Ssi Signal Research Articles

Lactococcal plasmid pGKV21의 SSB-coated 229-nt ssi signal 상에서 E. coli RNA polymerase에 의한 시발체 RNA 합성

플라스미드 pGKV21에는 229-nt single-strand DNA initiation (ssi) signal이 존재한다. Asymmetric PCR 기법으로 합성된 229-nt ssDNA 단편을 이용하여 실제로 RNA polymerase에 의한 priming ability와 protein interaction을 확인하였다. in vitro primer RNA 합성 실험 결과, 229-nt ssDNA 단편은 filamentous M13 phage의 주형 DNA에서와 비슷한 효율로 시발체 RNA를 합성하였으며, 이 반응은 strand-specific하게 이루어졌다. DNase I footprinting과 gel retardation 실험 결과, RNA polymerase와 SSB 단백질은 229-nt ssDNA 단편에 stable interaction을 하며, 시발체 RNA를 합성하였다. 또한, in vivo 조건 하에서 RNA polymerase의 저해제인 rifampicin을 처리하여 세포내에 ssDNA 중간체가 집적되는 정도를 비교하여 본 결과, 플라스미드 pGKV21은 rifampicin-sensitive RNA polymerase가 상보가닥 합성에 관여 함을 보여 주었다. Plasmid pGKV21 contains a 229-nucleotide (nt) single-strand DNA initiation (ssi) signal. Using asymmetric PCR, we prepared a small single-stranded (ss) DNA fragment of the ssi signal and, using the 229-nt ssDNA fragment, determined the requirements of RNA polymerase for priming and DNA-protein interaction. The ssi fragment prepared was able to generate primer RNAs with almost the same efficiency as the <TEX>$M13{\Delta}lac182/229$</TEX> phage DNA. However, the cssi (complementary strand of the ssi signal) fragment could not synthesize primer RNAs. This result suggests that the 229-nt ssi signal functions in a strand specific manner. Gel retardation and DNase I footprinting demonstrated that the synthesized ssi fragment could interact with both E. coli RNA polymerase and SSB protein to synthesize primer RNA. In Escherichia coli [pWVAp], an addition of rifampicin resulted in an accumulation of ssDNA, indicating that the host-encoded RNA polymerase is involved in the conversion of ssDNA to double-stranded plasmid DNA.

Functional features of an ssi signal of plasmid pGKV21 in Escherichia coli.

A single-strand initiation (ssi) signal was detected on the Lactococcus lactis plasmid pGKV21 containing the replicon of pWV01 by its ability to complement the poor growth of an M13 phage derivative (M13 delta lac182) lacking the complementary-strand origin in Escherichia coli. This ssi signal was situated at the 229-nucleotide (nt) DdeI-DraI fragment and located within the 109 nt upstream of the nick site of the putative plus origin. SSI activity is orientation specific with respect to the direction of replication. We constructed an ssi signal-deleted plasmid and then examined the effects of the ssi signal on the conversion of the single-stranded replication intermediate to double-stranded plasmid DNA in E. coli. The plasmid lacking an ssi signal accumulated much more plasmid single-stranded DNA than the wild-type plasmid did. Moreover, deletion of this region caused a great reduction in plasmid copy number or plasmid maintenance. These results suggest that in E. coli, this ssi signal directs its lagging-strand synthesis as a minus origin of plasmid pGKV21. Primer RNA synthesis in vitro suggests that E. coli RNA polymerase directly recognizes the 229-nt ssi signal and synthesizes primer RNA dependent on the presence of E. coli single-stranded DNA binding (SSB) protein. This region contains two stem-loop structures, stem-loop I and stem-loop II. Deletion of stem-loop I portion results in loss of priming activity by E. coli RNA polymerase, suggesting that stem-loop I portion is essential for priming by E. coli RNA polymerase on the SSB-coated single-stranded DNA template.

A dnaA box can functionally substitute for the priming signals in the oriV of the broad host-range plasmid RSF 1010

The initiation of replication from oriV RSF1010, the replication origin of the broad host-range plasmid RSF1010, depends on RepA (helicase), RepB′ (primase), and RepC (intiator protein), encoded by RSF1010 itself, while this initiation event in E. coli is independent of dnaA, dnaB, dnaC, and dnaG [Scherzinger et al. (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81, 654–658; Scholz et al. (1985) in: Plasmids in Bacteria, pp. 243–259, Plenum, New York; Haring and Scherzinger (1989) in: Promiscuous Plasmids of Gram-negative Bacteria, pp. 95–124, Academic Press, London; Scherzinger et al. (1991) Nucl. Acids Res. 19, 1203–1211]. We showed in this work that a newly constructed origin consisting of an oriV RSF1010 and a DnaA protein binding site, the dnaA box, inserted near oriV RSF1010 ( oriV RSF1010-dnaA box) could function without RepB′ primase, but required RepA and RepC. This oriV RSF1010-dnaA box could not replicate in a dnaA46 strain in which only RepA and RepC were supplied, even at a permissive temperature. These results indicate that an inserted dnaA box can functionally substitute for the RSF1010-specific ssi signals, the RepB′ dependent priming signals in oriV RSF1010, and can direct a priming pathway different from the RSF1010-specific one, but related to DnaA protein.

