Open AccessMutations in the Escherichia coli surE gene increase isoaspartyl accumulation in a strain lacking the pcm repair methyltransferase but suppress stress‐survival phenotypes
Author(s) -
Visick Jonathan E,
Ichikawa Jeffrey K,
Clarke Steven
Publication year - 1998
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.1574-6968.1998.tb13202.x
Subject(s) - mutant , escherichia coli , gene , methyltransferase , mutation , biology , phenotype , genetics , archaea , strain (injury) , microbiology and biotechnology , methylation , anatomy
The Escherichia coli surE gene is co‐transcribed with pcm , encoding the l ‐isoaspartyl protein repair methyltransferase, and is highly conserved among both the Eubacteria and the Archaea; however, no biochemical function has yet been identified for this gene. Isoaspartyl accumulation during stationary phase was much higher in a pcm surE double mutant than in either single mutant, suggesting that the two genes may represent two parallel pathways by which E. coli can respond to protein damage. A null mutation in surE also suppressed stress‐survival defects previously observed in a pcm mutant strain, providing further evidence for an interaction between the two gene products.