Mutagenesis by insertion of a drug-resistance element carrying an inverted repetition

The power of "controllers": Transposon-mediated duplicated genes evolve towards neofunctionalization

Since the discovery of the first transposon by Dr. Barbara McClintock, the prevalence and diversity of transposable elements (TEs) have been gradually recognized. As fundamental genetic components, TEs drive organismal evolution not only by contributing functional sequences (e.g., regulatory elements or "controllers" as phrased by Dr. McClintock) but also by shuffling genomic sequences. In the latter respect, TE-mediated gene duplications have contributed to the origination of new genes and attracted extensive interest. In response to the development of this field, we herein attempt to provide an overview of TE-mediated duplication by focusing on common rules emerging across duplications generated by different TE types. Specifically, despite the huge divergence of transposition machinery across TEs, we identify three common features of various TE-mediated duplication mechanisms, including end bypass, template switching, and recurrent transposition. These three features lead to one common functional outcome, namely, TE-mediated duplicates tend to be subjected to exon shuffling and neofunctionalization. Therefore, the intrinsic properties of the mutational mechanism constrain the evolutionary trajectories of these duplicates. We finally discuss the future of this field including an in-depth characterization of both the duplication mechanisms and functions of TE-mediated duplicates.

Conjugation and transposon mutagenesis of Xenorhabdus griffiniae HGB2511, the bacterial symbiont of the nematode Steinernema hermaphroditum (India)

Symbiosis, the beneficial interactions between two organisms, is a ubiquitous feature of all life on Earth, including associations between animals and bacteria. However, the specific molecular and cellular mechanisms which underlie the diverse partnerships formed between animals and bacteria are still being explored. Entomopathogenic nematodes transport bacteria between insect hosts, together they kill the insect, and the bacteria consume the insect and serve as food source for the nematodes. These nematodes, including those in the Steinernema genus, are effective laboratory models for studying the molecular mechanisms of symbiosis because of the natural partnership they form with Xenorhabdus bacteria and their straightforward husbandry. Steinernema hermaphroditum nematodes and their Xenorhabdus griffiniae symbiotic bacteria are being developed as a genetic model pair for studying symbiosis. Our goal in this project was to begin to identify bacterial genes that may be important for symbiotic interactions with the nematode host. Towards this end, we adapted and optimized a protocol for delivery and insertion of a lacZ- promoter-probe transposon for use in the S. hermaphroditum symbiont, X. griffiniae HGB2511 (Cao et al., 2022). We assessed the frequencies at which we obtained exconjugants, metabolic auxotrophic mutants, and active promoter- lacZ fusions. Our data indicate that the Tn 10 transposon inserted relatively randomly based on the finding that 4.7% of the mutants exhibited an auxotrophic phenotype. Promoter-fusions with the transposon-encoded lacZ , which resulted in expression of β-galactosidase activity, occurred in 47% of the strains. To our knowledge, this is the first mutagenesis protocol generated for this bacterial species, and will facilitate the implementation of large scale screens for symbiosis and other phenotypes of interest in X. griffiniae .

Rapid, Parallel Identification of Catabolism Pathways of Lignin-Derived Aromatic Compounds in Novosphingobium aromaticivorans

Transposon mutagenesis is a powerful technique in microbial genetics for the identification of genes in uncharacterized pathways. Recently, the throughput of transposon mutagenesis techniques has been dramatically increased through the combination of DNA barcoding and high-throughput sequencing. Here, we show that when applied to catabolic pathways, barcoded transposon libraries can be used to distinguish redundant pathways, decompose complex pathways into substituent modules, discriminate between enzyme homologs, and rapidly identify previously hypothetical enzymes in an unbiased genome-scale search. We used this technique to identify two genes, desC and desD, which are involved in the degradation of the lignin-derived aromatic compound sinapic acid in the nonmodel bacterium Novosphingobium aromaticivorans We show that DesC is a methyl esterase acting on an intermediate formed during sinapic acid catabolism, providing the last enzyme in a proposed catabolic pathway. This approach will be particularly useful in the identification of complete pathways suitable for heterologous expression in metabolic engineering.IMPORTANCE The identification of the genes involved in specific biochemical transformations is a key step in predicting microbial function from nucleic acid sequences and in engineering microbes to endow them with new functions. We have shown that new techniques for transposon mutagenesis can dramatically simplify this process and enable the rapid identification of genes in uncharacterized pathways. These techniques provide the necessary scale to fully elucidate complex biological networks such as those used to degrade mixtures of lignin-derived aromatic compounds.

Duplication of host genes by transposable elements

The availability of large amounts of genomic and transcriptome sequences have allowed systematic surveys about the host gene sequences that have been duplicated by transposable elements. It is now clear that all super-families of transposons are capable of duplicating genes or gene fragments, and such incidents have been detected in a wide spectrum of organisms. Emerging evidence suggests that a considerable portion of them function as coding or non-coding sequences, driving innovations at molecular and phenotypic levels. Interestingly, the duplication events not only have to occur in the reproductive tissues to become heritable, but the duplicated copies are also preferentially expressed in those tissues. As a result, reproductive tissues may serve as the 'incubator' for genes generated by transposable elements.

DNA Transposition at Work

DNA transposons are defined segments of DNA that are able to move from one genomic location to another. Movement is facilitated by one or more proteins, called the transposase, typically encoded by the mobile element itself. Here, we first provide an overview of the classification of such mobile elements in a variety of organisms. From a mechanistic perspective, we have focused on one particular group of DNA transposons that encode a transposase with a DD(E/D) catalytic domain that is topologically similar to RNase H. For these, a number of three-dimensional structures of transpososomes (transposase-nucleic acid complexes) are available, and we use these to describe the basics of their mechanisms. The DD(E/D) group, in addition to being the largest and most common among all DNA transposases, is the one whose members have been used for a wide variety of genomic applications. Therefore, a second focus of the article is to provide a nonexhaustive overview of transposon applications. Although several non-transposon-based approaches to site-directed genome modifications have emerged in the past decade, transposon-based applications are highly relevant when integration specificity is not sought. In fact, for many applications, the almost-perfect randomness and high frequency of integration make transposon-based approaches indispensable.

The STM4195 gene product (PanS) transports coenzyme A precursors in Salmonella enterica

Coenzyme A (CoA) is a ubiquitous coenzyme involved in fundamental metabolic processes. CoA is synthesized from pantothenic acid by a pathway that is largely conserved among bacteria and eukaryotes and consists of five enzymatic steps. While higher organisms, including humans, must scavenge pantothenate from the environment, most bacteria and plants are capable of de novo pantothenate biosynthesis. In Salmonella enterica, precursors to pantothenate can be salvaged, but subsequent intermediates are not transported due to their phosphorylated state, and thus the pathway from pantothenate to CoA is considered essential. Genetic analyses identified the STM4195 gene product of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium as a transporter of pantothenate precursors, ketopantoate and pantoate and, to a lesser extent, pantothenate. Further results indicated that STM4195 transports a product of CoA degradation that serves as a precursor to CoA and enters the biosynthetic pathway between PanC and CoaBC (dfp). The relevant CoA derivative is distinguishable from pantothenate, pantetheine, and pantethine and has spectral properties indicating the adenine moiety of CoA is intact. Taken together, the results presented here provide evidence of a transport mechanism for the uptake of ketopantoate, pantoate, and pantothenate and demonstrate a role for STM4195 in the salvage of a CoA derivative of unknown structure. The STM4195 gene is renamed panS to reflect participation in pantothenate salvage that was uncovered herein.

IMPORTANCE

This manuscript describes a transporter for two pantothenate precursors in addition to the existence and transport of a salvageable coenzyme A (CoA) derivative. Specifically, these studies defined a function for an STM protein in S. enterica that was distinct from the annotated role and led to its designation as PanS (pantothenate salvage). The presence of a salvageable CoA derivative and a transporter for it suggests the possibility that this compound is present in the environment and may serve a role in CoA synthesis for some organisms. As such, this work raises important question about CoA salvage that can be pursued with future studies in bacteria and other organisms.

Transposon insertion sequencing: a new tool for systems-level analysis of microorganisms

Our knowledge of gene function has increasingly lagged behind gene discovery, hindering our understanding of the genetic basis of microbial phenotypes. Recently, however, massively parallel sequencing has been combined with traditional transposon mutagenesis in techniques referred to as transposon sequencing (Tn-seq), high-throughput insertion tracking by deep sequencing (HITS), insertion sequencing (INSeq) and transposon-directed insertion site sequencing (TraDIS), making it possible to identify putative gene functions in a high-throughput manner. Here, we describe the similarities and differences of these related techniques and discuss their application to the probing of gene function and higher-order genome organization.

High efficiency generalized transduction in Escherichia coli O157:H7

Genetic manipulation in enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 is currently restricted to recombineering, a method that utilizes the recombination system of bacteriophage lambda, to introduce gene replacements and base changes inter alia into the genome. Bacteriophage 933W is a prophage in E. coli O157:H7 strain EDL933, which encodes the genes ( stx2AB) for the production of Shiga toxin which is the basis for the potentially fatal Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome in infected humans. We replaced the stx2AB genes with a kanamycin cassette using recombineering. After induction of the prophage by ultra-violet light, we found that bacteriophage lysates were capable of transducing to wildtype, point mutations in the lactose, arabinose and maltose genes. The lysates could also transduce tetracycline resistant cassettes. Bacteriophage 933W is also efficient at transducing markers in E. coli K-12. Co-transduction experiments indicated that the maximal amount of transferred DNA was likely the size of the bacteriophage genome, 61 kB. All tested transductants, in both E. coli K-12 and O157:H7, were kanamycin-sensitive indicating that the transducing particles contained host DNA.

Endonuclease recognition sites mapped on Zea mays chloroplast DNA

The closed-circular DNA molecules of 85 x 10(6) daltons from Zea mays chloroplasts were isolated, digested with the restriction endonucleases Sal I, Bam I, and EcoRI, and the resulting fragments sized by agarose gel electrophoresis. A map of maize chloroplast DNA showing the relative location of all the Sal I recognition sequences and many of the Bam I and EcoRI recognition sites was determined. A DNA sequence representing approximately 15% of the Zea mays chloroplast genome is repeated. The two copies of this sequence are in an inverted orientation with respect to one another and are separated by a nonhomologous sequence representing approximately 10% of the genome length. The inverted repeats contain the genes for chloroplast ribosomal RNAs.

Recombination in the Vicinity of Insertions of Transposon Tn 5 in MYXOCOCCUS XANTHUS

To test genetic recombination in the vicinity of insertions of the transposon Tn5, crosses were performed by transduction between M. xanthus strains carrying different insertions of Tn5. One member of each pair carried resistance to kanamycin (Tn5-Km); the other carried resistance to tetracycline (Tn5-Tc). The distance between each pair of Tn5 insertions was also measured by restriction mapping. The physical distance corresponding to each recombination frequency was calculated from the transductional linkage and compared with distance on the restriction map. A good correspondence between the two measures of distance was obtained for a pair of Tn5 insertions near the cglB locus and for another pair near the mgl locus. Correspondence between the two measurements of distance, the observed allelic behavior of Tn5-Km and Tn5 -Tc at the same locus and the finding of the same frequencies of recombinants in reciprocal crosses implied that recombination in the vicinity of Tn 5 was normal.

Presence of multiple sites containing polar material in spherical Escherichia coli cells that lack MreB

In rod-shaped bacteria, certain proteins are specifically localized to the cell poles. The nature of the positional information that leads to the proper localization of these proteins is unclear. In a screen for factors required for the localization of the Shigella sp. actin assembly protein IcsA to the bacterial pole, a mutant carrying a transposon insertion in mreB displayed altered targeting of IcsA. The phenotype of cells containing a transposon insertion in mreB was indistinguishable from that of cells containing a nonpolar mutation in mreB or that of wild-type cells treated with the MreB inhibitor A22. In cells lacking MreB, a green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion to a cytoplasmic derivative of IcsA localized to multiple sites. Secreted full-length native IcsA was present in multiple faint patches on the surfaces of these cells in a pattern similar to that seen for the cytoplasmic IcsA-GFP fusion. EpsM, the polar Vibrio cholerae inner membrane protein, also localized to multiple sites in mreB cells and colocalized with IcsA, indicating that localization to multiple sites is not unique to IcsA. Our results are consistent with the requirement, either direct or indirect, for MreB in the restriction of certain polar material to defined sites within the cell and, in the absence of MreB, with the formation of ectopic sites containing polar material.

New insertion sequences of Sulfolobus: functional properties and implications for genome evolution in hyperthermophilic archaea

Analyses of complete genomes indicate that insertion sequences (ISs) are abundant and widespread in hyperthermophilic archaea, but few experimental studies have measured their activities in these hosts. As a way to investigate the impact of ISs on Sulfolobus genomes, we identified seven transpositionally active ISs in a widely distributed Sulfolobus species, and measured their functional properties. Six of the seven were found to be distinct from previously described ISs of Sulfolobus, and one of the six could not be assigned to any known IS family. A type II 'Miniature Inverted-repeat Transposable Element' (MITE) related to one of the ISs was also recovered. Rates of transposition of the different ISs into the pyrEF region of their host strains varied over a 250-fold range. The Sulfolobus ISs also differed with respect to target-site selectivity, although several shared an apparent preference for the pyrEF promoter region. Despite the number of distinct ISs assayed and their molecular diversity, only one demonstrated precise excision from the chromosomal target region. The fact that this IS is the only one lacking inverted repeats and target-site duplication suggests that the observed precise excision may be promoted by the IS itself. Sequence searches revealed previously unidentified partial copies of the newly identified ISs in the Sulfolobus tokodaii and Sulfolobus solfataricus genomes. The structures of these fragmentary copies suggest several distinct molecular mechanisms which, in the absence of precise excision, inactivate ISs and gradually eliminate the defective copies from Sulfolobus genomes.

Thermal stability, structural features, and B-to-Z transition in DNA tetraloop hairpins as determined by optical spectroscopy in d(CG)(3)T(4)(CG)(3) and d(CG)(3)A(4)(CG)(3) oligodeoxynucleotides

NMR and CD data have previously shown the formation of the T(4) tetraloop hairpin in aqueous solutions, as well as the possibility of the B-to-Z transition in its stem in high salt concentration conditions. It has been shown that the stem B-to-Z transition in T(4) hairpins leads to S (south)- to N (north)-type conformational changes in the loop sugars, as well as anti to syn orientations in the loop bases. In this article, we have compared by means of UV absorption, CD, Raman, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), the thermodynamic and structural properties of the T(4) and A(4) tetraloop hairpins formed in 5'-d(CGCGCG-TTTT-CGCGCG)-3' and 5'-d(CGCGCG-AAAA-CGCGCG)-3', respectively. In presence of 5M NaClO(4), a complete B-to-Z transition of the stems is first proved by CD spectra. UV melting profiles are consistent with a higher thermal stability of the T(4) hairpin compared to the A(4) hairpin. Order-to-disorder transition of both hairpins has also been analyzed by means of Raman spectra recorded as a function of temperature. A clear Z-to-B transition of the stem has been confirmed in the T(4) hairpin, and not in the A(4) hairpin. With a right-handed stem, Raman and FTIR spectra have confirmed the C2'-endo/anti conformation for all the T(4) loop nucleosides. With a left-handed stem, a part of the T(4) loop sugars adopt a N-type (C3'-endo) conformation, and the C3'-endo/syn conformation seems to be the preferred one for the dA residues involved in the A(4) tetraloop.

Development of a transposon mutagenesis system for Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, a slow-growing Mycobacterium, is the causative agent of Johne's disease. Although M. paratuberculosis is difficult to manipulate genetically, our laboratory has recently demonstrated the ability to introduce DNA into these bacteria by transformation and phage infection. In the current study we develop the first transposon mutagenesis system for M. paratuberculosis using the conditionally replicating mycobacteriophage phAE94 to introduce the mycobacterial transposon Tn5367. Southern blotting and sequence analysis demonstrated that the transposon insertion sites are distributed relatively randomly throughout the M. paratuberculosis genome. We constructed a comprehensive bank of 5620 insertion mutants using this transposon. The transposition frequency obtained using this delivery system was 1.0 x 10(-6) transposition events per recipient cell. Auxotrophic mutants were observed in this library at a frequency of 0.3%.

Negative and positive regulation of Tn10/IS10-promoted recombination by IHF: two distinguishable processes inhibit transposition off of multicopy plasmid replicons and activate chromosomal events that favor evolution of new transposons

Tn10 is a composite transposon; inverted repeats of insertion sequence IS10 flank a tetracycline-resistance determinant. Previous work has identified several regulatory processes that modulate the interaction between Tn10 and its host. Among these, host-specified DNA adenine methylation, an IS10-encoded antisense RNA and preferential cis action of transposase are particularly important. We now find that the accessory host protein IHF and the sequences that encode the IHF-binding site in IS10 are also important regulators of the Tn10 transposition reaction in vivo and that these determinants are involved in two distinguishable regulatory processes. First, IHF and the IHF-binding site of IS10, together with other host components (e.g., HU), negatively regulate the normal intermolecular transposition process. Such negative regulation is prominent only for elements present on multicopy plasmid replicons. This multicopy plasmid-specific regulation involves effects both on the transposition reaction per se and on transposase gene expression. Second, specific interaction of IHF with its binding site stimulates transposon-promoted chromosome rearrangements but not transposition of a short Tn10-length chromosomal element. However, additional considerations predict that IHF action should favor chromosomal transposition for very long composite elements. On the basis of these and other observations we propose that, for chromosomal events, the major role of IHF is to promote the evolution of new IS10-based composite transposons.

High-resolution restriction map for a 240-kilobase region spanning 91 to 96 minutes on the Salmonella typhimurium LT2 chromosome

A hierarchical approach allows the completion of contiguous sets of overlapping clones for small regions of a genome, one at a time rather than tackling the whole genome at once. On the basis of the BlnI restriction map for Salmonella typhimurium LT2, we dissected the chromosome into 21 different fragments by using a Tn5 transposon carrying a BlnI site. Dissected chromosomal fragments were purified by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and used as probes for sorting a lambda DASHII genomic library of 2,304 primary clones. A total of 129 clones identified as spanning the region from 91 min to 98 min were partly ordered on the basis of the intensity of hybridization with mitomycin-induced Mud-P22 phage DNAs from insertions with pac sites in opposite orientations at 93 min used as probes. Decreased signal intensity with the Mud-P22 probes corresponded to the increased distance of the clone from the site of Mud-P22 insertion and allowed the clones to be placed in two groups from 91 min to 93 min and from 93 min to 98 min and into four intensity categories within the two groups. A member of each category was used to generate a riboprobe from the T3 promoter flanking the insert. This probe identified overlapping clones among the 129 clones. This subchromosomal library was then screened again with riboprobes from nonoverlapping clones. After four cycles of this strategy, a minimal contiguous sequence of 19 partly overlapping clones was selected for restriction mapping. A detailed map of 378 sites for eight restriction enzymes is presented for a region of about 240 kb. Working clockwise, the following genes were placed on this physical map on the basis of their restriction maps: malFEK, lamB, malM, lexA, qor, dnaB, alr, uvrA, proP, pmrB, pmrA, melA, melB, phoN, amiB, mutL, and miaA.

DNA double-strand break repair: genetic determinants of flanking crossing-over

Whether or not homologous interaction of two DNA molecules results in crossing-over of the flanking sequences is an important decision in view of genome organization. Several homologous recombination models, including the double-strand break repair models, explain this decision as choice between two alternative modes of resolution of Holliday-type intermediates. We have demonstrated that a double-strand gap can be repaired through gene conversion copying a homologous duplex, as predicted by the double-strand break repair models, in the RecE pathway of Escherichia coli. This gap repair is often accompanied by crossing-over of the flanking sequences. Mutations in ruvC and recG, whose products interact with Holliday structures in vitro, do not block double-strand gap repair or its association with flanking crossing-over. However, two mutations in the recJ gene, which encodes a single-strand 5'-->3' exonuclease, severely decrease association of flanking crossing-over. Two mutations in the recQ gene, which encodes a helicase, moderately decrease association of flanking crossing-over by themselves and suppress the severe effect of a recJ mutation. Similar relationships of recJ and recQ mutations are observed in cell survival after ultraviolet light irradiation, gamma-ray irradiation, and H2O2 treatment. We discuss how cooperation of the recQ gene product and the recJ gene product brings about double-strand break repair accompanied by flanking crossing-over. We also discuss how this reaction is related to repair of chromosome damages.

Bacterial plasmids: their extraordinary contribution to molecular genetics

Reviewed here are certain of the extraordinary contributions to molecular genetics that have resulted from the study of bacterial plasmids. Work with plasmids has led to both the 'operon' and 'replicon' concepts, and has provided seminal information about bacterial conjugation and fertility, recombination, transposable genetic elements, genome evolution and antisense RNA. Studies of plasmid functions have yielded important findings about the regulation of DNA replication, DNA topology and partitioning, gene control signals and restriction/modification enzymes. Plasmids have had a central role in the development of DNA cloning (recombinant DNA) methods; additionally, they have provided a paradigm for both the co-transformation of non-selected DNA into eukaryotic cells and the creation of the artificial chromosomes.

tRNA modification activity is necessary for Tet(M)-mediated tetracycline resistance

Tet(M) protein interacts with the protein biosynthetic machinery to render this process resistant to the tetracycline in vivo and in vitro (V. Burdett, J. Biol. Chem. 266:2872-2877, 1991). To understand this process more completely, a mutant of Escherichia coli which is altered in the ability of Tet(M) to confer resistance has been identified. This mutation maps to miaA and displays phenotypes characteristic of previously isolated miaA mutations. The miaA gene product modifies A37 adjacent to the anticodon of several tRNA species. Both the mutant isolated in this work and previously isolated miaA mutants confer tetracycline sensitivity in the presence of functional Tet(M), both share a slow growth phenotype, and in neither case is a wild-type phenotype restored in trans by F'112 carrying the 89- to 98-min region of the chromosome. These similar phenotypes further substantiate the assignment of the mutation described here to the miaA locus.

Spontaneous pmrA mutants of Salmonella typhimurium LT2 define a new two-component regulatory system with a possible role in virulence

We isolated spontaneous mutations (pmrA) in the smooth strain Salmonella typhimurium LT2 that show increased resistance to the cationic antibacterial proteins of human neutrophils and to the drug polymyxin B. The mutation in one strain, JKS5, maps to 93 min on the S. typhimurium chromosome, near the proP gene and the melAB operon. The mutation, designated pmrA505, confers a 1,000-fold increase in resistance to polymyxin B and a 2- to 4-fold increase in resistance to neutrophil proteins. We cloned both the pmrA505 and pmrA+ alleles and found that the pmrA+ gene is partially dominant over pmrA505. DNA sequence analysis of the pmrA505 clone revealed three open reading frames (ORFs). The deduced amino acid sequences indicated that ORF1 encodes a 548-amino-acid (aa) protein with a putative membrane-spanning domain and no significant homology to any known protein. ORF2 and ORF3, which encode 222- and 356-aa proteins, respectively, show strong homology with the OmpR-EnvZ family of two-component regulatory systems. ORF2 showed homology with a number of response regulators, including OmpR and PhoP, while ORF3 showed homology to histidine kinase-sensor proteins EnvZ and PhoR. Genetic analysis of the cloned genes suggested that ORF2 contained the pmrA505 mutation. Comparison of the pmrA505 and pmrA+ ORF2 DNA sequences revealed a single G-A transition, which would result in a His-to-Arg substitution at position 81 in the ORF2 mutant protein. We therefore designate ORF2 PmrA and ORF3 PmrB. The function of ORF1 is unknown.

A BlnI restriction map of the Salmonella typhimurium LT2 genome

BlnI or AvrII (5'-CCTAGG) sites are very rare in the Salmonella typhimurium LT2 genome. BlnI was used to construct a physical map which was correlated with the genetic map by using three methods. First, Tn10 carries BlnI sites, and the extra restriction sites produced by 34 genetically mapped Tn10 insertions were physically mapped by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Second, six genetically mapped Mud-P22 prophage insertions were used to assign BlnI fragments. Integration of Mud-P22 introduces 30 kb of DNA that can easily be detected by a "shift up" in all but the largest BlnI fragments. Finally, induced Mud-P22 insertions package more than 100 kb of genomic DNA adjacent to one side of the insertion. Some of the smaller BlnI fragments were localized by hybridization to a dot blot array of 52 lysates from induced Mud-P22 insertions. Of the 10 BlnI sites mapped, 6 probably occur in or near the 16S rRNA genes at about 55, 71, 83, 86, 88.5, and 89.5 min. There is one BlnI site in the 90-kb pSLT plasmid. Two additional BlnI fragments of about 7 and 4 kb have not been localized. The size of the genome was estimated as 4.78 Mb (+/- 0.1 Mb) excluding pSLT but including prophages Fels-1 and Fels-2. One BlnI fragment that maps between 55 and 59 min showed a 40-kb reduction in size in a strain cured of the approximately 40-kb Fels-2 prophage.

