The mobilization and origin of transfer regions of a Thiobacillus ferrooxidans plasmid: relatedness to plasmids RSF1010 and pSC101

Abstract

The components for the mobilization function of a plasmid DNA during conjugation include a cis-acting sequence (the origin of transfer, oriT) and a trans-acting sequence coding for mobilization (Mob) proteins. By genetic and deletion analysis, we have located the mobilization region of pTF1, a cryptic plasmid previously isolated from a Thiobacillus ferroxidans strain. Within a 2797 base-pair sequenced region, several open reading frames (ORFs) were predicted; two of the ORFs are divergently transcribed and they encode proteins of calculated molecular masses, 42.6kD (ORF2) and 11.4kD (ORF6). Surprisingly, these protein sequences are substantially similar to two of the previously characterized mobilization proteins of the Escherichia coli IncQ plasmid, RSF1010. Moreover, the pTF1 ORF2 (now designated MobL) sequence is also found to be similar to a presumed mobilization protein of plasmid pSC101. Regions of sequence identity of plasmids pTF1, RSF1010 and pSC101 include their oriT sites. By alkaline agarose gel electrophoresis and DNA sequencing, we have established the location of the relaxation complex nick site within the oriT of pTF1. An identical nick site, which is adjacent to a characteristic 10 base-pair inverted repeat sequence, is also found for plasmid RSF1010. A recombinant plasmid containing a 42 base-pair synthetic piece of DNA encompassing the pTF1 inverted repeat and nick sequence was shown to be oriT-active.