Nucleotide sequence and expression of the mercurial-resistance operon from Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pI258

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.84.15.5106· OSTI ID:5209807

Laddaga, R A; Chu, L; Misra, T K; Silver, S

The mercurial-resistance determinant from Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pI258 is located on a 6.4-kilobase-pair Bgl II fragment. The determinant was cloned into both Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. Mercury resistance was found only in B. subtilis. The 6404-base-pair DNA sequence of the Bgl II fragment was determined. The mer DNA sequence includes seven open reading frames, two of which have been identified by homology with the merA (mercuric reductase) and merB (organomercurial lyase) genes from the mercurial-resistance determinants of Gram-negative bacteria. Whereas 40% of the amino acid residues overall were identical between the pI258 merA polypeptide product and mercuric reductases from Gram-negative bacteria, the percentage identity in the active-site positions and those thought to be involved in NADPH and FAD contacts was above 90%. The 216 amino acid organomercurial lyase sequence was 39% identical with that from a Serratia plasmid, with higher conservation in the middle of the sequences and lower homologies at the amino and carboxyl termini. The remaining five open reading frames in the pI258 mer sequence have no significant homologies with the genes from previously sequenced Gram-negative mer operons.

• Research Organization: Washington, St. Louis (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5209807
• Journal Information: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States), Vol. 84:15
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
GENE OPERONS
DNA SEQUENCING
MERCURY 203
VOLATILITY
STAPHYLOCOCCUS
SENSITIVITY
ENZYME ACTIVITY
GENETICS
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
POLYPEPTIDES
BACTERIA
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGY
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HEAVY NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MERCURY ISOTOPES
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PEPTIDES
PROTEINS
RADIOISOTOPES
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
550201* - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques