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Journal of Bacteriology, September 2000, p. 4875-4881, Vol. 182, No. 17
0021-9193/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Identification of the mob Genes of Plasmid pSC101 and Characterization of a Hybrid pSC101-R1162 System for Conjugal Mobilization

Richard Meyer*

Section of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, School of Biology and Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712

Received 20 March 2000/Accepted 5 June 2000

Similarities in DNA base sequence indicate that pSC101 and R1162 encode related systems for conjugal mobilization, although these plasmids are otherwise very different. The mob region of pSC101 was cloned, and two genes that are required for transfer were identified. One gene, mobA, encodes a protein similar in amino acid sequence to the DNA processing domain of the R1162 MobA protein. The other gene, mobX, is within the same transcriptional unit as the pSC101 mobA and is located just downstream, at the same position occupied by mobB in R1162. Despite this, the MobB and MobX proteins do not appear to be closely related based on a comparison of their amino acid sequences. Complementation analysis indicated that neither of the pSC101 Mob proteins could substitute for, or be replaced by, their R1162 counterparts, nor were they active together at the R1162 origin of transfer (oriT). However, the full set of R1162 Mob proteins did recognize the pSC101 oriT. A hybrid system for mobilization, active at the R1162 oriT site, was constructed. This system consists of MobX and a chimeric protein made up of the DNA cleaving-ligating domain of the R1162 MobA protein joined to a fragment of pSC101 MobA. Previous results suggested that MobB and a region of MobA distinct from the DNA processing domain together formed a functional unit in transfer. The present results support this model because the chimeric MobA, although active on R1162 oriT, requires the pSC101 protein MobX for efficient plasmid mobilization.

* Mailing address: Section of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, School of Biology and Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, ESB226 A5000, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712. Phone: (512) 471-3817. Fax: (512) 471-7088. E-mail: rmeyer{at}mail.utexas.edu.

Journal of Bacteriology, September 2000, p. 4875-4881, Vol. 182, No. 17
0021-9193/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Meyer, R. (2009). The R1162 Mob Proteins Can Promote Conjugative Transfer from Cryptic Origins in the Bacterial Chromosome. J. Bacteriol. 191: 1574-1580 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Jandle, S., Meyer, R. (2006). Stringent and Relaxed Recognition of oriT by Related Systems for Plasmid Mobilization: Implications for Horizontal Gene Transfer. J. Bacteriol. 188: 499-506 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Parker, C., Meyer, R. (2005). Mechanisms of Strand Replacement Synthesis for Plasmid DNA Transferred by Conjugation. J. Bacteriol. 187: 3400-3406 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Becker, E. C., Meyer, R. J. (2003). Relaxed Specificity of the R1162 Nickase: a Model for Evolution of a System for Conjugative Mobilization of Plasmids. J. Bacteriol. 185: 3538-3546 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Grohmann, E., Muth, G., Espinosa, M. (2003). Conjugative Plasmid Transfer in Gram-Positive Bacteria. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 67: 277-301 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Becker, E. C., Meyer, R. J. (2002). MobA, the DNA Strand Transferase of Plasmid R1162. THE MINIMAL DOMAIN REQUIRED FOR DNA PROCESSING AT THE ORIGIN OF TRANSFER. J. Biol. Chem. 277: 14575-14580 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bass, K. A., Hecht, D. W. (2002). Isolation and Characterization of cLV25, a Bacteroides fragilis Chromosomal Transfer Factor Resembling Multiple Bacteroides sp. Mobilizable Transposons. J. Bacteriol. 184: 1895-1904 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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