Multiple copies of IS10 in the Enterobacter cloacae MD36 chromosome

Repetitive sequences were isolated and characterized as double-stranded DNA fragments by treatment with S1 nuclease after denaturation and renaturation of the total DNA of Enterobacter cloacae MD36. One repetitive sequence was identical to the nucleotide sequence of IS10-right (IS10R), which is the active element in the plasmid-associated transposon Tn10. Unexpectedly, 15 copies of IS10R were found in the chromosomal DNA of E. cloacae MD36. One copy of the central region of Tn10 was found in the total DNA of E. cloacae MD36. IS10Rs in restriction fragments isolated from the E. cloacae MD36 total DNA showed 9-bp duplications adjacent to the terminal sequences that are characteristic of Tn10 transposition. This result suggests that many copies of IS10R in E. cloacae MD36 are due to transposition of IS10R alone, not due to transposition of Tn10 or to DNA rearrangement. I also found nine copies of IS10 in Shigella sonnei HH109, two and four copies in two different natural isolates of Escherichia coli, and two copies in E. coli K-12 strain JM109 from the 60 bacterial strains that were examined. All dam sites in the IS10s in E. cloacae MD36 and S. sonnei HH109 were methylated. Tn10 and IS10 transpose by a mechanism in which the element is excised from the donor site and inserted into the new target site without significant replication of the transposing segment; thus, the copy numbers of the elements in the cell are thought to be unchanged in most circumstances. Accumulation of IS10 copies in E. cloacae MD36 has interesting evolutionary implications.

Identification of a novel composite transposable element, Tn5280, carrying chlorobenzene dioxygenase genes of Pseudomonas sp. strain P51

Analysis of one of the regions of catabolic plasmid pP51 which encode chlorobenzene metabolism of Pseudomonas sp. strain P51 revealed that the tcbA and tcbB genes for chlorobenzene dioxygenase and dehydrogenase are located on a transposable element, Tn5280. Tn5280 showed the features of a composite bacterial transposon with iso-insertion elements (IS1066 and IS1067) at each end of the transposon oriented in an inverted position. When a 12-kb HindIII fragment of pP51 containing Tn5280 was cloned in the suicide donor plasmid pSUP202, marked with a kanamycin resistance gene, and introduced into Pseudomonas putida donor plasmid pSUP202, marked with a kanamycin resistance gene, and introduced into Pseudomonas putida KT2442, Tn5280 was found to transpose into the genome at random and in single copy. The insertion elements IS1066 and IS1067 differed in a single base apir located in the inner inverted repeat and were found to be highly homologous to a class of repetitive elements of Bradyrhizobium japonicum and distantly related to IS630 of Shigella sonnei. The presence of the catabolic genes tcbA and tcbB on Tn5280 suggests a mechanism by which gene clusters can be mobilized as gene cassettes and joined with others to form novel catabolic pathways.

Insertion of Tn916 into Bacillus pumilus plasmid pMGD302 and evidence for plasmid transfer by conjugation

As part of an effort to develop systems for genetic analysis of strains of Bacillus pumilus which are being used as a microbial hay preservative, we introduced the conjugative Enterococcus faecalis transposon Tn916 into B. pumilus ATCC 1 and two naturally occurring hay isolates of B. pumilus. B. pumilus transconjugants resistant to tetracycline were detected at a frequency of approximately 6.5 x 10(-7) per recipient after filter mating with E. faecalis CG110. Southern hybridization confirmed the insertion of Tn916 into several different sites in the B. pumilus chromosome. Transfer of Tn916 also was observed between strains of B. pumilus in filter matings, and one donor strain transferred tetracycline resistance to recipients in broth matings at high frequency (up to 3.4 x 10(-5) per recipient). Transfer from this donor strain in broth matings was DNase-resistant and was not mediated by culture filtrates. Transconjugants from these broth matings contained derivatives of a cryptic plasmid (pMGD302, approx 60 kb) from the donor strain with Tn916 inserted at various sites. The plasmids containing Tn916 insertions transferred to a B. pumilus recipient strain at frequencies of approx 5 x 10(-6) per recipient. This evidence suggests that pMGD302 can transfer by a process resembling conjugation between strains of B. pumilus.

Construction of plasmid-free derivatives of Salmonella typhimurium LT2 using temperature-sensitive mutants of pKZ1 for displacement of the resident plasmid, pSLT

Replication (or partitioning) temperature-sensitive mutants of pKZ1 were isolated and shown to exhibit incompatibility with the resident plasmid (pSLT) of Salmonella typhimurium LT2. Following displacement of pSLT, the mutant plasmids were effectively eliminated from the cell population by passage at 42 degrees C, yielding plasmid-free isolates.

Fine-structure genetic map of the maltose transport operon of Salmonella typhimurium

We have constructed a fine-structure genetic map of the maltose transport operon in Salmonella typhimurium. We have isolated mal mutants by using indicator plates, penicillin selection, or a proton suicide technique. Mutants were obtained as spontaneous events or were induced by chemical mutagenesis and transposon insertion. Tn10 and Mu d(lac Ap)1 insertion mutations were used to create deletions. Mutations were also obtained in a gene that is equivalent to lamB in Escherichia coli, which codes for the lambda bacteriophage receptor. The gene products in the mutants were characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Our data indicate that the location of this operon on the Salmonella chromosome as well as the gene order and its orientation are the same as those in E. coli. This map will be useful in studying the mechanism of periplasmic transport in S. typhimurium.

Overproduction of transposon Tn10-encoded tetracycline resistance protein results in cell death and loss of membrane potential

High-level expression of the Tn10 tetracycline resistance protein TetA in Escherichia coli caused partial collapse of the membrane potential, arrest of growth, and killing of the cells. Since alpha-methylglucoside transport was not affected, the overproduced TetA protein may cause not destruction of membrane structure but rather unrestricted translocation of protons and/or ions across the membrane.

Conformation and dynamics of a left-handed Z-DNA hairpin: studies of d(CGCGCGTTTTCGCGCG) in solution

The physical properties of the DNA oligomer d(CGCGCGTTTTCGCGCG) in solvents containing 4 M NaClO4 and 0.1 M NaCl were investigated by proton NMR, optical melting, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Results of these investigations are as follows: (i) The DNA hexadecamer exists as a unimolecular hairpin in either high or low salt. (ii) In high salt the stem region of the hairpin is in the left-handed Z conformation. (iii) In either high or low salt, the duplex stem of the hairpin is stabilized against melting by approximately 40 degrees C compared to the linear core duplex. The added stability of the hairpin is entropic in origin. (iv) In high salt, as the temperature is elevated, the equilibrium structure of the duplex stem of the hairpin shifts from the Z to the B conformation before melting. (v) In low salt, when the DNA duplex exists in the B conformation, attachment of a T4 single-strand loop to one end only slightly decreases (by 14%) the correlation time of the CH5-CH6 interproton vector. In high salt, when the DNA duplex exists in the Z conformation, the correlation time of the CH5-CH6 interproton vector decreases by 51%. Since these viscosity-corrected correlation times are taken to be indicators of duplex motions on the nanosecond time scale, this result directly suggests a larger amplitude of these motions is present in the duplex stem of the hairpin when it exists in the Z conformation.

Expression of K99 adhesion antigen controlled by the Escherichia coli tryptophan operon promoter

The genetic determinant for the K99 adhesin of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli B41 [O101:K99] has been cloned as a 7.0-kilobase BamHI-generated DNA fragment into the vector pBR322 by us and others (J. D. A. van Embden, F. K. de Graaf, L. M. Schouls, and J. S. Teppma, Infect. Immun. 29:1125-1133, 1980). Cells harboring one such construction, known as pK99-64, are capable of expressing K99 antigen on the cell surface. We replaced the natural promoter sequence for the gene encoding the K99 pilus subunit with a strong, inducible exogenous promoter, the E. coli tryptophan (trp) operon promoter, to construct the plasmid pBR-TrpK99. E. coli cells harboring pBR-TrpK99 or a similar construction in the plasmid pDR540, known as pKO-TrpK99, upon induction with 3-beta-indoleacrylic acid, produced about fourfold more K99 antigen than did cells bearing pK99-64 with the natural promoter. Expression of the pilus antigen was found to be under control of the tryptophan promoter. Plasmid instability was encountered, however, in cells bearing pKO-TrpK99 when the trp promoter was derepressed. Introduction of the aminoglycoside 3'-phosphotransferase gene of transposable element Tn5 into pKO-TrpK99 to generate pKON-TrpK99 effectively stabilized the plasmid in cells grown under identical conditions in medium containing kanamycin.

Tagging and elimination of plasmids in Salmonella of avian origin

This study compared the effectiveness of a number of procedures designed to label and eliminate plasmids that may play a role in virulence in Salmonella. Twenty strains of Salmonella of 9 serovars were subjected to 3 methods for labelling plasmids with transposons. Strains containing labelled and unlabelled plasmids were exposed to physical and chemical curing agents. Plasmids in 9 of 20 strains of Salmonella were tagged by conjugation with a donor Escherichia coli containing a temperature-sensitive RP4 plasmid that carried the Tn1 transposon. Plasmids in 2 of 5 strains of Salmonella were labelled by conjugation with a donor E. coli that contained a F' tslac::Tn5 plasmid. Transduction of Salmonella with a P22 bacteriophage that carried a temperature-sensitive Tn10 transposon resulted in chromosomal insertion of Tn10 in 2 of 10 strains. Use of chemical curing agents resulted in curing of plasmids in only 6 of 17 strains. Two strains were cured by ethidium bromide, two by a combination of ethidium bromide and novobiocin, two by a combination of imipramine and methylene blue, and none by acridine orange, novobiocin, sodium dodecyl sulfate or rifampicin. In contrast, plasmids in 14 of 17 Salmonella strains were eliminated by incubation at 45.5 degrees C.

Saturation mutagenesis of the Tn10-encoded tet operator O1. Identification of base-pairs involved in Tet repressor recognition

Saturation mutagenesis of Tn10-encoded tet operator O1 was performed by chemical synthesis of 30 sequence variants yielding all possible point mutations of an operator half side. Their effect on Tet repressor binding was scored by an in-vivo repressor titration system. Tet repressor affinities of selected operator mutants were further characterized in vitro by dissociation rate measurements. The O1 sequence spans 19 base-pairs. Out of these, all 18 palindromic base-pairs are involved in Tet repressor recognition. The central base-pair does not contribute to sequence-specific binding of Tet repressor. At position 1 a pyrimidine residue is sufficient for maximal affinity to the repressor. At positions 2, 3 and 4, each mutation reduces repressor binding at least tenfold. Mutations at positions 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 result in less drastic reductions of Tet repressor binding. Differential effects of mutations at a given position are used to deduce the chemical functions contacted by Tet repressor. The T.A to A.T transversion at position 9 increases Tet repressor affinity slightly, while all other mutations decrease repressor binding. The increased affinity of the wild-type tet operator O2 compared to wild-type O1 results from the addition of two favorable transversions at positions +/- 9 and an unfavorable T.A to C.G transition at position -7. Deletion or palindromic doubling of the central base-pair of the O1 palindrome reveals that the wild-type spacing of both operator half sides is crucial for efficient Tet repressor binding.

Characterization of Tn10d-Cam: a transposition-defective Tn10 specifying chloramphenicol resistance

We have constructed a small, transposition-defective derivative of the transposon Tn10 that carries the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene of pACYC184. This new genetic element, Tn10d-Cam, transposes when Tn10 transposase is provided from a multi-copy plasmid. Transposon insertion mutagenesis of Salmonella typhimurium was performed by using a strain carrying a Tn10d-Cam insertion in an Escherichia coli F' episome as the donor in transductional crosses into recipients that carried a plasmid expressing Tn10 transposase. Tn10d-Cam insertion mutations were also generated by complementation in cis of Tn10d-Cam by a cotransducible Tn10 element that overproduces transposase. Here, transposase was provided only transiently, and the Tn10d-Cam insertion mutations were recovered in a transposase-free strain. Cis complementation was used for mutagenesis of a plasmid target. The site specificity of insertion and the effect of insertions on expression of a downstream gene were investigated, using Tn10d-Cam insertions in a plasmid carrying a segment of the histidine operon.

Melting of a self-complementary DNA minicircle. Comparison of optical melting theory with exchange broadening of the nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum

Melting curves are calculated for the 16-base-pair duplex DNA sequence 5' GTATCCGTACGGATAC 3' linked on the ends by TTTT single-strand loops. The equilibrium statistical thermodynamic theory of DNA melting is modified to include effects of end-loops on the melting transition. An excellent fit of the experimental melting curve in 0.2 M-NaCl is obtained using two adjustable parameters, one for end-loop formation and the other for formation of the complete 40-base single-strand loop. The best-fit calculated melting curve permits evaluation of these parameters. The free energy to close a TTTT end-loop is 2.12 kcal/mol (1 cal = 4.184 J). A TTTT end-loop or hairpin loop is significantly more stable than an internal loop of comparable size sandwiched between two helical regions, even after allowing for the different stacking contributions. Reasons for this increased stability are presented. The loop free energy of the 40-base single-strand open minicircle is evaluated to be +1.27 kcal/mol, thus favoring the melting of two end-loops into the large open minicircle. The present results are compared with those of others for d(T-A) oligomers. The sequence TTTT forms a more stable end-loop, or hairpin, than TATA by about 2.0 kcal/mol. Theoretical rate constants for the proton-transfer step in the standard hydrogen-exchange model are calculated by extending the theory of diffusion-controlled reactions to take account of the electrostatic potential of the DNA. The predicted ratios of rate constants for different pairs of catalysts exchanging an A.T proton agree satisfactorily with the available experimental data for a 14-base-pair linear duplex, which confirms the diffusion-control of the proton-transfer step. Data presented here for the 16 base-pair duplex of the minicircle are consistent with catalysis-limited exchange in which the proton-transfer step is likewise diffusion-controlled. Under catalysis-limited conditions, the imino proton exchange rates are predicted from the catalytic rate constants, prevailing buffer catalyst concentrations, and the equilibrium constants to form the unstacked open state of optical melting theory. The observed exchange rates of the A.T base-pairs show no sign of the strong predicted end-melting trend, and exceed the predicted values by factors of 10 to 400. Moreover, the succession of "melting" in the nuclear magnetic resonance line-broadening deviates from that predicted by optical melting theory.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Isolation and characterization of IS elements repeated in the bacterial chromosome

Shigella sonnei contains repetitive sequences, including an insertion element IS1, which can be isolated as double-stranded DNA fragments by DNA denaturation and renaturation and by treatment with S1 nuclease. In this paper, we describe a method of cloning the IS1 fragments prepared by the S1 nuclease digestion technique into phage M13mp8 RFI DNA. Several clones contained IS1, usually with a few additional bases. We isolated and characterized five other repetitive sequences using this method. One sequence, 1264 base-pairs in length, had terminal inverted repeats and contained two open reading frames. This sequence, called IS600, showed about 44% sequence homology with IS3 and was repeated more than 20 times in the Sh. sonnei chromosome. Another sequence (named IS629, 1310 base-pairs in length), which was repeated six times, was found also to be related to IS3 and thus IS600. Two other sequences (named IS630 and IS640, 1159 and 1092 base-pairs in length, respectively), which were repeated approximately ten times, had characteristic terminal inverted repeats and contained a large open reading frame coding for a protein. The inverted repeat sequences of IS630 were similar to the sequence at one end of IS200, a Salmonella-specific IS element. The fifth sequence, repeated ten times in Sh. sonnei, had about 98% sequence homology with a portion of IS2. The method described here can be applied to the isolation of IS or iso-IS elements present in any other bacterial chromosome.

Site-specific methylases induce the SOS DNA repair response in Escherichia coli

Expression of the site-specific adenine methylase HhaII (GmeANTC, where me is methyl) or PstI (CTGCmeAG) induced the SOS DNA repair response in Escherichia coli. In contrast, expression of methylases indigenous to E. coli either did not induce SOS (EcoRI [GAmeATTC] or induced SOS to a lesser extent (dam [GmeATC]). Recognition of adenine-methylated DNA required the product of a previously undescribed gene, which we named mrr (methylated adenine recognition and restriction). We suggest that mrr encodes an endonuclease that cleaves DNA containing N6-methyladenine and that DNA double-strand breaks induce the SOS response. Cytosine methylases foreign to E. coli (MspI [meCCGG], HaeIII [GGmeCC], BamHI [GGATmeCC], HhaI [GmeCGC], BsuRI [GGmeCC], and M.Spr) also induced SOS, whereas one indigenous to E. coli (EcoRII [CmeCA/TGG]) did not. SOS induction by cytosine methylation required the rglB locus, which encodes an endonuclease that cleaves DNA containing 5-hydroxymethyl- or 5-methylcytosine (E. A. Raleigh and G. Wilson, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83:9070-9074, 1986).

Cloning and functional expression of the Coxiella burnetii citrate synthase gene in Escherichia coli

The citrate synthase gene from the obligate intracellular rickettsial parasite Coxiella burnetii was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Transduction into E. coli with a C. burnetii gene library constructed in the cosmid vector pHK17 resulted in the functional complementation of the gltA mutation of E. coli MOB154. A GltA+ clone carrying 16.4 kilobase pairs of C. burnetii DNA and designated pJCC959 was isolated and characterized. Southern hybridization analysis confirmed that the pJCC959 cloned insert consists of C. burnetii DNA and that homology exists with the Rickettsia prowazekii citrate synthase gene. Subcloning analysis with the multicopy expression vector pUC8 revealed that citrate synthase expression was under control of a C. burnetti promoter. In vitro transcription-translation of subclones pLPM20 and pLPM30 established a molecular weight of ca. 46,000 for the monomer form of the cloned enzyme. Transposon Tn5 mutagenesis of pLPM30 defined the coding region to approximately 1.2 kilobase pairs of C. burnetii DNA. Maxicell analysis of selected pLPM30::Tn5 insertion derivatives identified the direction of transcription and the relative translational start and stop sites and substantiated the molecular weight value calculated from the in vitro analysis. Inhibition studies showed that citrate synthase activity in crude cell extracts obtained from strain MOB154 transformed with the cloned C. burnetii gene was markedly inhibited by 4 mM ATP, while 4 mM alpha-ketoglutarate had virtually no effect. These data indicate that the C. burnetii enzyme displays regulatory behavior characteristic of the small gram-positive bacterial and eucaryotic enzyme.

Transposition of Tn917 in Bacillus megaterium

Transposon Tn917, carried on plasmid pTV1, was introduced into Bacillus megaterium and transposed efficiently and apparently randomly. Insertional mutations included at least eight different auxotrophic loci, two carbon source loci, and sporulation loci. One trp::Tn917 mutation was further verified as an insertion by both reversion and transduction.

Genetic evidence that Tn10 transposes by a nonreplicative mechanism

We present genetic evidence that the tetracycline resistance element Tn10 transposes by a nonreplicative mechanism. Heteroduplex Tn10 elements containing three single base pair mismatches were constructed on lambda phage genomes and allowed to transpose from lambda into the bacterial chromosome. Analysis of TetR colonies resulting from such transpositions suggests that information from both strands of the transposing Tn10 element is transmitted faithfully to its transposition product. The simplest interpretation of these results is that the transposing element is excised from the donor molecule and inserted into the target molecule without being replicated. A mismatch 70 base pairs from one end of the transposon is preserved, suggesting that there is little or no replication, even at the termini of the element, during transposition in vivo.

Tn10 tet operator mutations affecting Tet repressor recognition

The effect of single base pair alterations of the Tn10 encoded tet operator on recognition of Tet repressor was studied in vivo using a repressor titration system and in vitro by dissociation rate determinations of the respective complexes. Both methods reveal that the two operators, O1 and O2, which are in a tandem arrangement in the wild type, are recognized with a two-fold different affinity when separated. Studies on synthetic operator sequences indicate that the Tet repressor binds with higher affinity to the non-palindromic O2 wildtype than to the respective palindromic sequences. The in vivo repressor titration system links the expression of lacZ to the affinity of tet operator to Tet repressor. It was used to isolate tet operator mutations with reduced affinity to the repressor. The in vivo and in vitro obtained results with these mutants agree quantitatively and indicate, that the GC base pairs at positions 2, 6, and 8 are involved in interaction with the Tet repressor. Their importance for recognition decreases in that order. Transitions at position 7 of the tet operator show smaller effects on recognition than transversions.

Analysis and comparison of the internal promoter, pE, of the ilvGMEDA operons from Escherichia coli K-12 and Salmonella typhimurium

It was previously determined that the distal portion of the ilvGMEDA operon was expressed despite the insertion of transposons into ilvG and ilvE. This observation suggested the existence of internal promoters upstream of ilvE (pE) and ilvD (pD). The internal promoter pE, responsible for part of ilvEDA expression, has been analyzed both in vivo and in vitro. Our results indicate that: pE exists in both E. coli K-12 and S. typhimurium; pE is located in the distal end of the ilvM coding sequence; the pE sequence is highly conserved in the two bacteria; the amino acid sequence of the ilvM gene product is 93% homologous between the two bacteria; transcription from pE can be demonstrated both in vivo and in vitro; the efficiency of pE is essentially equivalent in the two bacteria.

Isolation of a Tn501 insertion mutant lacking porin protein P of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

In order to demonstrate a role for anion-specific protein P channels in phosphate transport in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO, we wished to isolate a transposon insertion mutant deficient in protein P. A number of transposon delivery systems were tested which yielded, for the most part, whole plasmid inserts. Plasmid pMT1000 (Tsuda et al. 1984), a temperature-sensitive R68 plasmid carrying the transposon Tn501, was successfully employed in the isolation of a Tn501 insertion mutant lacking protein P under normally inducing conditions. To identify the mutant deficient in protein P, a protein P-specific polyclonal antiserum was used. This mutant, strain H576, was deficient in high-affinity phosphate transport exhibiting a Km for uptake (3.60 +/- 0.64 microM) almost ten times greater than that of the wild type strain (Km = 0.39 microM). There was, however, no change in the Vmax for high-affinity phosphate transport as a result of the loss of protein P in this mutant. The protein P-deficiency of the mutant correlated with a growth defect in a phosphate-limited medium, resulting in an 18%-35% decrease in growth when compared with the wild type.

fii, a bacterial locus required for filamentous phage infection and its relation to colicin-tolerant tolA and tolB

We describe mutations in a new bacterial locus, designated fii, which do not allow the filamentous bacteriophage f1 to infect bacteria harboring the F plasmid. Mutations at this locus do not affect the ability of F plasmid-containing bacteria to undergo conjugation or be infected by the F plasmid-specific RNA phage f2. The filamentous phage can still adsorb to the F sex pilus, but the DNA is unable to enter the bacteria. All fii mutants become tolerant to colicins E1, E2, and E3. Strains with amber mutations in fii also are unable to plaque P1, even though they can be infected with this phage. Mutations in fii also prevent infection of bacteria harboring the N plasmid by the filamentous bacteriophage IKe. The fii locus maps adjacent to tolA, mutants of which demonstrate tolerance to high levels of the E and K colicins. The three genes tolA, tolB, and fii are shown to reside on a 4.3-kilobase fragment of the Escherichia coli chromosome. Each gene has been cloned into a chimeric plasmid and shown to complement, in trans, mutations at the corresponding chromosomal locus. Studies in maxicells show that the product of fii appears to be a 24-kilodalton protein which copurifies with the cell envelope. The product of tolA has been identified tentatively as a 51-kilodalton protein. Data from cloning, Tn5 mutagenesis, and P1 transduction studies are consistent with the gene order sucA-fii-tolA-tolB-aroG near 17 min on the E. coli map.

Osmoregulation of gene expression in Salmonella typhimurium: proU encodes an osmotically induced betaine transport system

Previous evidence has indicated that a gene, proU, is involved in the response of bacterial cells to growth at high osmolarity. Using Mu-mediated lacZ operon fusions we found that transcription of the proU gene of Salmonella typhimurium is stimulated over 100-fold in response to increases in external osmolarity. Our evidence suggests that changes in turgor pressure are responsible for these alterations in gene expression. Expression of proU is independent of the ompR gene, known to be involved in osmoregulation of porin expression. Thus, there must be at least two distinct mechanisms by which external osmolarity can influence gene expression. We show that there are relatively few genes in the cell which are under such osmotic control. The proU gene is shown to encode a high-affinity transport system (Km = 1.3 microM) for the osmoprotectant betaine, which is accumulated to high concentrations in response to osmotic stress. Even when fully induced, this transport system is only able to function in medium of high osmolarity. Thus, betaine transport is regulated by osmotic pressure at two levels: the induction of expression and by modulation of activity of the transport proteins. We have previously shown that the proP gene encodes a lower-affinity betaine transport system (J. Cairney, I. R. Booth, and C. F. Higgins, J. Bacteriol., 164:1218-1223, 1985). In proP proU strains, no saturable betaine uptake could be detected although there was a low-level nonsaturable component at high substrate concentrations. Thus, S. typhimurium has two genetically distinct pathways for betaine uptake, a constitutive low-affinity system (proP) and an osmotically induced high-affinity system (proU).