Revised linkage map of Salmonella typhimurium

Gene topography and function. I. Gene expression in germinating conidia of Neurospora crassa

In an attempt to find clues for the significance of the gene ordering along the eukaryotic chromosome, a system consisting of germinating conida of Neurospora crassa was studied. Thirteen enzyme activities corresponding to genes widely distributed on five chromosomes were determined in dormant and in germinating conidia. Ten of these enzymes showed lower activities in the resting state, and the time patterns of their increase were determined during germination. The results obtained do not support a scheme of sequential expression of genes during the emergence from dormancy as a counterpart of the sequence of the corresponding genes along the chromosome. Two of the loci studied were analyzed both in the normal (wild-type) ordering and in a translocated position in which the two genes are located in an inverted order respective to the centromere and farther apart from it. The altered order of the genes did not influence significantly the time and pattern of increase in the activities of the corresponding enzymes.

Molecular relationships among the Salmonelleae

Polynucleotide sequence relatedness studies were carried out to determine the extent of divergence present in members of the tribe Salmonelleae and between salmonellae and other enteric bacteria. Typical Salmonella were 85 to 100% related. Two groups of biochemically atypical Salmonella showed somewhat lower binding to typical salmonellae and to each other. Arizona were 70 to 80% related to salmonellae. Two groups of Arizona were detected. These groups correlated with the presence of monophasic or diphasic flagellar antigens. Salmonella and Arizona were no more related to Citrobacter than to Escherichia coli (45-55%). Relatedness of Salmonella and Arizona to other enterobacteria ranged from 20 to 40% with klebsiellae and shigellae, to 20 to 25% with erwiniae, and to less than 20% with edwardsiellae and Proteus mirabilis.

Three adjacent transfer RNA genes in Escherichia coli

A defective varphi80 transducing phage has been isolated that carries a small section of the E. coli chromosome from the region near argH (77 min). This phage contains three E. coli tRNA genes, termed glyTsu(+) (36), tyrT, and thrT. These genes specify the structures of tRNA(2) (Gly) (su(+) (36)) tRNA(2) (Tyr), and tRNA(3) (Thr), respectively. Induction of a single lysogen bearing this phage brings about selective synthesis and amplification of only these three tRNAs.

Molecular structure of bacterial plasmids

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Salmonella typhimurium mutants with alternate requirements for vitamin B 6 or isoleucine

Several mutants of Salmonella typhimurium LT-2, isolated as auxotrophs for vitamin B(6), grew without the added vitamin when supplied with either isoleucine, alpha-ketobutyrate, or alpha-keto-beta-methylvalerate, but not with threonine or with other alpha-keto acids. When grown on minimal medium supplemented with isoleucine, these mutants synthesized vitamin B(6) in amounts comparable to wild-type cells; they thus appeared to contain a modified l-threonine dehydratase and to belong to genotype ilvA (threonine dehydratase) instead of pdx (pyridoxine). Direct assays confirmed this hypothesis. Wild-type cells (toluene-treated) showed approximately the same threonine dehydratase activity whether grown in the presence or absence of added pyridoxal-P; mutant cells approached the activity of wild-type cells only when they were grown with added vitamin B(6) and were assayed in the presence of pyridoxal-P. In cell-free extracts, the threonine dehydratase from mutant cells was cold labile and more labile to oxidative inactivation than the wild-type enzyme; furthermore, activation of the mutant apoenzyme required a 10- to 20-fold higher concentration of pyridoxal-P than was required for the wild-type apoenzyme. These results show that cultures which appear auxotrophic for a given vitamin may synthesize that vitamin in normal amounts, the exogenous requirement arising from impaired binding of the vitamin-derived coenzyme to a genetically altered apoenzyme dependent on that coenzyme. Inadequate nutritional data to support the genetic findings can lead to erroneous genotype classification for such mutants.

Adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate concentration in the bacterial host regulates the viral decision between lysogeny and lysis

Mutants of Salmonella typhimurium defective in adenylate cyclase (cya gene) or in cAMP receptor protein (crp gene) are lysogenized at reduced frequency by phage P22. One class of the bacterial mutants with an altered RNA polymerase (rif gene) is also lysogenized at reduced frequency. In the three types of mutant bacteria, the phage's decision between lysogeny and lysis is shifted to lysis and the phage form clear plaques. We propose that in wild-type bacteria the cAMP-receptor protein, in combination with cAMP, activates bacterial RNA polymerase to transcribe certain phage genes that are required for efficient lysogenization. Under conditions of strong catabolite repression, when the supply of energy and biosynthetic components is abundant and the concentration of cAMP is low, the phage would multiply and lyse the cell. When the supply of energy is deficient and the concentration of cAMP is high, the phage would lysogenize the cell. Phage mutants have been isolated that form turbid plaques on the three classes of bacterial mutants due to a higher frequency of lysogeny. These phage mutants have been shown by complementation to be defective in the same gene, which we have called the cly gene. These cly mutants lysogenize the wild-type bacteria with a 99% frequency and, thus, do not form plaques on them. Other kinds of bacterial mutants are also lysogenized at reduced frequency by phage P22. They may be altered in other physiological control systems that influence the frequency of lysogenization.

Salmonella locus affecting phosphoenolpyruvate synthase activity identified by a deletion analysis

Strain leu-4017, derived from Salmonella typhimurium LT2, cannot utilize acetate, pyruvate, or citric acid cycle intermediates as sole sources of carbon. The mutation in this strain extends from the A cistron of the leucine operon to some point between leu and azi, presumably deleting one or more loci involved in the utilization of these compounds. One of these loci is required for phosphoenolpyruvate synthase activity.

Mutants of Salmonella typhimurium with an altered leucyl-transfer ribonucleic acid synthetase

Two trifluoroleucine-resistant mutants of Salmonella typhimurium, strains CV69 and CV117, had an altered leucyl-transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) synthetase. The mutant enzymes had higher apparent K(m) values for leucine (ca. 10-fold) and lower specific activities (ca. twofold) than the parent enzyme when tested in crude extracts. Preparations of synthetase purified ca. 60-fold from the parent and strain CV117 differed sixfold in their leucine K(m) values. In addition, the mutant enzyme was inactivated faster than the parent enzyme at 50 C. The growth rates of strains CV69 and CV117 at 37 C were not significantly different from that of the parent, whereas at 42 C strain CV69 grew more slowly than the parent. Leucine-, valine-, and isoleucine-forming enzymes were partially derepressed when the mutants were grown in minimal medium; the addition of leucine repressed these enzymes to wild-type levels. During growth in minimal medium, the proportion of leucine tRNA that was charged in the mutants was about 75% of that in the parent. The properties of strain CV117 were shown to result from a single mutation located near gal at minute 18 on the genetic map. These studies suggest that leucyl-tRNA synthetase is involved in repression of the enzymes required for the synthesis of branched-chain amino acids.

Recombination-deficient mutants of colicinogenic Salmonella typhimurium detected by their failure to produce colicin

Survivors of nitrosoguanidine-treated cultures of a colicinogenic strain of Salmonella typhimurium were tested for spontaneous production of colicin E1. Of about 1,000 colonies tested, 13 produced no (or very narrow) colicin zones. Four of these isolates proved to be more sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light, X rays, and methyl methane sulfonate than the parent strain and did not show enhanced production of colicin when treated with mitomycin C (which acts as an inducer on wild-type cells). Further studies showed that these isolates were of two classes. Three mutants were extremely sensitive to UV, failed to show spontaneous release of two temperate phages, and were infertile as recipients in transduction or in an Hfr cross although they accepted an F' factor normally. These independently isolated mutants were inferred to be recombination-deficient; one of them had the additional property of increased spontaneous mutability at two loci. The other colicin-nonreleasing isolate was only moderately sensitive to UV, showed enhanced spontaneous release of two temperate phages, and was of approximately normal fertility as a recipient in transduction or conjugation.

Formation of aromatic amino acid pools in Escherichia coli K-12

Phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan were taken up into cells of Escherichia coli K-12 by a general aromatic transport system. Apparent Michaelis constants for the three amino acids were 4.7 x 10(-7), 5.7 x 10(-7), and 4.0 x 10(-7)m, respectively. High concentrations (> 0.1 mm) of histidine, leucine, methionine, alanine, cysteine, and aspartic acid also had an affinity for this system. Mutants lacking the general aromatic transport system were resistant to p-fluorophenylalanine, beta-2-thienylalanine, and 5-methyltryptophan. They mapped at a locus, aroP, between leu and pan on the chromosome, being 30% cotransducible with leu and 43% cotransducible with pan. Phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan were also transported by three specific transport systems. The apparent Michaelis constants of these systems were 2.0 x 10(-6), 2.2 x 10(-6), and 3.0 x 10(-6)m, respectively. An external energy source, such as glucose, was not required for activity of either general or specific aromatic transport systems. Azide and 2,4-dinitrophenol, however, inhibited all aromatic transport, indicating that energy production is necessary. Between 80 and 90% of the trichloroacetic acid-soluble pool formed from a particular exogenous aromatic amino acid was generated by the general aromatic transport system. This contribution was abolished when uptake was inhibited by competition by the other aromatic amino acids or by mutation in aroP. Incorporation of the former amino acid into protein was not affected by the reduction in its pool size, indicating that the general aromatic transport system is not essential for the supply of external aromatic amino acids to protein synthesis.

Asymmetric template function of microbial deoxyribonucleic acids: transcription of ribosomal and soluble ribonucleic acids

In Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli, 16 and 23S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) hybridize exclusively with the heavy (H) strand of methylated albuminkieselguhr (MAK)-fractionated complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) strands. All the soluble RNA (4S RNA) in B. subtilis and 66 to 75% of the 4S RNA in E. coli also hybridize with the H strand. Interspecific hybridization shows that E. coli 23S rRNA also binds selectively to the DNA H strand of Salmonella typhimurium. The hybridization peak for all three cellular RNA components is specifically located in the late-eluting region of the absorbance profile of the DNA H strand. The early-eluting region of the light (L) strand preferentially inhibits the hybridization between the peak region of the H strand and 23S rRNA. These regions are considered to represent the transcribing sequences and their complements for 23S rRNA in the separated H and L strands of DNA, respectively.

Regulation of proline degradation in Salmonella typhimurium

The pathway for proline degradation in Salmonella typhimurium appears to be identical to that found in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Delta(1)-Pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid (P5C) is an intermediate in the pathway; its formation consumes molecular oxygen. Assays were devised for proline oxidase and the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-specific P5C dehydrogenase activities. Both proline-degrading enzymes, proline oxidase and P5C dehydrogenase, are induced by proline and are subject to catabolite repression. Three types of mutants were isolated in which both enzymes are affected: constitutive mutants, mutants with reduced levels of enzyme activity, and mutants unable to produce either enzyme. Most of the mutants isolated for their lack of P5C dehydrogenase activity have a reduced level of proline oxidase activity. All the mutations are cotransducible. A genetic map of some of the mutations is presented. The actual effector of the pathway appears to be proline.

Genetic regulation of ribonucleoside and deoxyribonucleoside catabolism in Salmonella typhimurium

Four enzymes involved in ribonucleoside and deoxyribonucleoside catabolism (deoxyribose-5-P aldolase, thymidine phosphorylase, phosphodeoxyribomutase, and purine nucleoside phosphorylase) are coded for by four closely linked structural genes on the Salmonella chromosome. The genetic order of these genes is (deoC-deoA-deoB-deoD)-serB-thr. Studies on polarity mutants and induction patterns indicate that the deoB and deoD genes may constitute a single operon and that the deoC and deoA genes may constitute a second closely linked operon.

Mutants of Salmonella typhimurium lacking phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase activities

Two auxotrophic mutants (SM16 and SM51) of Salmonella typhimurium, which for aerobic growth, with hexoses as carbon source, required lysine and methionine (SM51 required also nicotinic acid), were isolated and characterized. The requirement for the amino acids disappeared in anaerobiosis. Neither lipoate nor 4-hydroxybenzoate was effective in supporting aerobic growth of the mutants. The lysine and methionine requirement for aerobic growth was due to the absence in the mutants of the enzymatic activities of the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex. The mutants could not use succinate as carbon source even after enrichment of the growth medium with acid-hydrolyzed casein and yeast extract. No phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity was found in the mutants, a phenomenon which explained their inability to use succinate. By interrupted conjugation and by transduction experiments, the positions of the three affected loci, pck, suc, and Nic, were located at approximately 17 to 19 min of the S. typhimurium chromosome; they were found to be closely linked. From different criteria, it appears as if the genetic lesions present in both mutants are due to deletion of a small chromosome fragment.

Hemin-deficient mutants of Salmonella typhimurium

Nine hemin-deficient mutants of Salmonella typhimurium LT2 were isolated as neomycin-resistant colonies. Five of these mutants could be stimulated by Delta-aminolevulinic acid (Delta-ALA), thus representing hemA mutants. Since S. typhimurium LT2 is not able to incorporate hemin, the identification of the mutants not stimulated by Delta-ALA was made on the basis of the simultaneous loss of catalase activity and cytochromes. The hemA gene was mapped by conjugation in the trp region, probably in the order purB-pyrD-hemA-trp; the episome FT(71)trp does not carry the hemA gene. Transductional intercrosses by phage P22 indicate that hemA 11, 12, 13, and 37 are at very closely linked sites, whereas hemA14 is at a more distant site in the same or an adjacent gene. No joint transduction was detected between hemA and trp or pyrF. The loci affected in the other hemin-deficient mutants were linked in conjugation to the pro(+) marker (frequency of linkage, 88 to 97%), but cotransduction of the two markers could not be obtained. The episome F lac hem purE, which originates from Escherichia coli K-12, could complement these hemin-deficient mutants of S. typhimurium LT2. As a result, the sequence of the markers on the chromosome of S. typhimurium LT2 is probably pro heme purE, analogous to the sequence found in E. coli K-12. Thus, the chromosome of S. typhimurium also possesses two hem regions, with a location similar to that described in E. coli K-12.

Genetic analysis in Bacillus pumilus by PBSI-mediated transduction

Bacteriophage PBS1 mediates generalized transduction in Bacillus pumilus NRRL B-3275 (BpB1). Transduction frequencies for single auxotrophic markers are of the order of 10(-4) transductants per plaque-forming unit in crude phage lysates. The characteristics of PBS1 propagated on BpB1 and the properties of the system of transduction are similar to those reported for PBS1 propagated on Bacillus subtilis. By transduction, eight amino acid auxotrophic markers in BpB1 have been oriented into two linkage groups. One group contains the auxotrophic markers arginine A, leucine, and phenylalanine, and the other group contains the markers lysine, serine, tryptophan, isoleucine-valine, and isoleucine. The nature and relative order of the markers within each linkage group suggest that the arrangement of genes in these areas of the chromosome of BpB1 is similar to the arrangement of phenotypically comparable genes in two linkage groups (defined by PBS1 transduction) in B. subtilis. However, transduction of any of the above cited markers in BpB1 to prototrophy with PBS1 propagated on B. subtilis 168 could not be demonstrated. In addition to BpB1, seven other strains of B. pumilus can be infected with PBS1. Transduction has been demonstrated in three of these strains.

Suppression of amber and ochre mutants in Salmonella typhimurium by a mutant F'-1-gal factor carrying an ochre suppressor gene

A Salmonella typhimurium strain was given the amber mutation hisC527 by transduction, made galactose-negative by mutation, then infected with the F'-1-gal factor. Of 107 spontaneous and mutagen-induced histidine-independent mutants tested, 3 proved to result from suppressor mutations within the F' factor. The mutant F' factors, when transferred to S. typhimurium and E. coli auxotrophs, suppressed amber and ochre but not UGA or missense mutants, and are inferred to carry ochre suppressor genes. Attempts to isolate an F' amber suppressor mutant were unsuccessful. A suppressor F' factor was transferred to 14 rough mutants which had been isolated from LT2 hisC527 (amber) by selection for resistance to phage P22.c2. One rough mutant was partly suppressed, as shown by its acquisition of O agglutinability and by alterations in its phage resistance pattern. Phage P22h grown on the suppressed mutant contransduced its rf. gene with cysE(+) and with pyrE(+), and the affected locus is inferred to be rfaL. Both the original and the mutant F' factors conferred resistance to the rough-specific phage Br60, which is therefore "female-specific."

Compounds which serve as the sole source of carbon or nitrogen for Salmonella typhimurium LT-2

About 600 compounds were screened as possible carbon or nitrogen sources for Salmonella typhimurium LT-2. About 100 utilizable compounds were found.

New methionine structural gene in Salmonella typhimurium

Eight metH mutants in Salmonella typhimurium with closely linked sites of mutation which could grow only on methionine were isolated from a metE mutant deficient in N(5)-methyltetrahydropteroyltriglutamate-homocysteine transmethylase; their deficiency in cobalamin-dependent N(5)-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine transmethylase was supported by the results of enzyme studies of one of them. Cotransduction of metH and metA (homoserine O-transsuccinylase) mutants was obtained, thus revealing linkage between a second pair of the six known methionine structural genes. One metH mutant clearly differed from the rest in that it reverted at a higher frequency, was temperature sensitive, complemented all other metH mutants, and was located farthest from the metA gene.

Chromosomal location of ribosomal protein cistrons determined by intergeneric bacterial mating

Intergeneric mating between Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhosa was used to locate at least three 30S ribosomal proteins near the streptomycin locus in the region of 54 to 66 min of the E. coli map. This procedure utilizes differences in the electrophoretic patterns of 30S ribosomal protein of the parents. The results show that cistrons for 30S proteins of E. coli can replace those of S. typhosa in the Salmonella genome. Moreover, in a diploid hybrid with a Salmonella endogenote and an E. coli exogenote, both sets of cistrons are expressed.

Polynucleotide sequence relationships among members of Enterobacteriaceae

Polynucleotide relationships were examined among many representatives of the Enterobacteriaceae by means of agar, membrane filter, and hydroxyapatite procedures. The amount of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that reassociated was dependent, especially in interspecific reactions, on the annealing temperature. In only three cases: Escherichia coli-Shigella flexneri, Salmonella typhimurium-S. typhi, and Proteus mirabilis-P. vulgaris, was relative interspecific duplex formation 80% or higher. In most cases interspecies DNA duplex formation was 40% or less of that obtained from intraspecies DNA reassociation reactions. The stability of E. coli-S. flexneri DNA duplexes formed at either 60 or 75 C was virtually identical to that of homologous E. coli DNA duplexes, and the degree of interspecies duplex formation was minimally affected by the temperature increase (86% at 60 C; 77% at 75 C). The thermal stability of DNA duplexes formed at 60 C between DNA from E. coli and DNA from strains of Aerobacter aerogenes, S. typhimurium, S. typhi, and P. mirabilis was about 12 to 14 C below that of reassociated E. coli DNA. At 75 C, the formation of the interspecific DNA duplexes was markedly decreased, but the stability of the DNA able to reassociate at this temperature approximated that of reassociated E. coli DNA. The degree of reassociation and the thermal stability of E. coli-S. flexneri DNA duplexes suggests relatively little evolutionary divergence in these organisms. The other enterobacteria tested, however, have diverged to a point where less than one-half of their DNA can reanneal with E. coli DNA at 60 C and less than 10% reacts at 75 C. The degree of divergence between various enterobacteria does not appear to be uniform along the DNA molecule. Ribosomal ribonucleic acid (RNA)-specific sequences are conserved among most enterobacteria. An examination of messenger RNA relatively specific for the lactose operon suggests that specific chromosomal genes may diverge more or less than the genome as a whole.

Suppression of proline requirement of proA and proAB deletion mutants in Salmonella typhimurium by mutation to arginine requirement

Eleven variants able to grow without proline (provided arginine was absent) were obtained by spontaneous mutation from Salmonella typhimurium LT7 proA and proAB deletion mutants. Suppression resulted from mutation at argG, which specifies N(alpha)-acetylornithine delta-transaminase. In the absence of exogenous arginine, deficiency of this enzyme would cause derepression of the arginine pathway and accumulation of N-acetylglutamic gamma-semialdehyde. N-acetylglutamic gamma-semialdehyde, if deacetylated, would produce glutamic gamma-semialdehyde, the proline precursor whose synthesis from glutamate is blocked in proA and proAB mutants. All of the mutants grew only slowly (some very slowly) if not supplied with arginine. Sonic-treated preparations of eight mutants had no measurable acetylornithine delta-transaminase activity, but those of the three mutants least dependent on arginine had 0.11, 0.28, and 1.48 of wild-type activity; presumably, their enzymes have low specific activity, at least in vivo. Phage P22 cotransduced argG and strA. Genetic analysis showed that the minor degree of arginine dependence of the mutant with greater than wild-type in vitro enzyme activity was a characteristic of its argG allele, not the result of modification of the argG phenotype by mutation elsewhere.

Regulation of branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis in Salmonella typhimurium: isolation of regulatory mutants

5',5',5'-Trifluoro-dl-leucine inhibited the activity of alpha-isopropylmalate synthetase (the initial enzyme unique to leucine biosynthesis) as well as the growth of Salmonella typhimurium. Mutants of S. typhimurium resistant to the analogue were isolated and characterized. In most cases, they overproduced and excreted leucine or leucine, valine, and isoleucine as a result of an alteration in the regulation of branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis. Biochemical and genetic tests allowed the mutants to be grouped into three classes: I, a moderately large group (13%) which had high, constitutive leucine biosynthetic enzyme levels and mutant sites linked to the leucine operon (operator constitutive); II, a single mutant in which the mutant site was linked to the leucine operon and in which alpha-isopropylmalate synthetase was not inhibited by leucine (feedback negative); III, a majority type which had constitutive levels of leucine, valine, and isoleucine biosynthetic enzymes and mutant sites unlinked to the leucine operon. Mutants of class I provide important evidence for the concept of an operon organization of genes involved in leucine biosynthesis. The properties of class III mutants indicate that there is some element involved in regulation which is common to the three pathways.

Cold-sensitive mutations in Salmonella typhimurium which affect ribosome synthesis

A number of mutations (45) expressed as cold-sensitive conditional lethal pheno-types were screened by transduction for their linkage to the streptomycin-resistance locus; 7 showed such linkage. Of these, two were studied in greater detail. The sedimentation profiles of ribosomes from cultures grown at low temperature differed from wild type and from one another. Both mutants lost ribonucleic acid control at low temperature. It is suggested that a high proportion of mutants expressing a cold-sensitive phenotype harbor mutations in genes affecting ribosome synthesis or regulation.

2-Deoxyribose gene-enzyme complex in Salmonella typhimurium: regulation of phosphodeoxyribomutase

Phosphodeoxyribomutase, the enzyme which catalyzes the interconversion of 2-deoxyribose-1-phosphate to 2-deoxyribose-5-phosphate, has been partially purified from Salmonella typhimurium. The enzyme had an absolute requirement for manganese ion and was stimulated by glucose-1, 6-diphosphate. Phosphodeoxyribomutase was induced by deoxyribose-5-phosphate and was coordinately regulated with the enzymes thymidine phosphorylase and deoxyribose-5-phosphate aldolase, type II. Mutants deficient in these three enzymes were isolated and mapped close to the threonine locus in S. typhimurium. The three enzymes thymidine phosphorylase, deoxyribose-5-phosphate aldolase, type II, and phosphodeoxyribomutase are controlled by a series of linked genes and appear to constitute an operon.