DNA restriction-modification systems in the ethanologen, Zymomonas mobilis ZM4.

To better understand the DNA restriction-modification (R-M) systems for more amenable strain development of the alternative industrial ethanologen, Zymomonas mobilis, three gene knockout mutants were constructed. The gene knockout mutants were tested for their DNA restriction activities by the determination of transformation efficiency using methylated and unmethylated foreign plasmid DNAs. Inactivation of a putative mrr gene encoded by ZMO0028 (zmrr) resulted in a 60-fold increase in the transformation efficiency when unmethylated plasmid DNA was used.

Heterologous expression of the alcohol dehydrogenase (adhI) gene from Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius strain M10EXG.

A thermostable alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH-I) isolated from the potential thermophilic ethanologen Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius strain M10EXG has been characterised. Inverse PCR showed that the gene (adhI) was localised with 3-hexulose-6-phosphate synthase (HPS) and 6-phospho-3 hexuloisomerase (PHI) on its genome. The deduced peptide sequence of the 1020-bp M10EXG adhI, which corresponds to 340 amino acids, shows 96% and 89% similarity to ADH-hT and ADH-T from Geobacillus stearothermophilus strains LLD-R and NCA 1503, respectively.

Functional analysis of PilT from the toxic cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7806.

The evolution of the microcystin toxin gene cluster in phylogenetically distant cyanobacteria has been attributed to recombination, inactivation, and deletion events, although gene transfer may also be involved. Since the microcystin-producing Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7806 is naturally transformable, we have initiated the characterization of its type IV pilus system, involved in DNA uptake in many bacteria, to provide a physiological focus for the influence of gene transfer in microcystin evolution. The type IV pilus genes pilA, pilB, pilC, and pilT were shown to be expressed in M.

The competence gene, comF, from Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 is involved in natural transformation, phototactic motility and piliation.

The gene slr0388 was previously annotated to encode a hypothetical protein in Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. When a positively phototactic strain of this cyanobacterium was insertionally inactivated at slr0388, the mutants were not transformable, and appeared to aggregate as a result of increased bundling of type IV pili.

A mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin (MSHA)-like pilus promotes attachment of Pseudoalteromonas tunicata cells to the surface of the green alga Ulva australis.

This study demonstrates that attachment of the marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas tunicata to the cellulose-containing surface of the green alga Ulva australis is mediated by a mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin (MSHA-like) pilus. We have identified an MSHA pilus biogenesis gene locus in P. tunicata, termed msh/1/2JKLMNEGFBACDOPQ, which shows significant homology, with respect to its genetic characteristics and organization, to the MSHA pilus biogenesis gene locus of Vibrio cholerae.

Isolation and characterization of two novel ethanol-tolerant facultative-anaerobic thermophilic bacteria strains from waste compost.

In a search for potential ethanologens, waste compost was screened for ethanol-tolerant thermophilic microorganisms. Two thermophilic bacterial strains, M5EXG and M10EXG, with tolerance of 5 and 10% (v/v) ethanol, respectively, were isolated. Both isolates are facultative anaerobic, non-spore forming, non-motile, catalase-positive, oxidase-negative, Gram-negative rods that are capable of utilizing a range of carbon sources including arabinose, galactose, mannose, glucose and xylose and produce low amounts of ethanol, acetate and lactate.

Over-expression of xylulokinase in a xylose-metabolising recombinant strain of Zymomonas mobilis.

The broad host range vector pBBR1MCS-2 has been evaluated as an expression vector for Zymomonas mobilis. The transformation efficiency of this vector was 2 x 10(3) CFU per mug of DNA in a recombinant strain of Z. mobilis ZM4/AcR containing the plasmid pZB5.

Complete nucleotide sequence of a native plasmid from Brevibacterium linens.

Brevibacterium linens has commercial significance in the dairy industry and potential application in the production of bacteriocins and carotenoids. Strain development of these industrially significant organisms would be facilitated by the use of vectors, yet few are available. In this study we report the isolation of four novel plasmids from the Gram-positive coryneform B.