(10) cloned, sequenced, and expressed the gene encoding this novel carrier protein, a homologue of the acyl carrier protein (ACP) involved in fatty acid biosynthesis. In addition to the genes encoding Dcl (DltA) and Dcp (DltC), the dlt operon contains two additional genes, dltB and dltD, encoding putative membrane proteins (10, 33).The goal of this paper is to establish the function of the Lactobacillus rhamnosus protein encoded by dltD. To accomplish this goal, the gene was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli with and without the sequence encoding the N-terminal hydrophobic domain. Additionally, the gene was inactivated and its protein product was examined for thioesterase activity and carrier protein binding specificity. The results support a role for this protein in hydrolyzing mischarged D-alanyl-ACP and as a facilitator of D-alanine ligation to the carrier protein Dcp.
MATERIALS AND METHODSBacterial strains, bacteriophages, and plasmids. All bacterial strains, phages, and plasmids used in this study are listed in Table 1.
Chemicals and reagents. [ 35 S]dATP (600 Ci/mmol in 5 mM Tris-HCl [pH 7.5]), D-[14 C]alanine (43 mCi/mmol), and dithiothreitol (DTT) were products of ICN Biochemicals, Inc. Medium supplies were obtained from Difco Laboratories. Tetracycline, ampicillin, carbenicillin, erythromycin, EDTA, Tris, bis-Tris, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and chlorhexidine were obtained from Sigma Chemical Co. Solutions of phenol-chloroform were products of Amresco Inc. Metricel filter membranes (GN-6) and Econo-Safe scintillation cocktail were purchased from Gelman Sciences and RPI Corp., respectively. Restriction enzymes were obtained from a number of suppliers and were used according to the manufacturer's instructions. Isopropyl--D-galactoside (IPTG) and EcoRI (NotI) adapters were purchased from Gibco-BRL. The Genius System nonradioactive DNA labeling kit and DIG nucleic acid detection kit were purchased from Boehringer Mannheim GmbH. Gigapack II Plus packaging extracts, T4 DNA ligase, and PfuTurbo DNA polymerase were obtained from Stratagene. The Sequenase and PCR kits were purchased from United States Biochemical Corp. and MBI Fermentas, respectively. BioBlot nitrocellulose blotting membranes were purchased from Costar, Inc. The QIAprep spin miniprep, QIAquick nucleotide removal, and QIAquick gel extraction kits were obtained from Qiagen. Oligonucleotides were synthesized by Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc.Growth of bacteria. E. coli was cultured in either Luria-Bertrani (LB) broth or 2ϫ YT (2ϫ yeast extract-tryptone) medium and plated on either LB agar or LB agarose (41). L. rhamnosus 7469 and Lactobacillus casei 102S were cultured in MRS medium (Difco). For electroporation, L. casei 102S was grown in a low-salt medium (LL) containing (grams/liter) tryptone, 15; yeast extract, 5; MgSO 4 , 0.01; MnSO 4 , 0.005; glucose, 10; and 5 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). Overnight cultures were diluted 1:30 with fresh LL medium, and the cells were grown for an additional 3 to 3.5 ...