Comparison of tellurite resistance determinants from the IncP alpha plasmid RP4Ter and the IncHII plasmid pHH1508a

Selenite Protection of Tellurite Toxicity Toward Escherichia coli

In this work the influence of selenite on metal resistance in Escherichia coli was examined. Both synergistic and antagonistic resistance and toxicities were found upon co exposure with selenite. In wild type cells co-exposure to selenite had little effect on arsenic resistance, decreased resistance to cadmium and mercury but led to a dramatically increased resistance to tellurite of 32-fold. Due to the potential importance of thiol chemistry in metal biochemistry, deletion strains in γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (key step in glutathione biosynthesis, encoded by gshA), thioredoxin (trxA), glutaredoxin (grxA), glutathione oxidoreductase (gor), and the periplasmic glutathione transporter (cydD) were also evaluated for resistance to various metals in the presence of selenite. The protective effect of selenite on tellurite toxicity was seen in several of the mutants and was pronounced in the gshA mutant were resistance to tellurite was increased up to 1000-fold relative to growth in the absence of selenite. Thiol oxidation studies revealed a faster rate of loss of reduced thiol content in the cell with selenite than with tellurite, indicating differential thiol reactivity. Selenite addition resulted in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production equivalent to levels associated with H₂O₂ addition. Tellurite addition resulted in considerably lower ROS generation while vanadate and chromate treatment did not increase ROS production above that of background. This work shows increased resistance toward most oxyanions in mutants of thiol redox suggesting that metalloid reaction with thiol components such as glutathione actually enhances toxicity of some metalloids.

OmpK26, a novel porin associated with carbapenem resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae

Clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae resistant to carbapenems are being isolated with increasing frequency. Loss of the expression of the major nonspecific porins OmpK35/36 is a frequent feature in these isolates. In this study, we looked for porins that could compensate for the loss of the major porins in carbapenem-resistant organisms. Comparison of the outer membrane proteins from two K. pneumoniae clinical isogenic isolates that are susceptible (KpCS-1) and resistant (KpCR-1) to carbapenems revealed the absence of OmpK35/36 and the presence of a new 26-kDa protein in the resistant isolate. An identical result was obtained when another pair of isogenic isolates that are homoresistant (Kpn-3) and heteroresistant (Kpn-17) to carbapenems were compared. Mass spectrometry and DNA sequencing analysis demonstrated that this new protein, designated OmpK26, is a small monomeric oligogalacturonate-specific porin that belongs to the KdgM family of porins. Insertion-duplication mutagenesis of the OmpK26 coding gene, yjhA, in the carbapenem-resistant, porin-deficient isolate KpCR-1 caused the expression of OmpK36 and the reversion to the carbapenem-susceptible phenotype, suggesting that OmpK26 is indispensable for KpCR-1 to lose OmpK36 and become resistant to these antibiotics. Moreover, loss of the major porin and expression of OmpK26 reduced in vitro fitness and attenuated virulence in a murine model of acute systemic infection. Altogether, these results indicate that expression of the oligogalacturonate-specific porin OmpK26 compensates for the absence of OmpK35/36 and allows carbapenem resistance in K. pneumoniae but cannot restore the fitness of the microorganism.

Tellurium and Selenium Resistance in Rhizobia and Its Potential Use for Direct Isolation of Rhizobium meliloti from Soil

Forty-eight Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium strains were screened for resistance to tellurite, selenite, and selenate. High levels of resistance to the metals were observed only in Rhizobium meliloti and Rhizobium fredii strains; the MICs were 2 to 8 mM for Te(IV), >200 mM for Se(VI), and 50 to 100 mM for Se(IV). Incorporation of Se and Te into growth media permitted us to directly isolate R. meliloti strains from soil. Mutant strains of rhizobia having decreased levels of Se and Te resistance were constructed by Tn5 mutagenesis and were found to have transposon insertions in DNA fragments of different sizes. Genomic DNAs from Te rhizobium strains failed to hybridize with Te determinants from plasmids RP4, pHH1508a, and pMER610.

Tellurite resistance and reduction by obligately aerobic photosynthetic bacteria

Seven species of obligately aerobic photosynthetic bacteria of the genera Erythromicrobium, Erythrobacter, and Roseococcus demonstrated high-level resistance to tellurite and accumulation of metallic tellurium crystals. High-level resistance without tellurite reduction was observed for Roseococcus thiosulfatophilus and Erythromicrobium ezovicum grown with certain organic carbon sources, implying that tellurite reduction is not essential to confer tellurite resistance.

Characterization of the Haemophilus influenzae tehB gene and its role in virulence

The Haemophilus influenzae ORF designated HI1275 in the Rd KW20 genomic sequence encodes a putative S-adenosyl methyltransferase with significant similarity to tellurite-resistance determinants (tehB) in other species. While the H. influenzae tehB can complement an Escherichia coli tehB mutation, thus restoring tellurite resistance, its role in H. influenzae is unknown. In a previous study defining the iron and haem modulon of H. influenzae, we showed that transcription of this gene in H. influenzae Rd KW20 increases during growth in iron- and haem-restricted media. Since iron and haem uptake genes, and other known virulence factors, constitute the majority of the iron- and haem-regulated gene set, we postulated that tehB may play a role in nutrient acquisition and/or the virulence of H. influenzae. A tehB mutant was constructed in the H. influenzae type b strain 10810 and was evaluated for growth defects in various supplemented media, as well as for its ability to cause infection in rat models of infection. Deletion of tehB leads to an increase in sensitivity both to tellurite and to the oxidizing agents cumene hydroperoxide, tert-butyl hydroperoxide and hydrogen peroxide. The tehB mutant additionally showed a significantly reduced ability to utilize free haem as well as several haem-containing moieties including haem-human serum albumin, haemoglobin and haemoglobin-haptoglobin. Examination of the regulation kinetics indicated that transcription of tehB was independent of both tellurite exposure and oxidative stress. Paired comparisons of the tehB mutant and the wild-type H. influenzae strain 10810 showed that tehB is required for wild-type levels of infection in rat models of H. influenzae invasive disease. To our knowledge this is the first report of a role for tehB in virulence in any bacterial species. These data demonstrate that H. influenzae tehB plays a role in both resistance to oxidative damage and haem uptake/utilization, protects H. influenzae from tellurite exposure, and is important for virulence of this organism in an animal model of invasive disease.

The bacterial response to the chalcogen metalloids Se and Te

Microbial metabolism of inorganics has been the subject of interest since the 1970s when it was recognized that bacteria are involved in the transformation of metal compounds in the environment. This area of research is generally referred to as bioinorganic chemistry or microbial biogeochemistry. Here, we overview the way the chalcogen metalloids Se and Te interact with bacteria. As a topic of considerable interest for basic and applied research, bacterial processing of tellurium and selenium oxyanions has been reviewed a few times over the past 15 years. Oddly, this is the first time these compounds have been considered together and their similarities and differences highlighted. Another aspect touched on for the first time by this review is the bacterial response in cell-cell or cell-surface aggregates (biofilms) against the metalloid oxyanions. Finally, in this review we have attempted to rationalize the considerable amount of literature available on bacterial resistance to the toxic metalloids tellurite and selenite.

Metalloid reducing bacteria isolated from deep ocean hydrothermal vents of the Juan de Fuca Ridge, Pseudoalteromonas telluritireducens sp. nov. and Pseudoalteromonas spiralis sp. nov

Five strains of Gram-negative, rod, curved rod and spiral-shaped bacteria were isolated from the vicinity of deep ocean hydrothermal vents along the Main Endeavour Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge in the Pacific Ocean. All strains showed remarkable resistance to high levels of toxic metalloid oxyanions, and were capable of reducing the oxyanions tellurite and selenite to their less toxic elemental forms. Phylogenetic analysis of four strains identified these isolates as close relatives of the genus Pseudoalteromonas within the class Gammaproteobacteria. Pseudoalteromonas agarivorans was the closest relative of strains Te-1-1 and Se-1-2-redT, with, respectively, 99.5 and 99.8% 16S rDNA sequence similarity. Strain Te-2-2T was most closely related to Pseudoalteromonas paragorgicola, with 99.8% 16S rDNA sequence similarity. The DNA G+C base composition was 39.6 to 41.8 mol%, in agreement with other members of the genus Pseudoalteromonas. However, the isolates showed important morphological and physiological differences from previously described species of this genus, with one group forming rod-shaped bacteria typical of Pseudoalteromonas and the other forming vibrioid- to spiral-shaped cells. Based on these differences, and on phylogenetic data, we propose the creation of the new species Pseudoalteromonas telluritireducens sp. nov., with strain Se-1-2-redT (DSMZ = 16098T = VKM B-2382T) as the type strain, and Pseudoalteromonas spiralis sp. nov., with strain Te-2-2T (DSMZ = 16099T = VKM B-2383T) as the type strain.

Analysis of the tellurite resistance determinant on the pNT3B derivative of the pTE53 plasmid from uropathogenic Escherichia coli

We have found and sequenced a significant part of the previously described tellurite resistance determinant on mini-Mu derivative pPR46, named pNT3B, originally cloned from a large conjugative plasmid pTE53, found in Escherichia coli. This plasmid contains genes essential for tellurite resistance, together with the protective region bearing genes terX, Y, W, and the conserved spacing region bearing several ORFs of unknown function. Computer analysis of obtained sequence revealed a close similarity to the formerly described ter operons found on the Serratia marcescens plasmid R478 and the chromosome of Escherichia coli O157:H7. This finding confirms the presence of a whole region on the large conjugative plasmid that pTE53 originated from a uropathogenic E. coli strain, and suggests its possible role in horizontal gene transfer, resulting in the development of new pathogenic E. coli strains.

Isolation of tellurite- and selenite-resistant bacteria from hydrothermal vents of the Juan de Fuca Ridge in the Pacific Ocean

Deep-ocean hydrothermal-vent environments are rich in heavy metals and metalloids and present excellent sites for the isolation of metal-resistant microorganisms. Both metalloid-oxide-resistant and metalloid-oxide-reducing bacteria were found. Tellurite- and selenite-reducing strains were isolated in high numbers from ocean water near hydrothermal vents, bacterial films, and sulfide-rich rocks. Growth of these isolates in media containing K(2)TeO(3) or Na(2)SeO(3) resulted in the accumulation of metallic tellurium or selenium. The MIC of K(2)TeO(3) ranged from 1,500 to greater than 2,500 micro g/ml, and the MIC of Na(2)SeO(3) ranged from 6,000 to greater than 7,000 micro g/ml for 10 strains. Phylogenetic analysis of 4 of these 10 strains revealed that they form a branch closely related to members of the genus Pseudoalteromonas, within the gamma-3 subclass of the Proteobacteria. All 10 strains were found to be salt tolerant, pH tolerant, and thermotolerant. The metalloid resistance and morphological, physiological, and phylogenetic characteristics of newly isolated strains are described.

Glutathione is a target in tellurite toxicity and is protected by tellurite resistance determinants inEscherichia coli

Tellurite (TeO32-) is highly toxic to most microorganisms. The mechanisms of toxicity or resistance are poorly understood. It has been shown that tellurite rapidly depletes the reduced thiol content within wild-type Escherichia coli. We have shown that the presence of plasmid-borne tellurite-resistance determinants protects against general thiol oxidation by tellurite. In the present study we observe that the tellurite-dependent depletion of cellular thiols in mutants of the glutathione and thioredoxin thiol:redox system was less than in wild-type cells. To identify the type of low-molecular-weight thiol compounds affected by tellurite exposure, the thiol-containing molecules were analyzed by reverse phase HPLC as their monobromobimane derivatives. Results indicated that reduced glutathione is a major initial target of tellurite reactivity within the cell. Other thiol species are also targeted by tellurite, including reduced coenzyme A. The presence of the tellurite resistance determinants kilA and ter protect against the loss of reduced glutathione by as much as 60% over a 2 h exposure. This protection of glutathione oxidation is likely key to the resistance mechanism of these determinants. Additionally, the thiol oxidation response curves were compared between selenite and tellurite. The loss of thiol compounds within the cell recovered from selenite but not to tellurite.Key words: tellurite, resistance, thiol oxidation, heavy metal toxicity, selenite, glutathione.

Tellurite-mediated thiol oxidation in Escherichia coli

The oxyanion of tellurium, tellurite (TeO3(2-)), is toxic to most micro-organisms, particularly gram-negative bacteria. The mechanism of tellurite toxicity is presently unknown. Many heavy metals and oxyanions, including tellurite, interact with reduced thiols (RSH). To determine if tellurite interaction with RSH groups is involved in the toxicity mechanism, the RSH content of Escherichia coli cultures was assayed. After exposure to tellurite, cells were harvested and lysed in the presence of the RSH-specific reagent 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid). Upon exposure of tellurite-susceptible cells to TeO3(2-), the RSH content decreased markedly. Resistance to potassium tellurite (Te(r)) in gram-negative bacteria is encoded by plasmids of incompatibility groups IncFI, IncP alpha, IncHI2, IncHI3 and IncHII, as well as the tehAtehB operon from the E. coli chromosome. When cells harbouring a Te(r) determinant were exposed to TeO3(2-), only a small fraction of the RSH content became oxidized. In addition to tellurite-dependent thiol oxidation, the resistance of E. coli mutants affected in proteins involved in disulfide-bond formation (dsb) was investigated. Mutant strains of dsbA and dsbB were found to be hypersensitive to tellurite (MIC 0.008-0.015 microg K2TeO3 ml(-1) compared to wild-type E. coli with MICs of 1-2 microg K2TeO3 ml(-1)). In contrast, dsbC and dsbD mutants showed no hypersensitivity. The results suggest that hypersensitivity to tellurite is reliant on the presence of an isomerase activity and not the thiol oxidase activity of the Dsb proteins. The results establish that the Te(r) determinants play an important role in maintaining homeostasis of the intracellular reducing environment within gram-negative cells through specific reactions with either TeO3(2-) or thiol:tellurium products.

