Lactobacilli carry cryptic genes encoding peptidase-related proteins: characterization of a prolidase gene (pepQ) and a related cryptic gene (orfZ) from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus.

Microbiology
Terhi Rantanen, Airi Palva

Abstract

Two genes, pepQ and orfZ, encoding a prolidase and a prolidase-like protein, respectively, were cloned and characterized from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. The identity of the pepQ and orfZ genes with the Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis prolidase gene (pepQ) was shown to be 98% and 60%, respectively. Both pepQ and orfZ were preceded by a putative promoter region. Northern analysis of pepQ mRNA revealed a 1.1 kb transcript indicating that pepQ forms a monocistronic transcriptional unit. Under the growth conditions used, no evidence was obtained that orfZ was expressed, either by mRNA size determination in Northern analysis or by primer extension analysis. With reverse transcription-PCR, however, the presence of monocistronic orfZ transcripts was established. The orfZ gene could also be overexpressed in E. coli using the vector pKK223-3. The size of the protein synthesized, 41 kDa, confirmed the molecular mass of OrfZ calculated according to DNA sequence analysis. In contrast to PepQ, which showed a substrate specificity characteristic of prolidase enzymes, no enzymic activity for the orfZ-encoded protein was found with the peptide substrates tested. These results indicate that orfZ is a cryptic gene, which...Continue Reading

References

Dec 1, 1977·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·F SangerA R Coulson
Aug 1, 1978·Journal of Bacteriology·C G Miller, G Schwartz
Sep 1, 1990·FEMS Microbiology Reviews·J Kok
Nov 14, 1973·Nature: New Biology·I TinocoJ Bralla
Nov 15, 1981·Analytical Biochemistry·E DoiT Matoba
Mar 25, 1994·Nucleic Acids Research·P H Pouwels, J A Leunissen
May 1, 1993·The Journal of Dairy Research·P S TanW N Konings
Sep 1, 1993·FEMS Microbiology Reviews·G G Pritchard, T Coolbear
Oct 1, 1996·Antonie van Leeuwenhoek·E R KunjiW N Konings
Jan 1, 1997·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·M D Fernández-EspláP F Fox

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Apr 22, 2006·Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology·Kirsi SavijokiPekka Varmanen
Feb 16, 1999·Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta·T KabashimaT Yoshimoto
Jan 19, 2010·BMC Genomics·Mengjin LiuRoland J Siezen
Apr 2, 2009·Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta·Guodong ZhangTakuji Tanaka

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.