This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dale, E M Articles by Ward, J E Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Dale, E M Articles by Ward, J E, Jr

research-article

Construction and characterization of Tn5virB, a transposon that generates nonpolar mutations, and its use to define virB8 as an essential virulence gene in Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104-6018.

ABSTRACT

Transfer of the T-DNA from the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens into plant cells involves movement of a single-stranded DNA-protein intermediate across several membrane and cell wall barriers. The 11 VirB proteins encoded by the Ti plasmid are hypothesized to form at least part of a membrane-localized T-DNA transport apparatus. Although available genetic and biochemical analyses support this hypothesis, detailed study of this transport apparatus is hindered by the fact that most available mutations in the virB operon are in the form of transposon insertions that have polar effects. In this study we constructed a transposon, Tn5virB, that can be used to generate nonpolar insertions in operons of A. tumefaciens and used it to demonstrate that virB8 is an essential virulence gene.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Liu, Z., Jacobs, M., Schaff, D. A., McCullen, C. A., Binns, A. N. (2001). ChvD, a Chromosomally Encoded ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter-Homologous Protein Involved in Regulation of Virulence Gene Expression in Agrobacterium tumefaciens. J. Bacteriol. 183: 3310-3317 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lai, E.-M., Chesnokova, O., Banta, L. M., Kado, C. I. (2000). Genetic and Environmental Factors Affecting T-Pilin Export and T-Pilus Biogenesis in Relation to Flagellation of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. J. Bacteriol. 182: 3705-3716 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Li, P.-L., Hwang, I., Miyagi, H., True, H., Farrand, S. K. (1999). Essential Components of the Ti Plasmid trb System, a Type IV Macromolecular Transporter. J. Bacteriol. 181: 5033-5041 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Banta, L. M., Bohne, J., Lovejoy, S. D., Dostal, K. (1998). Stability of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens VirB10 Protein Is Modulated by Growth Temperature and Periplasmic Osmoadaption. J. Bacteriol. 180: 6597-6606 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Stahl, L. E., Jacobs, A., Binns, A. N. (1998). The Conjugal Intermediate of Plasmid RSF1010 Inhibits Agrobacterium tumefaciens Virulence and VirB-Dependent Export of VirE2. J. Bacteriol. 180: 3933-3939 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Bohne, J., Yim, A., Binns, A. N. (1998). The Ti plasmid increases the efficiency of Agrobacterium tumefaciens as a recipient in virB-mediated conjugal transfer of an IncQ plasmid. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95: 7057-7062 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Fullner, K. J. (1998). Role of Agrobacterium virB Genes in Transfer of T Complexes and RSF1010. J. Bacteriol. 180: 430-434 [Abstract] [Full Text]