Genetic responses to metal contamination in two clams: Ruditapes decussatus and Ruditapes philippinarum

Coastal ecosystems are subjected to a wide variety of disturbances, including those due to xenobiotics of agricultural and industrial origin. These pollutants as heavy metals can modify the genetic diversity of populations by favouring or counter-selecting certain alleles or genotypes by differential mortality. In the present study, two genetic markers (phosphoglucomutase and glucosephosphate isomerase) and a protein marker (metallothionein) were monitored in order to determine the impact of heavy metals in different clam populations. Analysis of the genetic structure of the clam populations examined reveals that those inhabiting environments contaminated by heavy metals exhibit a higher allelic diversity and possess alleles at PGM loci that could be selected by the presence of heavy metals. The evaluation of metallothionein levels using a specific polyclonal antibody developed in the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) demonstrated the existence of a relationship between metallothionein concentrations and the level of metal pollution for clam populations sampled from different sites. An inter-specific difference was also detected between Ruditapes decussatus and Ruditapes philippinarum living in sympatry at the same site, suggesting a differential response of these two species upon exposure to an identical heavy metal concentration.

A parafusin-related Toxoplasma protein in Ca2+-regulated secretory organelles

We cloned a gene, PRPI, of Toxoplasma gondii encoding a 637-amino-acids protein having a calculated mass of 70 kDa. The sequence showed high homology to parafusin, a protein that in Paramecium tetraurelia participates in Ca2+-regulated exocytosis and is a paralog of phosphoglucomutase. We show that Toxoplasma gondii homogenate and an expressed recombinant PRP1 fusion protein cross-react with a specific peptide-derived antibody to parafusin in Western blots. Antibodies to the recombinant PRP1 showed cross-reaction with parafusin and recognized PRP1, as bands at M, 63 x 10(3) and 68 x 10(3), respectively. PRP1 is labeled when Toxoplasma gondii cells are incubated with inorganic 32P and appears as the major band on autoradiograms of SDS-PAGE gels. The localization of PRP1 was examined in secretory organelles of Toxoplasma gondii by deconvolution light microscopy followed by three dimensional reconstruction using pairwise combinations of specific antibodies. PRP1 localized to the apical third of the cell. It co-localized with micronemes, the only secretory organelle the secretion of which is Ca2+ dependent. Quantification of the co-localized stain suggests that only mature micronemes ready for exocytosis have PRP1. These findings suggest that PRP1, parafusin and other members of the phosphoglucomutase superfamily have a conserved role in Ca2+-regulated exocytic processes.

Maltose metabolism of Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis: cloning and heterologous expression of the key enzymes, maltose phosphorylase and phosphoglucomutase

The maltose degradation operon containing genes encoding maltose phosphorylase mapA and phosphoglucomutase pgmA from Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis DSM20451T were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. These genes represent the first genetic data available for this species beyond taxonomic classification. MapA encodes a 754-amino acid polypeptide representing maltose phosphorylase, MapA, with a calculated molecular mass of 85.7 kDa. Comparative sequence analysis showed that mapA is of a new type distinct from other alpha-glucosidase genes sequenced so far. Putatively, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate is required as cofactor. The deduced amino acid sequence of pgmA shows an overall similarity of 39% to the phosphoglucomutase of Lactococcus lactis. pgmA is separated by a single nucleotide from the preceding mapA gene indicating effective translation by translational coupling. Upon subcloning mapA was heterologously expressed in E. coli. Additionally, upstream of the maltose-degrading operon ORF1 and ORF2 are located in the opposite direction. These genes show homology to fabZ and accB from E. coli and Bacillus subtilis, respectively, both involved in fatty acids biosynthesis.

An experimental study on carbon flow in Escherichia coli as a function of kinetic properties and expression levels of the enzyme phosphoglucomutase

Mutants of Escherichia coli deficient in phosphoglucomutase accumulate amylose when the cells are grown on maltose or galactose as carbon source. In the presence of physiological levels of phosphoglucomutase, most of the sugar is catabolized, leading to strongly reduced levels of amylose accumulation. By varying the expression level of heterologous phosphoglucomutase, we show that the minimum level needed to block amylose accumulation corresponds to a phosphoglucomutase activity of 150-600 nmole substrate transformed per min per mg of total soluble protein. Mutant phosphoglucomutases with strongly reduced Vmax values and increased Km values for the substrate glucose-1-phosphate or the co-substrate glucose-1,6-diphosphate, could also reduce amylose accumulation, but much higher enzyme expression levels were required.

The femR315 gene from Staphylococcus aureus, the interruption of which results in reduced methicillin resistance, encodes a phosphoglucosamine mutase

The femR315 gene was recently identified by Tn551 insertional mutagenesis as one of the new auxiliary genes, the alteration of which resulted in a drastically reduced methicillin resistance of the Staphylococcus aureus strain COL. femR315 (also known as femD) theoretically encoded a protein of 451 amino acids showing significant amino acid sequence homology with phosphoglucomutases and similar enzymes catalyzing the isomerization of hexoses and hexosamine phosphates (S. Wu, H. de Lencastre, A. Sali, and A. Tomasz, Microb. Drug Resist. 2:277-286, 1996). We describe here the overproduction and purification of the FemR315 protein as well as its identification as the phosphoglucosamine mutase which catalyzes the formation of glucosamine-1-phosphate from glucosamine-6-phosphate, the first step in the reaction sequence leading to the essential peptidoglycan precursor UDP-N-acetylglucosamine. On the basis of these findings, we propose to change the names femR315 and femD to the functionally more appropriate name glmM.

Construction and use of a versatile set of broad-host-range cloning and expression vectors based on the RK2 replicon

The plasmid vectors described in this report are derived from the broad-host-range RK2 replicon and can be maintained in many gram-negative bacterial species. The complete nucleotide sequences of all of the cloning and expression vectors are known. Important characteristics of the cloning vectors are as follows: a size range of 4.8 to 7.1 kb, unique cloning sites, different antibiotic resistance markers for selection of plasmid-containing cells, oriT-mediated conjugative plasmid transfer, plasmid stabilization functions, and a means for a simple method for modification of plasmid copy number. Expression vectors were constructed by insertion of the inducible Pu or Pm promoter together with its regulatory gene xylR or xylS, respectively, from the TOL plasmid of Pseudomonas putida. One of these vectors was used in an analysis of the correlation between phosphoglucomutase activity and amylose accumulation in Escherichia coli. The experiments showed that amylose synthesis was only marginally affected by the level of basal expression from the Pm promoter of the Acetobacter xylinum phosphoglucomutase gene (celB). In contrast, amylose accumulation was strongly reduced when transcription from Pm was induced. CelB was also expressed with a very high induction ratio in Xanthomonas campestris. These experiments showed that the A. xylinum celB gene could not complement the role of the bifunctional X. campestris phosphoglucomutase-phosphomannomutase gene in xanthan biosynthesis. We believe that the vectors described here are useful for cloning experiments, gene expression, and physiological studies with a wide range of bacteria and presumably also for analysis of gene transfer in the environment.

Improved broad-host-range RK2 vectors useful for high and low regulated gene expression levels in gram-negative bacteria

This report describes the construction and use of improved broad-host-range expression vectors based on the previously constructed pJB137 and pJB653 plasmids (Blatny et al., 1997). These vectors contain the minimal replicon of RK2 and the inducible Pu or Pm promoters together with their regulatory xylR or xylS genes, respectively, from the Pseudomonas putida TOL plasmid pWWO. A set of ATG vectors were derived from pJB653, and these vectors are characterized by the relatively small size, the presence of multiple cloning sites downstream of Pm, the establishment of their nucleotide sequence, the presence of RK2 oriT, and different antibiotic selection markers. The copy numbers of all the vectors can easily be modified by using copy-up mutations of the trfA gene, required for initiation of replication of RK2 replicons. The vectors were used to study the expression levels of the Acetobacter xylinum phosphoglucomutase gene celB and the two commonly used reporter genes luc and cat in Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Xanthomonas campestris. Good induction properties and tight regulation of Pm were achieved in all three species tested, and higher gene expression levels were obtained by using the ATG vectors compared to pJB653. By introducing different trfA copy-up mutations into the vectors, a wide range of gene expression levels from Pu and Pm were obtained in E. coli. Induced expression levels of luc, cat, and celB from Pm were found to be comparable to or higher than those from the Ptrc and PT7 promoters located on high copy number plasmids. The induced levels of Luc activity were higher in P. aeruginosa than in E. coli, indicating that these vectors may be useful for maximization of gene expression in strains other than E. coli. We believe that the well-characterized vectors described here are useful for gene expression studies and routine cloning experiments in many Gram-negative bacteria.

Effect of trehalose during stress in a heat-shock resistant mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Cells of a heat-shock resistant mutant were approximately 1000-times more resistant to lethal heat shock than those of the parental strain. We observed that exponentially growing cells of the mutant synthesized trehalose and showed increased osmotolerance, dehydration tolerance an ethanol tolerance, a fact not observed in wild type strains. The mutant synthesizes constitutively six proteins, among them two proteins of 56 and 63 kDa. Interestingly these molecular weights could correspond to the subunit of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase and to phosphoglucomutase II, respectively. Our results showed that glucose-growing cells of the hsr 1 mutant possessed high levels of activity of these enzymes when compared to the control strain.

Lipooligosaccharide biosynthesis in pathogenic Neisseria. Cloning, identification, and characterization of the phosphoglucomutase gene

The lipooligosaccharide (LOS) of pathogenic Neisseria is an important factor in disease pathogenesis. Little is known about the genes involved in neisserial LOS biosynthesis. To elucidate specific LOS biosynthetic genes, we screened a Tn916 library that was constructed in Neisseria meningitidis strain NMB. This strain expresses a single LOS that has an molecular mass of 4.5 kDa and binds monoclonal antibody (mAb) 3F11. This library was screened using a mAb panel that recognizes structural differences in neisserial LOS oligosaccharides. A stable LOS mutant of strain NMB was identified which we designated NMB-R6. This mutant expressed an LOS with an molecular mass of approximately 3.1-3.2 kDa and did not bind mAb 3F11. Genomic DNA from this mutant transformed N. meningitidis strain NMB to the tetracycline resistant NMB-R6 phenotype greater than 10(-4)/recipient/micrograms of DNA. In addition, we transformed Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain 1291 (LOS phenotype molecular mass 4.5 kDa, mAb 3F11+) to the NMB-R6 LOS phenotype with N. meningitidis NMB-R6 genomic DNA. Analysis of N. gonorrhoeae strain 1291-R6 LOS by mass spectroscopy showed that the LOS oligosaccharide structure is GlcNAc-->Hep2phosphoethanolamine-->2-keto-3-deoxymannooctuloson ic acid (where Hep is heptose). Sequence analysis showed that the transposon is inserted into the 3' end of a gene that has homology to the human phosphoglucomutase (PGM) gene. Sequence comparison indicated that the putative PGM gene in N. gonorrhoeae 1291 and N. meningitidis NMB had 92% identity at the DNA level. PGM and glucokinase activity was present in cell free extracts of N. meningitidis NMB and N. gonorrhoeae strain 1291. N. meningitidis NMB-R6 and N. gonorrhoeae strain 1291-R6 had no detectable PGM activity, whereas glucokinase activity was similar to the wild type strains. PGM activity can be reconstituted in N. meningitidis strain NMB-R6 by transformation with the cloned PGM gene. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated that NMB-R6 transformed with the PGM gene expressed the 3F11+, 4.5-kDa LOS of the parent NMB strain. The inability of N. meningitidis NMB-R6 and N. gonorrhoeae strain 1291-R6 to convert glucose 6-phosphate to glucose 1-phosphate results in the truncated LOS phenotype expressed by these mutants.

Isolation and expression of a rat liver cDNA encoding phosphoglucomutase

A cDNA encoding phosphoglucomutase (PGM) has been isolated from a rat liver cDNA library following screening with a polymerase chain reaction product. The cDNA was found to contain a 53-base-pair (bp) 5' untranslated region (5' UTR), a single start codon and consensus initiation sequence, an open reading frame (ORF) of 1686 bp, and a 3' untranslated tail. A comparison to the rabbit and human muscle PGM cDNAs [Whitehouse et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89 (1992) 411-415] showed 90% identity of rat cDNA to both, while a comparison to the deduced amino acid sequences showed 97 and 96% identity, respectively. Northern blot analyses determined that PGM was encoded by a single mRNA in rat liver, of approximately 2.2 kb. Following transfection of COS-7 cells with a plasmid containing the entire PGM ORF, indirect immunofluorescence analyses using a PGM-specific monoclonal antibody determined that approximately 5% of the cells displayed 50-100 times greater fluorescence than that seen in the remainder of the cells or in mock transfects. The enhanced production of PGM was also demonstrated by Western blotting and by enzymatic activity assays.

Transcription of a yeast phosphoglucomutase isozyme gene is galactose inducible and glucose repressible

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae GAL5 (PGM2) gene was isolated and shown to encode the major isozyme of phosphoglucomutase. Northern (RNA) blot hybridization revealed that the GAL5 transcript level increased three- to fourfold in response to galactose and was severely repressed in response to glucose. Total cellular phosphoglucomutase activity was likewise responsive to galactose and to glucose, and this responsiveness was found to be due primarily to variation in the activity of the major isozyme of phosphoglucomutase. These results imply that the major and minor isozymes of phosphoglucomutase have distinct roles in yeast cells. The galactose inducibility of GAL5 was found to be under the control of the GAL4, GAL80, and GAL3 genes. In striking contrast to other galactose-inducible genes, the GAL5 gene exhibited an unusually high GAL4-independent basal level of expression. These results have implications for metabolic trafficking.

Adaptive significance of differences in the tissue-specific expression of a phosphoglucomutase gene in rainbow trout

We have investigated the phenotypic effects of a mutant allele that results in the expression of a phosphoglucomutase locus (Pgm1) in the liver of rainbow trout. Embryos with liver Pgm1 expression hatch earlier than embryos without liver Pgm1 expression. These differences apparently result from increased flux through glycolysis in embryos with liver PGM1 activity while they are dependent on the yolk for energy. Fish with liver PGM1 activity are also more developmentally buffered, as indicated by less fluctuating asymmetry of five bilateral meristic traits. The more rapidly developing individuals begin exogenous feeding earlier and achieve a size advantage that is maintained until sexual maturity. This size advantage produces a significant tendency for earlier age of sexual maturity. These results show that different genotypes at this regulatory gene result in important phenotypic differences that are likely to be of important adaptive significance.

Sexual differentiation in Aspergillus nidulans: the requirement for manganese and the correlation between phosphoglucomutase and the synthesis of reserve material

Aspergillus nidulans was completely devoid of fruit bodies when grown on manganese deficient cultures. This result was shown earlier to be due to a lack of alpha-1,3 glucan in the cell wall. Several enzymes of carbon and nitrogen metabolism were investigated in an attempt to explain the absence of this reserve material. Synthesis of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucoisomerase and aldolase, were not strongly affected by manganese deficiency. However, phosphoglucomutase showed only 60% of the activity of the control cultures and it was argued that this was connected with the low amounts of alpha-1,3 glucan synthesized. Malate dehydrogenase was the enzyme the least affected by manganese deficiency and the two to threefold higher activity measured after glucose depletion might indicate the induction of the glyoxylate cycle. An impaired glutamine synthetase could explain the increase in activity observed for NAD-glutamine dehydrogenase.

Chinese hamster X mouse hybrid cells segregating mouse chromosomes and isozymes

Hybrid cells are readily formed by fusing clonal Chinese hamster cells to fresh, noncultured, adult mouse spleen cells followed by isolation in selective medium. The vast majority of such hybrids retain Chinese hamster chromosomes and isozymes while segregating mouse chromosomes and isozymes. The growth, plating efficiency, ease of karyology, and rapid segregation of mouse markers allows linkage tests in primary clones. Analysis of 13 isozymes showed 12 to be asyntenic and on epair (PGD-PGM2) to be syntenic This system will allow extensive somatic cell hybrid gene mapping in the mouse and permit a comparison of human and mouse linkage relationships.

Data on the HL-A linkage group

Lod scores from a study in 229 families of the linkage relations of HL-A-PGM3 to 19 marker loci and cystic fibrosis are reported. The data exclude that ADA belongs to this linkage group while they give weak support for the inclusion of P. There is weak evidence for linkage of cystic fibrosis to PGM3, but none for linkage to HL-A. No new suggestive linkages appeared.

Genetic differentiation within and between species of the Drosophila willistoni group

We describe allelic variation at 28 loci in six Caribbean populations of four sympatric species of Drosophila. Within any one species the allelic frequencies are very similar from population to population, although there is evidence of local as well as regional genetic differentiation. The genetic distance is greater between populations from different islands than between populations of the same island. When the allelic frequencies are compared between different species, a remarkable pattern appears. In any pair of species nearly half of the loci have essentially identical allelic frequencies, while nearly the other half of the loci have different alleles and in different frequencies. The loci with nearly identical allelic frequencies are different when different pairs of species are compared. The patterns of allelic variation within and between species are inconsistent with the hypothesis that the variation is adaptively neutral. Migration or mutation cannot explain the patterns of genetic variation, either. Balancing natural selection is the main process maintaining protein polymorphisms in natural populations.

Human antigen and enzyme markers in man-Chinese hamster somatic cell hybrids: evidence for synteny between the HL-A, PGM3, ME1, and IPO-B loci

In man-Chinese hamster somatic cell hybrids the segregation of the loci for 27 human enzyme markers and the species-specific surface antigens, including the HL-A histocompatibility antigens, was studied. The results show a synteny of the human loci for phosphoglucomutase 3, cytoplasmic malic enzyme, tetrameric indophenol oxidase, and HL-A. Furthermore, evidence is presented that the loci for the human species-specific antigens are distributed over several chromosomes.

Regional localization of loci for human PGM and 6PGD on human chromosome one by use of hybrids of Chinese hamster-human somatic cells

The human gene loci phosphoglucomutase(1) (PGM(1), EC 2.7.5.1) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD, EC 1.1.1.43), which are located on human chromosome one, have been assigned to a specific region of the short arm of that chromosome, by use of a hybrid cell line derived from a Chinese hamster cell line deficient in hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase and a strain of human diploid fibroblasts. Cytogenetic analysis of a hybrid clone maintained for about 50 generations in vitro revealed two populations of cells, the first containing a human chromosome one with a break point at band 1p33, such that about 25% of the short arm of this chromosome was deleted. The second cell population contained a normal chromosome one. Biochemical analysis of subclones derived by cloning this mixed population revealed two phenotypic classes, one of which expressed all three chromosome-one markers, PGM(1), 6PGD, and peptidase C (Pep C), while the other expressed only Pep C. Cytogenetic analysis showed that the subclones expressing all three markers carried the normal human chromosome one, while those expressing only Pep C carried the deleted chromosome. These data indicate that the human gene loci PGM(1) and 6PGD are located on the short arm of chromosome one distal to the break point, while Pep C lies elsewhere on the chromosome.

Temporal frequency changes of enzyme and chromosomal polymorphisms in natural populations of Drosophila

A comparative study of chromosomal and enzyme polymorphisms in Drosophila pseudoobscura and in D. persimilis was conducted from April 1971 to October 1972 by taking samples at monthly intervals in two different localities. Seasonal cyclic changes occur in the chromosomal polymorphisms. Significant changes occur in the frequencies of the enzyme polymorphisms; preliminary evidence indicates that some of these changes may also be cyclic. Natural selection is the main process responsible for the changes in both kinds of polymorphisms.

Macromolecular synthesis during the germanation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae spores

After the dormancy of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ascospores had been broken, the synthesis of proteins was observed first, followed rapidly by synthesis of ribonucleic acid (RNA) and much later by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis. Phosphoglucomutase activity increased in a periodic (step) fashion, whereas the activity of five other enzymes increased linearly during germination and outgrowth. The rate of synthesis of these enzymes was highest at about the period of DNA replication. The amino acid pools of dormant spores contained high levels of proline, glutamic acid, and histidine. At 2 h after onset of germination, the pools of phenylalanine and methionine had disappeared and the other components had decreased significantly. By 3.5 h, with the exception of proline and cystine, most amino acid pool components had significantly increased.

Effect of phosphate limitation on the morphology and wall composition of Bacillus licheniformis and its phosphoglucomutase-deficient mutants

Two very poorly lytic mutants of Bacillus licheniformis 6346 that had no teichuronic acid or glucose in their walls were phosphoglucomutase deficient. The walls of the mutants were less autolytic, and the lesion in the phosphoglucomutase gene and the formation of lytic amidase seemed to be interrelated. When phosphoglucomutase was regained or the effects of the deficiency were circumvented by the presence of galactose in the medium, the lytic enzyme was partially regained. When subjected to growth limitation by the supply of inorganic phosphate, the mutants ceased to make teichoic acid, and their walls contained a greatly increased proportion of mucopeptide. Under these conditions they formed irregular spheres which changed back to rods when inorganic phosphate was supplied. Both wall and protein synthesis were necessary for the changes in morphology. An intermediate crescent-shaped cell was formed in the change from sphere to a rod. The possible relationship of this morphological change to the distribution of biosynthetic sites is discussed.

Changes in the enzyme pattern of the mammary gland of the lactating rat after hypophysectomy and weaning

1. The enzymes glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucomutase, UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, phosphofructokinase, ATP-citrate lyase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase have been assayed in rat mammary glands in various stages of involution after hypophysectomy and weaning. 2. After hypophysectomy all seven enzymes decline in activity over a 12-16hr. period but the extent of the decline varies, with acetyl-CoA carboxylase becoming almost totally inactive, ATP-citrate lyase and phosphofructokinase showing a large decrease, and the remaining enzymes a less marked decline. 3. Within 24hr. of removing the litter a change in the pattern of enzyme activity is found very similar to that after hypophysectomy. 4. The significance of these results is discussed in relation to the endocrine control of mammary gland metabolism and the mechanisms of involution.