Affinity of two different regions of the chromosome to the outer membrane of Escherichia coli

Only oriC and its flanking region are recovered from the complex formed at the time of initiation of chromosome replication in Escherichia coli

The oriC region of Escherichia coli constructs a specific complex to associate with the outer membrane fraction (oriC complex). The oriC complex was periodically formed before as well as in the short period after initiation of DNA replication. Using the DNA extracted from outer membrane fractions of the cells just after initiation as a probe, the whole E. coli genomic library was assayed by plaque hybridization. DNA regions that hybridized with the probe corresponded to about a 100-kb length of chromosome DNA which included oriC. In addition, clones located in a counterclockwise direction from oriC were more preferentially hybridized among these positive clones. Thus, we conclude that the oriC region is a unique locus of the chromosome that binds to the outer membrane at the time of initiation of chromosome replication.

Bacterial 'histone-like protein I' (HLP-I) is an outer membrane constituent?

The nucleoid-associated 'histone-like protein I' (HLP-I) protein of E. coli was found to be homologous with the cationic 16-kDa outer membrane protein OmpH of Salmonella typhimurium. Deduced from the nucleotide sequence, the HLP-I protein has 91% identical residues with the OmpH protein. Both proteins have very similar cleavable signal sequences. The nucleotide sequence similarity between the corresponding genes hlpA and ompH is 87%. The ompH gene is located in a gene cluster resembling the hlpA-ORF17 region of E. coli which is close to the Ipx genes involved in the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharides. The localization of the OmpH/HLP-I protein in the cell is discussed.

Membrane particles from Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, containing penicillin-binding proteins and enriched for chromosomal-origin DNA

Rapid-sedimenting DNA-membrane complexes were obtained from both Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli by a method involving gentle lysis followed by restriction enzyme digestion and sucrose gradient fractionation. These complexes were substantially enriched in chromosomal origin DNA, and in B. subtilis, the complexes were enriched in penicillin-binding proteins relative to that of the total membrane. Such complexes may represent procaryotic membrane domains which are topographically and functionally distinct.

Amplification of a major membrane-bound DNA sequence of Bacillus subtilis

A membrane-bound DNA sequence from Bacillus subtilis was subcloned into a plasmid which can replicate in Escherichia coli but not in B. subtilis. This plasmid hybridized with an 11-kilobase HindIII fragment which is the major particle-bound fragment in lysates treated with HindIII. The plasmid integrated into the B. subtilis chromosome at the region of homology, conferring chloramphenicol resistance on the recipient. The inserted resistance was mapped close to purA by using the generalized transducing phage AR9. In one chloramphenicol-resistant strain, the pMS31 region was repeated at least 20 times. A large proportion of the copies of the cloned region were present in the particle fraction, indicating that the capacity to bind this region of the chromosome was substantially in excess of the normal dose of the region. The structure of the particle-bound region was sensitive to ionic detergents and high salt concentrations but was not greatly affected by RNase or ethidium bromide. The basis of a specific DNA-membrane interaction can now be studied by using the amplified region, without the complications of sequences required for autonomous plasmid replication.

DNA sequence around the Escherichia coli unc operon. Completion of the sequence of a 17 kilobase segment containing asnA, oriC, unc, glmS and phoS

The nucleotide sequence is described of a region of the Escherichia coli chromosome extending from oriC to phoS that also includes the loci gid, unc and glmS. Taken with known sequences for asnA and phoS this completes the sequence of a segment of about 17 kilobases or 0.4 min of the E. coli genome. Sequences that are probably transcriptional promoters for unc and phoS can be detected and the identity of the unc promoter has been confirmed by experiments in vitro with RNA polymerase. Upstream of the promoter sequence is an extensive region that appears to be non-coding. Conserved sequences are found that may serve to concentrate RNA polymerase in the vicinity of the unc promoter. Hairpin loop structures resembling known rho-independent transcription termination signals are evident following the unc operon and glmS. The glmS gene encoding the amidotransferase, glucosamine synthetase, has been identified by homology with glutamine 5-phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase.

Detection of proteins which recognize and bind oriC sequences

Extracts from E. coli capable of supporting in vitro oriC-dependent DNA replication have been examined with a protein blotting protocol to identify DNA-binding proteins. Four polypeptide chains with apparent affinity for oriC DNA were detected.