Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1981 May;146(2):535–541. doi: 10.1128/jb.146.2.535-541.1981

Gene rfaH, which affects lipopolysaccharide core structure in Salmonella typhimurium, is required also for expression of F-factor functions.

K E Sanderson, B A Stocker
PMCID: PMC216996  PMID: 6111554

Abstract

Mutations in gene rfaH of Salmonella typhimurium at 84 units on the linkage map make lipopolysaccharide of chemotypes Ra, Rb2, Rb3, and Rc (A. A. Lindberg and C. G. Hellerqvist, J. Gen. Microbiol, 116:25--32, 1980). F-factor expression in RfaH- strains was reduced in the following properties when compared with RfaH+ strains: transfer of Flac, number of phage f2 infective centers, lysis by and propagation of phages f2 and M13, proportion of cells with visible F-pili, and formation of mating aggregates with F- cells. Inhibition of multiplication of Br60, a female-specific phage, was not reduced in RfaH- Flac strains. Plasmid transfer from RfaH- strains was reduced for Inc groups FI, FII, and T, unaffected for Inc groups beta, I alpha, L, N, P, and W. and increased for Inc group M when compared with plasmid transfer from RfaH+ strains. Reduced F-factor function in RfaH- strains was not due to defective lipopolysaccharide since strains with mutations in other rfa genes were unaffected in plasmid transfer. Gene rfaH appears to be homologous with gene sfrB in Escherichia coli K-12, which maps at the same location, influences F-factor function, and affects synthesis of lipopolysaccharide. The gene product of sfrB has been proposed to be a transcription antiterminator.

Full text

PDF
539

Selected References

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

  1. Achtman M., Morelli G., Schwuchow S. Cell-cell interactions in conjugating Escherichia coli: role of F pili and fate of mating aggregates. J Bacteriol. 1978 Sep;135(3):1053–1061. doi: 10.1128/jb.135.3.1053-1061.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bachmann B. J., Low K. B. Linkage map of Escherichia coli K-12, edition 6. Microbiol Rev. 1980 Mar;44(1):1–56. doi: 10.1128/mr.44.1.1-56.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Beutin L., Achtman M. Two Escherichia coli chromosomal cistrons, sfrA and sfrB, which are needed for expression of F factor tra functions. J Bacteriol. 1979 Sep;139(3):730–737. doi: 10.1128/jb.139.3.730-737.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Clark A. J., Warren G. J. Conjugal transmission of plasmids. Annu Rev Genet. 1979;13:99–125. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ge.13.120179.000531. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Clarke L., Carbon J. A colony bank containing synthetic Col El hybrid plasmids representative of the entire E. coli genome. Cell. 1976 Sep;9(1):91–99. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(76)90055-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Creeger E. S., Chen J. F., Rothfield L. I. Cloning of genes for bacterial glycosyltransferases. II. Selection of a hybrid plasmid carrying the rfah gene. J Biol Chem. 1979 Feb 10;254(3):811–815. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Creeger E. S., Rothfield L. I. Cloning of genes for bacterial glycosyltransferases. I. Selection of hybrid plasmids carrying genes for two glucosyltransferases. J Biol Chem. 1979 Feb 10;254(3):804–810. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Datta N., Lawn A. M., Meynell E. The relationship of F type piliation and F phage sensitivity to drug resistance transfer in R+F- Escherichia coli K 12. J Gen Microbiol. 1966 Nov;45(2):365–376. doi: 10.1099/00221287-45-2-365. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Finnegan D. J., Willetts N. S. Two classes of Flac mutants insensitive to transfer inhibition by an F-like R factor. Mol Gen Genet. 1971;111(3):256–264. doi: 10.1007/BF00433110. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gasson M. J., Willetts N. S. Five control systems preventing transfer of Escherichia coli K-12 sex factor F. J Bacteriol. 1975 May;122(2):518–525. doi: 10.1128/jb.122.2.518-525.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Iyer V. N., Iyer R. V., Palchoudhury S. R., Becker S., Stevenson I. An aspect of the physiology of strains carrying a dnaB mutation. Impairment in F piliation and its phenotypic reversal. Mol Gen Genet. 1974;133(2):111–122. doi: 10.1007/BF00264832. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kaiser D. Social gliding is correlated with the presence of pili in Myxococcus xanthus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1979 Nov;76(11):5952–5956. doi: 10.1073/pnas.76.11.5952. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Lerner T. J., Zinder N. D. Chromosomal regulation of sexual expression in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1979 Feb;137(2):1063–1065. doi: 10.1128/jb.137.2.1063-1065.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lindberg A. A., Hellerqvist C. G. Rough mutants of Salmonella typhimurium: immunochemical and structural analysis of lipopolysaccharides from rfaH mutants. J Gen Microbiol. 1980 Jan;116(1):25–32. doi: 10.1099/00221287-116-1-25. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. MacPhee D. G., Stocker B. A. Suppression of amber and ochre mutants in Salmonella typhimurium by a mutant F'-1-gal factor carrying an ochre suppressor gene. J Bacteriol. 1969 Oct;100(1):240–246. doi: 10.1128/jb.100.1.240-246.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. McEwen J., Silverman P. Chromosomal mutations of Escherichia coli that alter expression of conjugative plasmid functions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1980 Jan;77(1):513–517. doi: 10.1073/pnas.77.1.513. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Monner D. A., Jonsson S., Boman H. G. Ampicillin-resistant mutants of Escherichia coli K-12 with lipopolysaccharide alterations affecting mating ability and susceptibility to sex-specific bacteriophages. J Bacteriol. 1971 Aug;107(2):420–432. doi: 10.1128/jb.107.2.420-432.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Osborn M. J. Biochemical characterization of mutants of Salmonella typhimurium lacking glucosyl or galactosyl lipopolysaccharide transferases. Nature. 1968 Mar 9;217(5132):957–960. doi: 10.1038/217957a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Ou J. T., Anderson T. F. Role of pili in bacterial conjugation. J Bacteriol. 1970 Jun;102(3):648–654. doi: 10.1128/jb.102.3.648-654.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Palchoudhury S. R., Iyer V. N. Compatibility between two F' factors in an Escherichia coli strain bearing a chromosomal mutation affecting DNA synthesis. J Mol Biol. 1971 Apr 28;57(2):319–333. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(71)90349-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Roantree R. J., Kuo T. T., MacPhee D. G. The effect of defined lipopolysaccharide core defects upon antibiotic resistances of Salmonella typhimurium. J Gen Microbiol. 1977 Dec;103(2):223–234. doi: 10.1099/00221287-103-2-223. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Sanderson K. E., Hartman P. E. Linkage map of Salmonella typhimurium, edition V. Microbiol Rev. 1978 Jun;42(2):471–519. doi: 10.1128/mr.42.2.471-519.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Sanderson K. E., Ross H., Ziegler L., Mäkelä P. H. F + , Hfr, and F' strains of Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella abony. Bacteriol Rev. 1972 Dec;36(4):608–637. doi: 10.1128/br.36.4.608-637.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Smith H. R., Humphreys G. O., Grindley N. D., Grindley J. N., Anderson E. S. Molecular studies of an fi+ plasmid from strains of Salmonella typhimurium. Mol Gen Genet. 1973 Nov 2;126(2):143–151. doi: 10.1007/BF00330989. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Spratt B. G., Rowbury R. J. The plasmid of Salmonella typhimurium LT2. Mol Gen Genet. 1973 Mar 19;121(4):347–353. doi: 10.1007/BF00433233. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Stocker B. A., Males B. M., Takano W. Salmonella typhimurium mutants of RfaH-phenotype: genetics and antibiotic sensitivities. J Gen Microbiol. 1980 Jan;116(1):17–24. doi: 10.1099/00221287-116-1-17. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Stocker B. A., Mäkelä P. H. Genetics of the (gram-negative) bacterial surface. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1978 Jun 5;202(1146):5–30. doi: 10.1098/rspb.1978.0055. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Watanabe T., Arai T., Hattori T. Effects of cell wall polysaccharide on the mating ability of Salmonella typhimurium. Nature. 1970 Jan 3;225(5227):70–71. doi: 10.1038/225070a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Wilkinson R. G., Gemski P., Jr, Stocker B. A. Non-smooth mutants of Salmonella typhimurium: differentiation by phage sensitivity and genetic mapping. J Gen Microbiol. 1972 May;70(3):527–554. doi: 10.1099/00221287-70-3-527. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Wilkinson R. G., Stocker B. A. Genetics and cultural properties of mutants of Salmonella typhimurium lacking glucosyl or galactosyl lipopolysaccharide transferases. Nature. 1968 Mar 9;217(5132):955–957. doi: 10.1038/217955a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES