[Role of reactive oxygen species in the bactericidal action of quinolones--inhibitors of DNA gyrase].

Quinolone antibiotics inhibit DNA gyrase, but the induced degradation of chromosomal DNA is determined by a complex process of joint action quinolones and hydroxyl radical OH'. To quantify the level of stress responses and their time dependence in bacterial cells the induced specific lux-biosensors--the bacterium Escherichia coli, containing hybrid plasmids pColD'::lux; pSoxS'::lux; pKatG'::lux were used in this study. It is shown that quinolones (nalidixic acid, norfloxacin) induce SOS-response and oxidative stress with the formation of superoxide anion O2(-) in E.

[Antirestriction activity of the mercury resistance nonconjugative transposon Tn5053 is controlled by the protease ClpXP].

When transformed into Escherichia coli K12 strains, the mercury resistance transposon Tn5053@ exhibits high antirestriction activity against the EcoKI type I restriction and modification system. The products of the genes merR and ardD contribute to the antirestriction activity of Tn5053. The merR gene encodes the MerR protein, the transcription regulator of the mer operon genes.

[SOS repair of 8-methoxypsoralene monoadducts in DNA of lambda bacteriophage and plasmids is mediated by MucA'2B, but not UmuD'2c (PolV) polymerase].

The light-induced action of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) on λ phage and plasmids yields monoadducts and interstrand crosslinks. The survival and clear plaque mutation frequency in the phage photosensitized with 8-MOP and irradiated with UV at wavelength > 320 nm are increased whenthe wild-type host (Escherichia coli uvr+) is subjected to UV irradiation (wavelength = 254 nm) prior to phage inoculation. These phenomena are known as "W reactivation" and "W mutagenesis.