Structure of microcin C51, a new antibiotic with a broad spectrum of activity.

The structure of microcin C51, a new antibiotic produced by E. coli, has been determined. This antibiotic was shown to be a 1.18 kDa nucleotide peptide. It consists of a heptapeptide with formylmethionine as the N-terminus and a C-terminal asparagine linked with nebularin-5'-monophosphate through the three-methylene bridge. The OH-group of threonine is substituted. The peptide chain of microcin C51 synthesized on ribosomes is the longest among the known biologically active nucleotide peptides.

Cloning and mapping of the genetic determinants for microcin C51 production and immunity.

Microcin C51 is a small peptide antibiotic produced by Escherichia coli cells harbouring the 38 kb low copy number plasmid pC51, which codes for microcin production and immunity. The genetic determinants for microcin synthesis and immunity were cloned into the vectors pBR325, pUC19 and pACYC184. Physical and phenotypic analysis of deletion derivatives and mutant plasmids bearing insertions of transposon Tn5 showed that a DNA fragment of about 5 kb is required for microcin C51 synthesis and expression of complete immunity to microcin. Partial immunity can be provided by a 2 kb DNA fragment. Mutant plasmids were tested for their ability to complement Mic- mutations. Results of these experiments indicate that at least three plasmid genes are required for microcin production. The host OmpR function is also necessary for microcin C51 synthesis.

Isolation and characterization of Escherichia coli strains producing microcins of B and C types.

A screening of 11956 enterobacteria isolates resulted in selection of seven active microcin-producing strains. The microcins were shown to be peptides or their derivatives with a rather broad spectrum of activity, mainly against Gram-negative bacteria. According to cross-immunity criteria, the microcins studied belonged to two of the previously suggested types, B (five strains) and C (two strains). Those of type B could be further classified into two subtypes on the account of differences in the spectrum of antibacterial activity. In five cases out of seven the microcin-producing ability has been attributed to plasmids that the strains harboured. The effect of microcins on sensitive cells was shown to depend on ompR and ompF gene products.

The mechanism of the mutagenic action of hydroxylamine XII. Phenotypic suppression of amber mutants of phage T7 by hydroxylamine and O-methylhydroxylamine.

The reproduction of phage T7 in the presence of hydroxylamine (HA) (mutagenesis in vivo) results in the phenotypic suppression of some amber mutants. The presence of O-methylhydroxylamine (OMHA) results in a similar effect, indicating a similar mechanism for the action of the two compounds. Since the rate of reaction of mutagen with nucleoside residues under these conditions in negligibly low, one of the most plausible explanations of this effect is the enzymic formation of modified precursors and their incorporation into bacterial tRNAs or phage-induced RNA.

The mechanism of the mutagenic action of hydroxylamine XIII. Reversion of phage MS2 amber mutants in the presence of hydroxylamines.

The replication of the phage MS2 in the presence of either hydroxylamine (HA) or O-methylhydroxylamine (OMHA) (mutagenesis in vivo) results in an increase in the reversion frequency of two amber mutations in the maturation protein. When acting on the extracellular phage (mutagenesis in vitro) the mutagens do not affect the reversion frequency. The most probable mode of mutagenic action of the hydroxylamines on the vegetative MS2 phage involves the enzymic formation of modified precursors and their incorporation into RNA.