Polycistronic mRNAs code for polypeptides of the Vibrio harveyi luminescence system

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · J. Bacteriol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5666339

Miyamoto, C M; Graham, A D; Boylan, M; Evans, J F; Hasel, K W; Meighen, E A; Graham, A F

DNA coding for the ..cap alpha.. and ..beta.. subunits of Vibrio harveyi luciferase, the luxA and luxB genes, and the adjoining chromosomal regions on both sides of these genes (total of 18 kilobase pairs) was cloned into Escherichia coli. Using labeled DNA coding for the ..cap alpha.. subunit as a hybridization probe, the authors identified a set of polycistronic mRNAs (2.6, 4, 7, and 8 kilobases) by Northern blotting; the most prominent of these was the one 4 kilobases long. This set of mRNAs was induced during the development of bioluminescence in V. harveyi. Furthermore, the same set of mRNAs was synthesized in E. coli by a recombinant plasmid that contained a 12-kilobase pair length of V. harveyi DNA and expressed the genes for the luciferase subunits. A cloned DNA segment corresponding to the major 4-kilobase mRNA coded for the ..cap alpha.. and ..beta.. subunits of luciferase, as well as a 32,000-dalton protein upstream from these genes that could be specifically modified by acyl-coenzyme A and is a component of the bioluminescence system. V. harveyi mRNA that was hybridized to the released from cloned DNA encompassing the luxA and luxB genes was translated in vitro. Luciferase ..cap alpha.. and ..beta.. subunits and the 32,000-dalton polypeptide were detected among the products, along with 42,000- and 55,000-dalton polypeptides, which are encoded downstream from the lux genes and are thought to be involved in luminescence.

• Research Organization: McGill Univ., Montreal, Quebec
• OSTI ID: 5666339
• Journal Information: J. Bacteriol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Bacteriol.; (United States) Vol. 161:3; ISSN JOBAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200* -- Biochemistry
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BACTERIA
BIOLUMINESCENCE
BIOSYNTHESIS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CHROMOSOMES
CLONING
COENZYMES
DNA
DNA SEQUENCING
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
ESCHERICHIA COLI
GENES
GENETIC MAPPING
HYBRIDIZATION
LUCIFERASE
LUMINESCENCE
MAPPING
MESSENGER-RNA
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
PEPTIDES
PLASMIDS
POLYPEPTIDES
PROTEINS
RECOMBINANT DNA
RNA
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SYNTHESIS