Functional Features of oriV of the Broad Host Range Plasmid RSF1010 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The broad host range plasmid RSF1010 requires for its replication in Escherichia coli three plasmid-encoded proteins and specific nucleotide sequences ssiA, ssiB, and iterons in the oriVRSF1010. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a recombinant mini-RSF1010 plasmid lacking ssiB lost its replication ability, but a miniplasmid lacking ssiA or carrying a primosome assembly site in place of ssiA could replicate. Moreover, ssiA, as a sole ssi signal, in the orientation thai ssiB had originally taken was sufficient for replication of the miniplasmid. These results indicated that only one RSF1010-specific ssi signal in the orientation that ssiB takes in wild-type oriVRSF1010 was essential for replication of RSF1010. Replication of the miniplasmids was dependent on the three plasmid-encoded proteins, RepA. B′, and C, as in E. coli.

Functional difference between the two oppositely oriented priming signals essential for the initiation of the broad host-range plasmid RSF1010 DNA replication.

The broad host-range plasmid RSF1010 contains two oppositely oriented priming signals, ssiA and ssiB, for DNA synthesis dependent on the origin of vegetative DNA replication (oriV). If either ssiA or ssiB was deleted or inverted, the RSF1010 miniplasmids containing engineered oriVs were maintained at low copy numbers, replicated abnormally as dimers, and accumulated specific single strands in the Escherichia coli strain supplying the three RSF1010-encoded RepA, RepB', and RepC proteins. Interestingly, an additional intracellular supply of the Sog primase (the sog gene product of plasmid CoIIb-P9) reversed the replication deficiency of these miniplasmids with respect to all three aspects described above. These were also true for the RSF1010 miniplasmids in which either ssiA or ssiB was replaced by the primosome assembly site (PAS) or by the G4-type ssi signal (G site). Furthermore, comparative analysis of the functional contribution of the two oppositely oriented ssi signals to the DNA replication of RSF1010 showed that, irrespective of their types, ssi signals conducting the initiation of DNA chain elongation away from the iterons were functionally more important than ones in the inverted orientation. We consider that this functional difference reflects the inherent properties of the initiation mechanism of RSF1010 DNA replication.

DnaG-dependent priming signals can substitute for the two essential DNA initiation signals in oriV of the broad host-range plasmid RSF1010.

Broad host-range plasmid RSF1010 contains in the oriV region two DNA initiation signals, ssiA(RSF1010) and ssiB(RSF1010), which are essential for plasmid replication. Each of ssiA and ssiB could be substituted functionally by either of the two G4-type (DnaG-dependent) priming signals, the oric of bacteriophage G4 and an ssi signal from plasmid pSY343 (an R1 plasmid derivative). Functions of the chimeric oriVs of RSF1010 thus constructed were dependent on the RSF1010-specific replication proteins, RepA, RepB' and RepC. When both of ssiA and ssiB were replaced by the G4-type ssi signals, functions of the chimeric oriVs were no longer dependent on RepB' (RSF1010-specific DNA primase). The replication activities of the chimeric oriVs of RSF1010 were not influenced markedly by the type of heterologous priming signals they contained. It is conceivable that DNA replication of RSF1010 does not need the priming mechanism for lagging strand synthesis and proceeds by the strand displacement mechanism.

Plasmid colIb contains an ssi signal close to the replication origin

Taking advantage of the plaque morphology method, we identified a single-strand initiation ( ssi) signal in plasmid pSM32, a mini-ColIb plasmid. This ssi signal was situated in the 350-nt HaeIII segment of the 1.8-kb S7 fragment, and located nearly 400 nt downstream of the origin of DNA replication. Introduction of the ssi signal into a mutant of filamentous phage M13 lacking ori c resulted in restoration of phage growth and RFI DNA synthesis. Interestingly, DNA homology studies showed that the nucleotide sequence of the ssi signal was extremely homologous with that of the “G4-type” ssi signal in plasmid R100.

Functional division and reconstruction of a plasmid replication origin: molecular dissection of the oriV of the broad-host-range plasmid RSF1010.

Two single-stranded DNA initiation signals (designated ssi) present in the origin of vegetative DNA replication (oriV) of the broad-host-range plasmid RSF1010 are essential for the priming of replication of each complementary DNA strand of this plasmid in Escherichia coli. Each of the RSF1010 ssi signals, ssiA and ssiB, could be replaced by a primosome assembly site from plasmid pACY184 or from bacteriophage phi X174. In these chimeric origins, replication of the strand complementary to that containing the primosome assembly site was no longer dependent on the RSF1010 primase, protein RepB', but required the E. coli primase, DnaG. If both ssiA and ssiB sites of RSF1010 were replaced by primosome assembly sites, protein RepB' was no longer essential for the replication at this origin, whereas proteins RepA and RepC of RSF1010 were still required. These results strongly suggest that the two ssi sites and the RepB' protein actually direct the priming of DNA synthesis in the replication of RSF1010, and the proteins RepA and RepC are involved in the prepriming events--i.e., the opening of the DNA duplex at oriV. It is evident that the origin of RSF1010 can be separated into three functional domains and reconstructed by replacing the ssi sites with heterologous elements.

RepB' is required in trans for the two single-strand DNA initiation signals in oriV of plasmid RSF1010

We have shown previously [Honda et al., Gene 68 (1988) 221–228] that the oriV region of the broad-hostrange plasmid RSF1010 contained two single-strand DNA initiation signals ( ssi) which have RSF1010-specific properties since they required one or more factors provided in trans by RSF1010 for their functional activities. We demonstrate here, by deletion analysis, that repB', one of the genes essential for the vegetative replication of RSF1010, produces a factor required for the function of ssi signals. It is conceivable that the RepB' protein and the two ssi signals, ssiA and ssiB, cooperatively compose plasmid-specific pruning complexes which confer the broad-host-range property upon RSF1010.

Mutational analysis of an ssi region carried by plasmid pACYC184

To investigate the functional contribution of some structural components of the signal that directs singlestranded initiation of DNA replication ( ssi signal) carried by a 119-nt segment of plasmid pACYC184 (Bahk et al., 1988), we constructed mutants carrying one-base substitutions and insertions using oligodeoxyribonucleotide (oligo) directed mutagenesis. Two one-base substitution mutants were obtained. The mutants, M13Δ lac184/Sp and M13Δ lac 184/Ev, carried an SplI site and an EcoRV site, respectively, created by base substitution. Three kinds of synthetic oligos, that is, a 10-bp EcoRI linker, an 8-bp ScaI linker and an 8-bp SmaI linker, were inserted into the SplI site of M13Δ lac 184/Sp, and into the EcoRV site of M13Δ lac 184/Ev. The SSI activity of each mutant examined indicated that the one-base substitutions had different effects on the SSI functions of the altered ssi signals. This fact suggests that some structural components within the 119-bp region make distinct contributions to the SSI function. Moreover, when the three kinds of synthetic linkers were inserted into the mutants M13Δ lac 184/Sp and M13 Δ lac 184/Ev, each of the insertion mutations affected the rate of conversion ofss DNA to RFI in vivo and the growth of the recombinant phages in a distinct manner. Judging from the above results, the base composition and the length of a certain specific site were crucial for maintenance of the SSI functional activity, and structural components of the ssi signal contributed distinctly to the SSI function.

A runaway-replication plasmid pSY343 contains two ssi signals

Taking advantage of the plaque morphology method, we detected two single-stranded initiation ( ssi) signals in the plasmid pSY343; one was in the 170-nucleotide (nt) EcoRV- ThaI segment (170P), and the other was in the 93-nt DraI- FnuDII segment (93F), which were designated as ssiA and ssiB, respectively. We cloned the two ssi signals in the filamentous phage vectors M13Δ lac184 and flR199. A conserved 7-nt consensus sequence involved in the n′ recognition site for priming DNA initiation on single-stranded (ss) DNA templates (A. Van der Ende, R. Teerstra, H. Van der Avoort, and P. J. Weisbeek, 1983, Nucleic Acids Res. 11, 4957–4975) was found, three copies in 170P and one in 93F. These two ssi signals contain possible stem and loop structures. The 170P overlapped partly with the origin ( ori) region of pSY343 and the 93F was away from the ori region. Growth of chimera phages such as M13 Δlac184 ssiA and M13 Δlac184 ssiB was 38- and 71-fold greater, respectively, than that of M13Δ lac184, 8 h after phage infection. The conversion efficiency in vivo of ss to replicative form (RF) DNA of these chimera phages carrying ssiA and ssiB was 1.9- and 2.2-fold greater, respectively, than that of M13Δ lac184, 50 min after infection.

Plasmid pACYC184 contains an ssi signal for initiation of single-strand phage DNA replication

Using the plaque assay system for screening the single-strand (ss) initiation determinant ( ssi) sequences, we have found that 119-bp region in pACYC184, a derivative of the plasmid P15A of Escherichia coli, can direct such ss DNA initiation. This region is located downstream from the P15A origin of replication and conserves consensus sequences of the ssi signals found in the other plasmids. Signals for ss DNA initiation are defined as nucleotide sequences present on ss DNA templates and required for priming DNA synthesis. The direction of chain elongation in DNA synthesis is opposite to that of the leading strand. In this region, we found a potential stem-and-loop structure. The 119-bp DNA segment of plasmid pACYC184 cloned in f1R199 filamentous phage could direct rifampicin-resistant conversion of the ss DNA to the double-stranded replicative form.