The DNA sequence of the ushA gene, encoding UDP-sugar hydrolase (5'-nucleotidase), has been determined. The amino-terminal sequence encodes a signal peptide whose predicted processing site is confirmed by N-terminal amino acid analysis of purified mature UshA protein. The signal sequence contains a concentration of rare codons in comparison with the mature sequence. The origins of transcription from the ushA promoter have been determined, using primer extension. Three transcripts, originating within a 6 bp region, were identified and might be related to three overlapping potential -10 hexamers in the ushA promoter region. There was a discernable change in the relative proportion of these transcripts during growth-phase regulation of the ushA gene.

The cpdB gene encodes a periplasmic 2',3'-cyclic phosphodiesterase (3'-nucleotidase). This enzyme has been purified previously and the gene is located at 96 min on the Escherichia coli chromosome. In this study the cpdB gene was cloned from ClaI-cleaved DNA, and the gene product was identified. DNA blotting experiments showed that the recombinant plasmid contains a deletion with respect to the expected genomic fragment of approximately 4 kilobases, which extends into the vector. Furthermore, the gene was absent from three other recombinant libraries. Together, these findings suggest the presence in the genome of an adjacent gene whose product is lethal when it is present on a multicopy plasmid. The nucleotide sequence of the cpdB gene was also determined. The 5' and 3' untranslated sequences contain characteristic sequences that are involved in the initiation and termination of transcription, including two possible promoters, one of which may contain two overlapping -10 sequences. A strong Shine-Dalgarno sequence is followed by an open reading frame which corresponds to a protein having a molecular weight of 70,954. The first 19 amino acid residues have the characteristics of a signal peptide. The 3' untranslated sequence contains two putative rho-independent transcription terminators having low thermodynamic stability.

Escherichia coli 5'-nucleotidase activity is stimulated 30- to 50-fold in vitro by the addition of Co(2+). Seven residues from conserved sequence motifs implicated in the catalytic and metal-ion-binding sites of E. coli 5'-nucleotidase (Asp(41), His(43), Asp(84), His(117), Glu(118), His(217) and His(252)) were selected for modification using site-directed mutagenesis of the cloned ushA gene. On the basis of comparative studies between the resultant mutant proteins and the wild-type enzyme, a model is proposed for E. coli 5'-nucleotidase in which a Co(2+) ion may displace the Zn(2+) ion at only one of two metal-ion-binding sites; the other metal-ion-binding site retains the Zn(2+) ion already present. The studies reported herein suggest that displacement occurs at the metal-ion-binding site consisting of residues Asp(84), Asn(116), His(217) and His(252), leading to the observed increase in 5'-nucleotidase activity.

No abstract

No abstract