Physical and genetic structure of the glpK-cpxA interval of the Escherichia coli K-12 chromosome

Linkage map of Escherichia coli K-12, edition 10: the traditional map

This map is an update of the edition 9 map by Berlyn et al. (M. K. B. Berlyn, K. B. Low, and K. E. Rudd, p. 1715-1902, in F. C. Neidhardt et al., ed., Escherichia coli and Salmonella: cellular and molecular biology, 2nd ed., vol. 2, 1996). It uses coordinates established by the completed sequence, expressed as 100 minutes for the entire circular map, and adds new genes discovered and established since 1996 and eliminates those shown to correspond to other known genes. The latter are included as synonyms. An alphabetical list of genes showing map location, synonyms, the protein or RNA product of the gene, phenotypes of mutants, and reference citations is provided. In addition to genes known to correspond to gene sequences, other genes, often older, that are described by phenotype and older mapping techniques and that have not been correlated with sequences are included.

The Cpx two-component signal transduction pathway is activated in Escherichia coli mutant strains lacking phosphatidylethanolamine

The CpxA-CpxR two-component signal transduction pathway of Escherichia coli was studied in a mutant (pss-93) lacking phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Several properties of this mutant are comparable to phenotypes of cpxA point mutants, indicating that this two-component pathway is activated in PE-deficient cells. In contrast to point mutants, cpx operon null mutants have a wild-type phenotype. By use of this information, a cpx operon null allele was introduced into a pss-93 mutant. Certain altered properties of PE-deficient mutants, which were consistent with activation of the Cpx pathway, returned to the wild-type phenotype, namely, active accumulation of proline and thiomethyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside was partially restored to wild-type levels, increased resistance to amikacin returned to wild-type sensitivity, and high levels of degP expression returned to repressed wild-type levels. Elevated levels of acetyl phosphate and nlpE gene product can result in activation of the Cpx pathway. However, inactivation of the nlpE gene or mutations eliminating the ability to make acetyl phosphate did not alter the high level of degP expression in pss-93 mutants. We propose that the lack of PE results in an alteration in cell envelope structure or physical properties, leading to direct activation of the Cpx pathway.

The deduced amino-acid sequence of the cloned cpxR gene suggests the protein is the cognate regulator for the membrane sensor, CpxA, in a two-component signal transduction system of Escherichia coli

The cpxA gene of Escherichia coli K-12 encodes a membrane-associated sensor element of a two-component signal transduction system in bacteria. The cognate regulator element, however, has not yet been definitively identified. A 2.1-kb segment upstream from cpxA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, cloned and sequenced. An open reading frame encoding 232 amino acids was found. It showed high homology to the regulator elements of two-component transduction systems. The newly identified gene, designated as cpxR, may encode the cognate protein receiving signals from CpxA.

Accumulation of the F plasmid TraJ protein in cpx mutants of Escherichia coli

We report here studies of the cellular control of F plasmid TraJ protein levels, focusing on the effects of chromosomal cpx mutations. The principal conclusion from our results is that the cpx mutations impair accumulation of the TraJ protein, thereby reducing tra gene expression. We measured TraJ activity in vivo by expression of a traY'-'lacZ fusion gene and TraJ protein by immuno-overlay blot. In strains with normal TraJ levels, traY expression and donor-related functions were reduced in cells carrying any of four cpxA mutations. In the strain background used to isolate cpx mutants, these reductions were especially evident in cells grown to high density, when traY expression and donor activity both increased in cpx+ cells. In each of the four cpxA mutants tested, TraJ levels were lower than in the otherwise isogenic cpxA+ strain. In cells grown to high density, the differences ranged from 4-fold in the cpxA6 strain to > 10-fold in the cpxA2, cpxA5, and cpxA9 strains. The cpxA2 mutation had little or no effect on traY expression or on donor-related functions when TraJ was present in excess of its limiting level in F' or Hfr cells or on a mutant traY promoter whose expression in vivo was independent of TraJ.

Linkage map of Escherichia coli K-12, edition 8

The linkage map of Escherichia coli K-12 depicts the arrangement of genes on the circular chromosome of this organism. The basic units of the map are minutes, determined by the time-of-entry of markers from Hfr into F- strains in interrupted-conjugation experiments. The time-of-entry distances have been refined over the years by determination of the frequency of cotransduction of loci in transduction experiments utilizing bacteriophage P1, which transduces segments of DNA approximately 2 min in length. In recent years, the relative positions of many genes have been determined even more precisely by physical techniques, including the mapping of restriction fragments and the sequencing of many small regions of the chromosome. On the whole, the agreement between results obtained by genetic and physical methods has been remarkably good considering the different levels of accuracy to be expected of the methods used. There are now few regions of the map whose length is still in some doubt. In some regions, genetic experiments utilizing different mutant strains give different map distances. In other regions, the genetic markers available have not been close enough to give accurate cotransduction data. The chromosome is now known to contain several inserted elements apparently derived from lambdoid phages and other sources. The nature of the region in which the termination of replication of the chromosome occurs is now known to be much more complex than the picture given in the previous map. The present map is based upon the published literature through June of 1988. There are now 1,403 loci placed on the linkage group, which may represent between one-third and one-half of the genes in this organism.

