Open AccessMolecular characterization of the replicon of the Pediococcus pentosaceus 43200 pediocin A plasmid pMD136
Author(s) -
Kantor Ayelet,
Montville Thomas J,
Mett Anait,
Shapira Roni
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1997.tb12576.x
Subject(s) - replicon , plasmid , biology , genetics , open reading frame , homology (biology) , lactococcus lactis , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , peptide sequence , bacteria , lactic acid
The pediocin A‐encoding plasmid of Pediococcus pentosaceus 43200, pMD136, was characterized by restriction enzyme analysis. Analysis of its replicon was facilitated by the construction of a probe vector consisting of the Escherichia coli plasmid pSP72 and the cat gene from Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pC194. The replication region of pMD136 was localized on a 1.6‐kb Eco RI /Bgl II fragment. Sequencing analysis revealed a non‐coding region, repA , spanning the first 440 bp, followed by an open reading frame, repB , encoding a putative protein of 390 amino acids. The non‐coding region contained two sets of 6‐bp and two sets of 22‐bp direct repeats and two sets of inverted repeats upstream of the open reading frame. Strong homology of the isolated replicon was found to theta‐type replicons of Lactococcus lactis plasmids. Segregational stability assay suggested at least two regions as potentially involved in the stabilization of pMD136. The plasmid's strong homology to other theta‐type replicons and its relatively high stability suggest that pMD136 belongs to the widespread family of theta‐replication plasmids.