Molecular identification of an arsenic four-gene operon in Campylobacter lari

Folia Microbiol (Praha). 2013 May;58(3):253-60. doi: 10.1007/s12223-012-0207-5. Epub 2012 Nov 7.

Abstract

An arsenic (ars) four-gene operon, containing genes encoding a putative membrane permease (ArsP), a transcriptional repressor (ArsR), an arsenate reductase (ArsC) and an arsenical-resistance membrane transporter (Acr3) was first identified in urease-positive thermophilic Campylobacter (UPTC) isolate, CF89-12. UPTC CF89-12 and some other Campylobacter lari isolates contained their ars four-genes, similarly, differing from that in the reference C. lari RM2100 strain. Two putative promoters and a putative terminator were identified for the operon in UPTC CF89-12. In vivo transcription of the operon was confirmed in the UPTC cells. PCR experiments using two primer pairs designed in silico to amplify two arsR and arsC-acr3 segments, respectively, generated two amplicons, approximately 200 and 350 base pairs, with all 31 of 31 and 19 of 31 C. lari isolates (n = 17 for UPTC; n = 14 for UN C. lari), respectively. An inverted repeat forming a dyad structure, a potential binding site for a transcriptional repressor, was identified in the promoter region. Within the deduced 61 amino acids sequence of the putative arsR open reading frame from the UPTC CF89-12, a metal binding box and a DNA-binding helix-turn-helix motif were identified. The UPTC CF89-12 and some other UPTC isolates isolated from natural environment were resistant to arsenate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Arsenate Reductases / genetics
  • Arsenic*
  • Campylobacter lari / genetics*
  • Campylobacter lari / isolation & purification
  • DNA Primers
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Genes, Bacterial*
  • Genetic Loci
  • Helix-Turn-Helix Motifs / genetics
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Open Reading Frames
  • Operon / genetics*
  • RNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Urease / genetics

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • RNA, Bacterial
  • Arsenate Reductases
  • Urease
  • Arsenic