K-ras is an essential gene in the mouse with partial functional overlap with N-ras.

Mammalian ras genes are thought to be critical in the regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation and are mutated in approximately 30% of all human tumors. However, N-ras and H-ras are nonessential for mouse development. To characterize the normal role of K-ras in growth and development, we have mutated it by gene targeting in the mouse.

The murine N-ras gene is not essential for growth and development.

The mammalian ras gene family encodes key cell-signaling, cell growth-related proteins that have been highly conserved in species from yeast to man. Specific point mutations in the ras genes are associated with various mammalian tumors. To understand the developmental role of the N-ras protooncogene in the mouse, we have disrupted its gene function by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells.

Characterization of a hemA/hemE mutant of E. coli and regulation of hemE.

Uroporphyrinogen III is the committed intermediate common to heme and siroheme biosynthesis in E. coli. Uroporphyrinogen III decarboxylase is the first enzyme at the branch point which commits to heme synthesis.

Availability of porphobilinogen controls appearance of porphobilinogen deaminase activity in Escherichia coli K-12.

A hemin-permeable hemB mutant had no 5-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALA D) and extremely low porphobilinogen deaminase (PBG D) activity. When the structural gene for hemB was introduced into this strain on a single-copy plasmid, both activities were observed. When the mutant was grown on PBG, normal PBG D activity was observed.

Cloning of the Escherichia coli K-12 hemB gene.

An Escherichia coli heme-requiring, heme-permeable mutant had no detectable 5-aminolevulinate dehydratase or porphobilinogen deaminase activities. The gene which complemented this mutation was cloned to a high-copy-number plasmid, and porphobilinogen deaminase activity was restored to normal levels, but the synthesis of 5-aminolevulinate dehydratase increased 20- to 30-fold. A maxicell procedure confirmed that the gene cloned was hemB.