Sequencing and characterization of pBM400 from Bacillus megaterium QM B1551. Appl Environ Microbiol 2003 Nov;69(11):6888-98
Date
11/07/2003Pubmed ID
14602653Pubmed Central ID
PMC262321DOI
10.1128/AEM.69.11.6888-6898.2003Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0242657392 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 18 CitationsAbstract
Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 plasmid pBM400, one of seven indigenous plasmids, has been labeled with a selectable marker, isolated, completely sequenced, and partially characterized. A sequence of 53,903 bp was generated, revealing a total of 50 predicted open reading frames (ORFs); 33 were carried on one strand and 17 were carried on the other. These ORFs comprised 57% of the pBM400 sequence. Besides the replicon region and a complete rRNA operon that have previously been described, several interesting genes were found, including genes for predicted proteins for cell division (FtsZ and FtsK), DNA-RNA interaction (FtsK, Int/Rec, and reverse transcriptase), germination (CwlJ), styrene degradation (StyA), and heavy metal resistance (Cu-Cd export and ATPase). Three of the ORF products had high similarities to proteins from the Bacillus anthracis virulence plasmid pXO1. An insertion element with similarity to the IS256 family and several hypothetical proteins similar to those from the chromosomes of other Bacillus and Lactococcus species were present. This study provides a basis for isolation and sequencing of other high-molecular-weight plasmids from QM B1551 and for understanding the role of megaplasmids in gram-positive bacteria. The genes carried by pBM400 suggest a possible role of this plasmid in the survival of B. megaterium in hostile environments with heavy metals or styrene and also suggest that there has been an exchange of genes within the gram-positive bacteria, including pathogens.
Author List
Scholle MD, White CA, Kunnimalaiyaan M, Vary PSMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Bacillus megateriumBacterial Proteins
DNA Transposable Elements
Molecular Sequence Data
Open Reading Frames
Plasmids
Recombination, Genetic
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Virulence