The Cpx proteins of Escherichia coli K-12: evidence that cpxA, ecfB, ssd, and eup mutations all identify the same gene

An existing cpxA(Ts) mutant was resistant to amikacin at levels that inhibited completely the growth of a cpxA+ and a cpxA deletion strain and failed to grow as efficiently on exogenous proline. These properties are similar to those of mutants altered in a gene mapped to the cpxA locus and variously designated as ecfB, ssd, and eup. The amikacin resistance phenotype of the cpxA mutant was inseparable by recombination from the cpxA mutant phenotype (inability to grow at 41 degrees C without exogenous isoleucine and valine) and was recessive to the cpxA+ allele of a recombinant plasmid. Using methods that ensured independent mutations in the cpxA region of the chromosome, we isolated six new amikacin-resistant mutants following nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis. Three-factor crosses mapped the mutations to the cpxA locus. When transferred by P1 transduction to a cpxB11 Hfr strain, each of the mutations conferred the Tra- and Ilv- phenotypes characteristic of earlier cpxA mutants. Two of the new mutations led to a significantly impaired ability to utilize exogenous proline, and four led to partial resistance to colicin A. Two of the new cpxA alleles were recessive to the cpxA+ allele, and four were dominant, albeit to different degrees. On the basis of these data, we argue that cpxA, ecfB, eup, and ssd are all the same gene. We discuss the cellular function of the cpxA gene product in that light.

Glycerol facilitator of Escherichia coli: cloning of glpF and identification of the glpF product

The glycerol facilitator is known as the only example of a transport protein that catalyzes facilitated diffusion across the Escherichia coli inner membrane. Here we show that the gene encoding the facilitator, glpF, is the first gene in an operon with glpK, encoding glycerol kinase, at 88 min of the E. coli chromosome. The operon is transcribed counterclockwise. We cloned the glpF gene, demonstrated that it complemented a chromosomal glycerol transport-minus mutation, and identified the gene product. The GlpF protein appeared in the membrane fraction of plasmid-bearing strains and had an apparent Mr of 25,000.

The cpx proteins of Escherichia coli K12. Structure of the cpxA polypeptide as an inner membrane component

Gene cpxA of Escherichia coli K12 encodes the 52,000 Mr CpxA polypeptide. The complete cpxA nucleotide sequence, reported here, predicted that CpxA contains two extended, hydrophobic segments in its amino-terminal half and could therefore be a membrane protein. Using a lac-cpxA operon fusion plasmid to overproduce CpxA and an immunochemical assay to detect the polypeptide, we show that CpxA fractionated with the bacterial inner membrane during differential and isopycnic sedimentation. Moreover, the protein could be solubilized by extraction of crude membranes with non-ionic detergents but not with KCl or NaOH, indicating that Cpx is an intrinsic membrane component. Analysis of TnphoA insertions in cpxA indicated that the region between the hydrophobic segments of CpxA is periplasmic, whereas the region carboxy-terminal to the second such segment is cytoplasmic. Based on these structural data, we propose that CpxA functions as a trans-membrane sensory protein. The DNA sequence data also indicate that cpxA is the 3' gene of an operon.

Role of small subunit (IlvN polypeptide) of acetohydroxyacid synthase I from Escherichia coli K-12 in sensitivity of the enzyme to valine inhibition

Most of the coding sequence for the IlvN polypeptide subunit of acetohydroxyacid synthase I was deleted from the ilvB+ ilvN+ plasmid pTCN12 by in vitro methods. Several ilvB+ delta ilvN derivatives of pTCN12 were identified among transformants of a strain otherwise lacking any acetohydroxyacid synthase. Deletion derivatives produced an enzymatically active IlvB polypeptide, as shown by the Ilv+ phenotype of transformed cells and by immunologic and enzymatic assays. However, whereas the growth of pTCN12 transformants was sensitive to valine inhibition, growth of the ilvB+ delta ilvN transformants was relatively resistant. Moreover, in vitro analyses confirmed that both acetolactate and acetohydroxybutyrate synthesis in extracts of the ilvB+ delta ilvN transformants was resistant to valine inhibition, in comparison with that in extracts of pTCN12 transformants or with that catalyzed by purified acetohydroxyacid synthase I. The IlvN polypeptide had a minimal effect, if any, on IlvB polypeptide accumulation as measured by immunoprecipitation, but its absence resulted in a greater than 10-fold reduction in enzyme specific activity.

Identification of the Escherichia coli K-12 cpxA locus as a single gene: construction and analysis of biologically-active cpxA gene fusions

In the accompanying communication we showed that a 2 kb EcoRI-BamHI restriction fragment from the pfkA-rha interval of the Escherichia coli K-12 chromosome fully complemented a chromosomal cpxA mutation when the fragment was cloned in pBR325. The same fragment cloned in pBR322 lacked any complementing activity. We show here that minicells containing the pBR325 derivative (pRA310) synthesized a 33 kDa polypeptide, designated phi 33, that was not synthesized in minicells containing the pBR322 derivative (pRA311) or either of the parent plasmids. Synthesis of the phi 33 polypeptide did not occur in minicells containing Tn5 insertion alleles of pRA310 that inactivated its cpxA complementing activity. These insertions mapped within the vector cat (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene) sequence immediately adjacent to the EcoRI site of pRA310 and within the 700-800 bp of the cloned EcoRI-BamHI fragment immediately adjacent to the EcoRI site. Tn5 insertions located within the fragment but closer to the BamHI terminus affected neither the cpxA complementing activity of pRA310 nor synthesis of the phi 33 polypeptide in minicells. Plasmid pRA311 could be converted to a plasmid with cpxA complementing activity by cloning into its EcoRI site a restriction fragment containing a hybrid trp-lacUV5 promoter, the lacZ ribosome binding site, and the first eight lacZ codons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)