HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Takác, M. Articles by Bläsi, U. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Takác, M. Articles by Bläsi, U. Agricola Articles by Takác, M. Articles by Bläsi, U.

Functional analysis of the lysis genes of Staphylococcus aureus phage P68 in Escherichia coli

Marian Taká

Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, University Departments at the Vienna Biocenter, Dr Bohrgasse 9/4, 1030 Vienna, Austria

Correspondence
Udo Bläsi
udo.blaesi{at}univie.ac.at

Double-stranded DNA phages of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria typically use a holin–endolysin system to achieve lysis of their host. In this study, the lysis genes of Staphylococcus aureus phage P68 were characterized. P68 gene lys16 was shown to encode a cell-wall-degrading enzyme, which causes cell lysis when externally added to clinical isolates of S. aureus. Another gene, hol15, was identified embedded in the –1 reading frame at the 3' end of lys16. The deduced Hol15 protein has three putative transmembrane domains, and thus resembles class I holins. An additional candidate holin gene, hol12, was found downstream of the endolysin gene lys16 based on two predicted transmembrane domains of the encoded protein, which is a typical trait of class II holins. The synthesis of either Hol12 or Hol15 resulted in growth retardation of Escherichia coli, and both hol15 and hol12 were able to complement a phage Sam mutation. The hol15 gene has a dual start motif beginning with the codons Met1-Lys2-Met3.... Evidence is presented that the hol15 gene encodes a lysis inhibitor (anti-holin) and a lysis effector (actual holin). As depolarization of the membrane converted the anti-holin to a functional holin, these studies suggested that hol15 functions as a typical dual start motif class I holin. The unusual arrangement of the P68 lysis genes is discussed.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Borysowski, B. Weber-Dabrowska, and A. Gorski Bacteriophage endolysins as a novel class of antibacterial agents. Experimental Biology and Medicine, April 1, 2006; 231(4): 366 - 377. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]