Resistance to tellurite as a selection marker for genetic manipulations of Pseudomonas strains

Resistance to the toxic compound potassium tellurite (Telr) has been employed as a selection marker built into a set of transposon vectors and broad-host-range plasmids tailored for genetic manipulations of Pseudomonas strains potentially destined for environmental release. In this study, the activated Telr determinants encoded by the cryptic telAB genes of plasmid RK2 were produced, along with the associated kilA gene, as DNA cassettes compatible with cognate vectors. In one case, the Telr determinants were assembled between the I and O ends of a suicide delivery vector for mini-Tn5 transposons. In another case, the kilA and telAB genes were combined with a minimal replicon derived from a variant of Pseudomonas plasmid pPS10, which is able to replicate in a variety of gram-negative hosts and is endowed with a modular collection of cloning and expression assets. Either in the plasmid or in the transposon vector, the Telr marker was combined with a 12-kb DNA segment of plasmid pWW0 of Pseudomonas putida mt-2 encoding the upper TOL pathway enzymes. This allowed construction of antibiotic resistance-free but selectable P. putida strains with the ability to grow on toluene as the sole carbon source through an ortho-cleavage catabolic pathway.

Biochemical characterization of tellurite-reducing activities of Bacillus stearothermophilus V

Bacillus stearothermophilus V is a naturally occurring Gram-positive rod which exhibits resistance to potassium tellurite. Crude extracts of this bacterium catalyse the NADH-dependent, protease-sensitive reduction of K2TeO3 in vitro. Two fractions which showed the ability to reduce potassium tellurite (H1 and H2) were obtained. Fraction H1 behaved as a macroaggregate exhibiting a very high molecular mass that could not be estimated accurately. Upon electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels in the presence of SDS, however, it was resolved into three distinct bands of 60, 41 and 37.5 kDa. On the other hand, an M(r) of 121 was determined for fraction H2 by means of gel filtration and high-pressure liquid chromatography. In SDS-PAGE a unique protein band of 60 kDa was observed, suggesting that it is actually a dimer. Both fractions showed pH and temperature optima of 7.5 and 57 degrees C, respectively. Concentrations of 2.5 M NaCl or 0.35 mM SDS inhibited fraction H2 almost completely, while fraction H1 retained 20% of its activity under the same conditions. Concentrations of 5 mM EDTA caused the activity of both fractions to increase 2-fold. In addition to reducing tellurite, they were also able to reduce Na2SeO3 and Na2SO3 in vitro.

In vivo and in vitro cloning and phenotype characterization of tellurite resistance determinant conferred by plasmid pTE53 of a clinical isolate of Escherichia coli

A determinant encoding resistance against potassium tellurite (Te(r)) was discovered in a clinical isolate of Escherichia coli strain KL53. The strain formed typical black colonies on solid LB medium with tellurite. The determinant was located on a large conjugative plasmid designated pTE53. Electron-dense particles were observed in cells harboring pTE53 by electron microscopy. X-Ray identification analysis identified these deposits as elemental tellurium and X-ray diffraction analysis showed patterns typical of crystalline structures. Comparison with JCPDS 4-0554 (Joint Committee on Powder Diffraction Standards) reference data confirmed that these crystals were pure tellurium crystals. In common with other characterized Te(r) determinants, accumulation studies with radioactively labeled tellurite showed that reduced uptake of tellurite did not contribute to the resistance mechanism. Tellurite accumulation rates for E. coli strain AB1157 harboring pTE53 were twice higher than for the plasmid-free host strain. In addition, no efflux mechanism was detected. The potassium tellurite resistance determinant of plasmid pTE53 was cloned using both in vitro and in vivo techniques in low-copy-number vectors pACYC184 and mini-Mu derivative pPR46. Cloning of the functional Te(r) determinant into high-copy cloning vectors pTZ19R and mini-Mu derivatives pBEf and pJT2 was not successful. During in vivo cloning experiments, clones with unusual "white colony" phenotypes were found on solid LB with tellurite. All these clones were Mucts62 lysogens. Their tellurite resistance levels were in the same order as the wild type strains. Clones with the "white" phenotype had a 3.6 times lower content of tellurium than the tellurite-reducing strain. Transformation of a "white" mutant with a recombinant pACYC184 based Te(r) plasmid did not change the phenotype. However, when one clone was cured from Mucts62 the "white" phenotype reverted to the wild-type "black" phenotype. It was suggested that the "white" phenotype was the result of an insertional inactivation of an unknown chromosomal gene by Mucts62, which reduced the tellurite uptake.

Identification and molecular genetic analysis of multiple loci contributing to high-level tellurite resistance in Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1

The ability of the facultative photoheterotroph Rhodobacter sphaeroides to tolerate and reduce high levels of tellurite in addition to at least 10 other rare earth metal oxides and oxyanions has considerable potential for detoxification and bioremediation of contaminated environments. We report the identification and characterization of two loci involved in high-level tellurite resistance. The first locus contains four genes, two of which, trgAB, confer increased tellurite resistance when introduced into the related bacterium Paracoccus denitrificans. The trgAB-derived products display no significant homology to known proteins, but both are likely to be membrane-associated proteins. Immediately downstream of trgB, the cysK (cysteine synthase) and orf323 genes were identified. Disruption of the cysK gene resulted in decreased tellurite resistance in R. sphaeroides, confirming earlier observations on the importance of cysteine metabolism for high-level tellurite resistance. The second locus identified is represented by the telA gene, which is separated from trgAB by 115 kb. The telA gene product is 65% similar to the product of the klaB (telA) gene from the tellurite-resistance-encoding kilA operon from plasmid RK2. The genes immediately linked to the R. sphaeroides telA gene have no similarity to other components of the kilA operon. R. sphaeroides telA could not functionally substitute for the plasmid RK2 telA gene, indicating substantial functional divergence between the two gene products. However, inactivation of R. sphaeroides telA resulted in a significant decrease in tellurite resistance compared to the wild-type strain. Both cysK and telA null mutations readily gave rise to suppressors, suggesting that the phenomenon of high-level tellurite resistance in R. sphaeroides is complex and other, as yet uncharacterized, loci may be involved.

Expression of Escherichia coli TehA gives resistance to antiseptics and disinfectants similar to that conferred by multidrug resistance efflux pumps

The genes tehAB located at 32.3 min on the Escherichia coli chromosome were initially identified by their ability to mediate resistance to potassium tellurite (128 micrograms of K2TeO3 per ml) when overexpressed with a high-copy-number plasmid. The genes encode an integral membrane protein (TehA) of 36 kDa with 10 putative transmembrane segments and a second protein (TehB) of 23 kDa. Overexpression of TehAB results in hypersensitivity to dequalinium CI and methyl viologen (paraquat). Expression of TehA alone gives similar hypersensitivity. Overexpression of TehA gave resistance to tetraphenylarsonium CI, ethidium bromide, crystal violet and proflavin. The efflux of ethidium, measured by fluorescence quenching, revealed that TehA transported ethidium at twice the control rate and 10% of the rate of the highly resistant efflux transporter Emr Eco. Addition of tellurite had no effect on ethidium transport. In addition to the ethidium transport assay, a proflavin fluorescence assay which was approximately 200-fold more sensitive was also used. TehA was also found to have proflavin efflux activity. The addition of TeO32- to the proflavin transport assay on TehA caused a 20% increase in transport rate. Both ethidium and proflavin transport were found to be energy dependent.

Bacterial resistances to toxic metal ions--a review

Bacterial plasmids encode resistance systems for toxic metal ions, including Ag+, AsO2-, AsO4(3-), Cd2+, Co2+, CrO4(2-), Cu2+, Hg2+, Ni2+, Pb2+, Sb3+, TeO3(2-), Tl+ and Zn2+. The function of most resistance systems is based on the energy-dependent efflux of toxic ions. Some of the efflux systems are ATPases and others are chemiosmotic cation/proton antiporters. The Cd(2+)-resistance ATPase of Gram-positive bacteria (CadA) is membrane cation pump homologous with other bacterial, animal and plant P-type ATPases. CadA has been labeled with 32P from [alpha-32P] ATP and drives ATP-dependent Cd2+ (and Zn2+) uptake by inside-out membrane vesicles (equivalent to efflux from whole cells). Recently, isolated genes defective in the human hereditary diseases of copper metabolism, namely Menkes syndrome and Wilson's disease, encode P-type ATPases that are more similar to bacterial CadA than to other ATPases from eukaryotes. The arsenic resistance efflux system transports arsenite [As(III)], alternatively using either a double-polypeptide (ArsA and ArsB) ATPase or a single-polypeptide (ArsB) functioning as a chemiosmotic transporter. The third gene in the arsenic resistance system, arsC, encodes an enzyme that converts intracellular arsenate [As(V)] to arsenite [As(III)], the substrate of the efflux system. The triple-polypeptide Czc (Cd2+, Zn2+ and Co2+) chemiosmotic efflux pump consists of inner membrane (CzcA), outer membrane (CzcC) and membrane-spanning (CzcB) proteins that together transport cations from the cytoplasm across the periplasmic space to the outside of the cell.

In vivo selection of porin-deficient mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae with increased resistance to cefoxitin and expanded-spectrum-cephalosporins

Four Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates (LB1, LB2, LB3, and LB4) with increased antimicrobial resistance were obtained from the same patient. The four isolates were indistinguishable in biotype, plasmid content, lipopolysaccharide, and DNA analysis by pulse-field gel electrophoresis. Isolate LB1 made TEM-1 and SHV-1 beta-lactamases. Isolates LB2, LB3, and LB4 produced SHV-5 in addition to TEM-1 and SHV-1. MICs of cefoxitin, ceftazidime, and cefotaxime against LB1 were 4, 1, and 0.06 micrograms/ml, respectively. MICs of ceftazidime against K. pneumoniae LB2, LB3, and LB4 were > 256 micrograms/ml, and those of cefotaxime were 2, 4, and 64 micrograms/ml, respectively. MICs of cefoxitin against K. pneumoniae LB2 and LB3 were 4 micrograms/ml, but that against K. pneumoniae LB4 was 128 micrgrams/ml. K. pneumoniae LB4 could transfer resistance to ceftazidime and cefotaxime, but not that to cefoxitin, to Escherichia coli. Isolate LB4 and cefoxitin-resistant laboratory mutants lacked an outer membrane protein of about 35 kDa whose molecular mass, mode of isolation, resistance to proteases, and reaction with a porin-specific antiserum suggested that it was a porin. MICs of cefoxitin and cefotaxime reverted to 4 and 2 micrograms/ml, respectively, when isolate LB4 was transformed with a gene coding for the K. pneumoniae porin OmpK36. We conclude that the increased resistance to cefoxitin and expanded-spectrum cephalosporins of isolate LB4 was due to loss of a porin channel for antibiotic uptake.

Cytological aspects of resistance to potassium tellurite conferred on Pseudomonas cells by plasmids

The ultrastructure of strains Pseudomonas putida BS228 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ML4262 harboring plasmids pBS10, pBS31, and pBS221, which determine resistance to potassium tellurite, was studied. Bacteria were grown in media containing increasing concentrations of potassium tellurite. Crystalline structures containing tellurium appeared in their periplasmic space. The dynamics of crystal growth was studied. Crystals were released into the medium by pinching off of the outer membrane vesicles containing growing crystals. A possible mechanism of this process was described; cytobiochemical peculiarities were discussed.

Neither reduced uptake nor increased efflux is encoded by tellurite resistance determinants expressed in Escherichia coli

Rates of uptake of the TeO3(2-) oxyanion were investigated in Escherichia coli cells containing tellurite resistance determinants from both plasmid (RK2Ter, R478, pMER610, MIP233, pHH1508a, pMUR) and chromosomal (tehAB) sources. The uptake was investigated to determine whether or not reduced uptake or increased efflux is involved in the tellurite resistance mechanism. Reduced TeO3(2-) uptake generated by cultures harboring arsABC from the plasmid R773, which has been previously shown to be an oxyanion efflux transporter, was used as the standard. Uptake curves were found to be essentially identical among E. coli cultures harboring the tellurite resistance plasmids RK2Ter, pMER610, pHH1508a, and pMUR and cultures harboring tellurite-sensitive control plasmids. Cultures harboring clones of the tehAB operon from E. coli showed no change in the TeO3(2-) accumulation. Cultures harboring R478 demonstrated reduced uptake. However, a subclone containing only the tellurite resistance determinant displayed no reduced uptake. This suggests that there may be another determinant on R478 other than the primary tellurite resistance determinant that gives rise to TeO3(2-) efflux. These results demonstrate that neither reduced uptake nor increased efflux is responsible for the tellurite resistance in the resistance determinants investigated here.

Designing microbial systems for gene expression in the field

Unlike bacteria grown in the laboratory, genetically modified microorganisms destined for deliberate release as agents of bioremediation, or as live vaccines must be able to express their phenotype under the control of external signals that are present in the environment into which they are released. This is a major difference from other biotechnological processes (for example, in a bioreactor) in which the working conditions can be fixed at the will of the operator. In the field, operating conditions are determined by the external environment. The main problem is, therefore, how to programme bacteria physiologically and genetically to express the desired phenotype at the correct level and the right time, under physicochemical circumstances over which we have little or no control. This challenge has encouraged the development of new broad-host-range expression systems specifically tailored for bacteria, particularly Pseudomonas, but also various other Gram-negative organisms, for use in the field.

Accumulation and intracellular fate of tellurite in tellurite-resistant Escherichia coli: a model for the mechanism of resistance

The tellurite accumulation properties of three Escherichia coli strains containing different tellurium-resistance determinants of Gram-negative origin, from plasmids pMER610, pHH1508a and RK2, were compared. In all three cases membrane-associated tellurium crystallization was observed, and neither reduced uptake nor increased export contributed to the resistance. Specific membrane-proximal reduction is proposed as the mechanism of resistance to tellurite coded by all three determinants, despite their lack of sequence homology.

Location of a potassium tellurite resistance operon (tehA tehB) within the terminus of Escherichia coli K-12

A tellurite resistance determinant, believed to have been cloned from the IncHII plasmid pHH1508a (E. G. Walter, J. H. Weiner, and D. E. Taylor, Gene 101:1-7, 1991), was shown instead to have originated from the chromosome of Escherichia coli K-12. The two genes, tehA and tehB, constitute an operon located in the terminus at approximately 32.3 min.

Functional expression of the tellurite resistance determinant from the IncHI-2 plasmid pMER610

The transpositional phage MudI 1734 lacZ was used to construct transcriptional fusions within the plasmid pMJ611, which contains the cloned tellurite resistance (TeR) determinant of the IncHI-2 plasmid pMER610. A series of 70 MudI insertions, in both orientations, causing loss of tellurite resistance in pMJ611, mapped within a 4.3 kb region which included the genes terA-terD and a 0.4 kb region upstream of the site previously reported as the 5' limit of the TeR determinant. Expression of beta-galactosidase from these transcriptional fusions, including those involving the 5' upstream region, occurred only from inserts transcribed in the direction terA-terD, confirming the transcriptional orientation of the TeR determinant deduced from DNA sequence analysis. Sixteen of the tellurite-sensitive MudI fusions, distributed over the entire determinant and in both orientations, showed the same pattern of expression when transferred by conjugation and homologous recombination to pMER610, except that the beta-galactosidase levels were consistently 2- to 3-fold higher in the parent plasmid. Northern analysis with a DNA probe spanning the TeR determinant identified five transcripts of 4.8, 4.0, 2.7, 1.5 and 1.0 kb synthesised by pMER610. Further hybridisations with DNA probes defining sub-sections of the TeR determinant, together with DNA sequence analysis, suggested the presence of three transcriptional start sites, at approximately 0.9 and 0.1 kb upstream of terA, and near the junction between terC and terD. Three transcriptional termination sites, located within terA, near the terC-terD junction and at the 3' end of terE are also indicated. Both the expression of beta-galactosidase from the MudI fusions and the synthesis of ter gene transcripts are constitutive and were not affected by prior exposure of cultures to sub-toxic levels of tellurite. Further DNA sequence analysis reveals that the extensive homology between terD and terE extends to a section of terA.

Identification of intrinsic high-level resistance to rare-earth oxides and oxyanions in members of the class Proteobacteria: characterization of tellurite, selenite, and rhodium sesquioxide reduction in Rhodobacter sphaeroides

We have identified intrinsic high-level resistance (HLR) to tellurite, selenite, and at least 15 other rare-earth oxides and oxyanions in the facultative photoheterotroph Rhodobacter sphaeroides grown either chemoheterotrophically or photoheterotrophically. Other members of the class Proteobacteria, including members of the alpha-2 and alpha-3 phylogenetic subgroups, were also shown to effect the reduction of many of these compounds, although genera from the alpha-1, beta-1, and gamma-3 subgroups did not express HLR to the oxyanions examined. Detailed analyses employing R. sphaeroides have shown that HLR to at least one class of these oxyanions, the tellurite class (e.g., tellurate, tellurite, selenate, selenite, and rhodium sesquioxide), occurred via intracellular oxyanion reduction and resulted in deposition of metal in the cytoplasmic membrane. The concomitant evolution of hydrogen gas from cells grown photoheterotrophically in the presence of these oxyanions was also observed. HLR to tellurite class oxyanions in R. sphaeroides was not affected by exogenous methionine or phosphate but was reduced 40-fold by the addition of cysteine to growth media. In contrast HLR to the periodate class oxyanions (e.g., periodate, siliconate, and siliconite) was inhibited by extracellular PO4(3-) but did not result in metal deposition or gas evolution. Finally, we observed that HLR to arsenate class oxyanions (e.g., arsenate, molybdate, and tungstate) occurred by a third, distinct mechanism, as evidenced by the lack of intracellular metal deposition and hydrogen gas evolution and an insensitivity to extracellular PO4(3-) or cysteine. Examination of a number of R. sphaeroides mutants has determined the obligate requirement for an intact CO2 fixation pathway and the presence of a functional photosynthetic electron transport chain to effect HLR to K2TeO3 under photosynthetic growth conditions, whereas functional cytochromes bc1 and c2 were required under aerobic growth conditions to facilitate HLR. Finally, a purification scheme to recover metals from intact bacterial cells was developed.

Restriction endonuclease mapping of the HI2 incompatibility group plasmid R478

A restriction map of the 272-kb IncHI2 plasmid R478 was constructed by using the enzymes ApaI, XbaI, SalI, and XhoI. The map was derived from cloned restriction fragments from R478 inserted into cosmid and plasmid vectors as well as from double-digestion analysis of R478 and R478 miniplasmids. All previously known resistance determinants were cloned from R478, and their positions were located on the restriction map. A region involved in incompatibility was cloned and mapped. The location of a previously unreported arsenite resistance gene was also determined. The genes encoding tellurite resistance, colicin B resistance, and phage inhibition were found to be associated with a 6.7-kb SalI fragment of R478.

Plasmid-mediated resistance to tellurite: expressed and cryptic

The ability of some bacteria to grow in the presence of high concentrations of tellurium compounds has been recognized for almost 100 years. Since then, interest in this phenomenon has generated a slow but steady trickle of literature. In the past few years, the use of modern techniques in molecular biology has led to a dramatic increase in our understanding of the genetics of several bacterial determinants for resistance to tellurium compounds. These determinants are frequently found to be encoded by plasmids which carry multiple antibiotic resistance determinants. Our understanding of the biochemistry of these systems remains limited. In this article, the history of the study of bacterial resistance to tellurium compounds is briefly reviewed. This is followed by an analysis of the recent developments in the study of plasmid-mediated resistance determinants. Finally, preliminary investigations on the possible mechanisms of bacterial resistance to tellurium compounds are presented.

Structural, molecular, and genetic analysis of the kilA operon of broad-host-range plasmid RK2

The kil loci (kilA, kilB, kilC, and kilE) of incompatibility group P (IncP), broad-host-range plasmid RK2 were originally detected by their potential lethality to Escherichia coli host cells. Expression of the kil determinants is controlled by different combinations of kor functions (korA, korB, korC, and korE). This system of regulated genes, known as the kil-kor regulon, includes trfA, which encodes the RK2 replication initiator. The functions of the kil loci are unknown, but their coregulation with an essential replication function suggests that they have a role in the maintenance or host range of RK2. In this study, we have determined the nucleotide sequence of a 3-kb segment of RK2 that encodes the entire kilA locus. The region encodes three genes, designated klaA, klaB, and klaC. The phage T7 RNA polymerase-dependent expression system was use to identify three polypeptide products. The estimated masses of klaA and klaB products were in reasonable agreement with the calculated molecular masses of 28,407 and 42,156 Da, respectively. The klaC product is calculated to be 32,380 Da, but the observed polypeptide exhibited an apparent mass of 28 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. Mutants of klaC were used to confirm that initiation of translation of the observed product occurs at the first ATG in the klaC open reading frame. Hydrophobicity analysis indicated that the KlaA and KlaB polypeptides are likely to be soluble, whereas the KlaC polypeptide was predicted to have four potential membrane-spanning domains. The only recognizable promoter sequences in the kilA region were those of the kilA promoter located upstream of klaA and the promoter for the korA-korB operon located just downstream of a rho-independent terminatorlike sequence following klaC. The transcriptional start sites for these promoters were determined by primer extension. Using isogenic sets of plasmids with nonpolar mutations, we found that klaA, klaB, and klaC are each able to express a host-lethal (Kil+) phenotype in the absence of kor functions. Inactivation of the kilA promoter causes loss of the lethal phenotype, demonstrating that all three genes are expressed from the kilA promoter as a multicistronic operon. We investigated two other phenotypes that have been mapped to the kilA region of RK2 or the closely related IncP plasmids RP1 and RP4: inhibition of conjugal transfer of IncW plasmids (fwB) and resistance to potassium tellurite. The cloned kilA operon was found to express both phenotypes, even in the presence of korA and korB, whose functions are known to regulate the kilA promoter. In addition, mutant and complementation analyses showed that the kilA promoter and the products of all three kla genes are necessary for expression of both phenotypes. Therefore, host lethality, fertility inhibition, and tellurite resistance are all properties of the kilA operon. We discuss the possible role of the kilA operon for RK2.

Nucleotide sequence and overexpression of the tellurite-resistance determinant from the IncHII plasmid pHH1508a

The transcription and translation of the tellurite-resistance (TeR) genes of the HII incompatibility group plasmid, pHH1508a, were studied. The nucleotide (nt) sequence of the TeR region was determined and two possible open reading frames, tehA and tehB, were identified. The direction of transcription and translation of these genes was confirmed through the preparation of lacZ and phoA (encoding alkaline phosphatase) fusions. The transcription start point was identified in the sequence using RNA primer extension. The tehA gene codes for a 36-kDa polypeptide which is highly hydrophobic. The TehA protein appears to be located in the inner membrane of the bacterial cell since tehA fusions with both phoA and lacZ were obtained and expressed. The tehB gene codes for a 23-kDa polypeptide which appears to be relatively hydrophilic and is probably located in the cytoplasm. Both proteins were overproduced using a T7 RNA polymerase/promoter system. No nt or amino acid sequence homology could be found between this TeR determinant and the TeR genes from the IncHI-2 plasmid, pMER610, and the IncP alpha plasmid, RK2.

Transcriptional analysis, translational analysis, and sequence of the kilA-tellurite resistance region of plasmid RK2Ter

The tellurite resistance (Ter) determinant of the IncP alpha plasmid RK2Ter, a variant of RK2 (also called RP4), is located between the kilA and korA genes involved in plasmid replication control. Transcriptional and translational fusions were constructed between the gene for beta-galactosidase and the kilA and Ter genes by using the transpositional phage mini-Mu. These fusions indicated that the Ter genes are transcribed in the same direction as kilA and that transcription and translation of the cloned kilA gene are occurring and may not be lethal to the bacterial cell even in the absence of korA. The nucleotide sequence of this region was determined, and three open reading frames (ORFs) were identified. The first ORF codes for KilA, a 28-kDa hydrophilic protein. The second ORF, telA, codes for a hydrophilic protein of 42 kDa. The third ORF, telB, codes for a hydrophobic protein of 32 kDa. This protein appears to be located in the inner membrane of the bacterial cell, since fusions of TelB to alkaline phosphatase were obtained by using TnphoA. All three proteins were detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after overproduction using the T7 RNA polymerase/promoter system. The same three proteins were produced when Tes and Ter derivatives of RP4 were expressed in an in vitro transcription-translation system. A single Ser-to-Cys missense mutation in telB was found to be responsible for mutation of RK2 to Ter.