol. 1988 Nov;170(11):5093–5101. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.11.5093-5101.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Kyte J., Doolittle R. F. A simple method for displaying the hydropathic character of a protein. J Mol Biol. 1982 May 5;157(1):105–132. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(82)90515-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Laemmli U. K. Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature. 1970 Aug 15;227(5259):680–685. doi: 10.1038/227680a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Liu P. V. The roles of various fractions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in its pathogenesis. 3. Identity of the lethal toxins produced in vitro and in vivo. J Infect Dis. 1966 Oct;116(4):481–489. doi: 10.1093/infdis/116.4.481. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Messing J. New M13 vectors for cloning. Methods Enzymol. 1983;101:20–78. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(83)01005-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Miller J. F., Mekalanos J. J., Falkow S. Coordinate regulation and sensory transduction in the control of bacterial virulence. Science. 1989 Feb 17;243(4893):916–922. doi: 10.1126/science.2537530. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Mizusawa S., Nishimura S., Seela F. Improvement of the dideoxy chain termination method of DNA sequencing by use of deoxy-7-deazaguanosine triphosphate in place of dGTP. Nucleic Acids Res. 1986 Feb 11;14(3):1319–1324. doi: 10.1093/nar/14.3.1319. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Msadek T., Kunst F., Henner D., Klier A., Rapoport G., Dedonder R. Signal transduction pathway controlling synthesis of a class of degradative enzymes in Bacillus subtilis: expression of the regulatory genes and analysis of mutations in degS and degU. J Bacteriol. 1990 Feb;172(2):824–834. doi: 10.1128/jb.172.2.824-834.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Ohman D. E., Cryz S. J., Iglewski B. H. Isolation and characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO mutant that produces altered elastase. J Bacteriol. 1980 Jun;142(3):836–842. doi: 10.1128/jb.142.3.836-842.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Olsen R. H., DeBusscher G., McCombie W. R. Development of broad-host-range vectors and gene banks: self-cloning of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO chromosome. J Bacteriol. 1982 Apr;150(1):60–69. doi: 10.1128/jb.150.1.60-69.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Pustell J., Kafatos F. C. A convenient and adaptable package of computer programs for DNA and protein sequence management, analysis and homology determination. Nucleic Acids Res. 1984 Jan 11;12(1 Pt 2):643–655. doi: 10.1093/nar/12.1part2.643. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Reddy K. J., Webb R., Sherman L. A. Bacterial RNA isolation with one hour centrifugation in a table-top ultracentrifuge. Biotechniques. 1990 Mar;8(3):250–251. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Russel M., Model P. Replacement of the fip gene of Escherichia coli by an inactive gene cloned on a plasmid. J Bacteriol. 1984 Sep;159(3):1034–1039. doi: 10.1128/jb.159.3.1034-1039.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Sanger F., Nicklen S., Coulson A. R. DNA sequencing with chain-terminating inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1977 Dec;74(12):5463–5467. doi: 10.1073/pnas.74.12.5463. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Shadel G. S., Young R., Baldwin T. O. Use of regulated cell lysis in a lethal genetic selection in Escherichia coli: identification of the autoinducer-binding region of the LuxR protein from Vibrio fischeri ATCC 7744. J Bacteriol. 1990 Jul;172(7):3980–3987. doi: 10.1128/jb.172.7.3980-3987.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Sharma S., Stark T. F., Beattie W. G., Moses R. E. Multiple control elements for the uvrC gene unit of Escherichia coli. Nucleic Acids Res. 1986 Mar 11;14(5):2301–2318. doi: 10.1093/nar/14.5.2301. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Slock J., VanRiet D., Kolibachuk D., Greenberg E. P. Critical regions of the Vibrio fischeri luxR protein defined by mutational analysis. J Bacteriol. 1990 Jul;172(7):3974–3979. doi: 10.1128/jb.172.7.3974-3979.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Sokol P. A., Ohman D. E., Iglewski B. H. A more sensitive plate assay for detection of protease production by Pseudomanas aeruginosa. J Clin Microbiol. 1979 Apr;9(4):538–540. doi: 10.1128/jcm.9.4.538-540.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Stewart V., Parales J., Jr, Merkel S. M. Structure of genes narL and narX of the nar (nitrate reductase) locus in Escherichia coli K-12. J Bacteriol. 1989 Apr;171(4):2229–2234. doi: 10.1128/jb.171.4.2229-2234.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. Stibitz S., Black W., Falkow S. The construction of a cloning vector designed for gene replacement in Bordetella pertussis. Gene. 1986;50(1-3):133–140. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(86)90318-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  42. Stock J. B., Ninfa A. J., Stock A. M. Protein phosphorylation and regulation of adaptive responses in bacteria. Microbiol Rev. 1989 Dec;53(4):450–490. doi: 10.1128/mr.53.4.450-490.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  43. Tabor S., Richardson C. C. A bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase/promoter system for controlled exclusive expression of specific genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Feb;82(4):1074–1078. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.4.1074. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  44. Tanaka T., Kawata M. Cloning and characterization of Bacillus subtilis iep, which has positive and negative effects on production of extracellular proteases. J Bacteriol. 1988 Aug;170(8):3593–3600. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.8.3593-3600.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  45. Towbin H., Staehelin T., Gordon J. Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose sheets: procedure and some applications. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1979 Sep;76(9):4350–4354. doi: 10.1073/pnas.76.9.4350. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  46. VOGEL H. J., BONNER D. M. Acetylornithinase of Escherichia coli: partial purification and some properties. J Biol Chem. 1956 Jan;218(1):97–106. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  47. West S. E., Iglewski B. H. Codon usage in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nucleic Acids Res. 1988 Oct 11;16(19):9323–9335. doi: 10.1093/nar/16.19.9323. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES