Biomaterial Database

IgA protease of Neisseria gonorrhoeae: isolation and characterization of the gene and its extracellular product. 1984

R Halter, and J Pohlner, and T F Meyer

Gonococcal virulence is thought to rely on multiple characteristics including the production of an extracellular protease specific for human IgA1. Using a sensitive filter assay we have isolated an Escherichia coli clone which harbours the gene of Neisseria gonorrhoeae MS11 IgA protease on a multicopy number plasmid. This clone secrets IgA protease activity to an extent similar to that of the parental MS11 strain. By exonucleolytic digestion of the cloned insert we obtained a fragment of 4.6 kb which could not be shortened further without loss of IgA protease expression. Compared with the cloned IgA protease gene from N. gonorrhoeae F62, this minimal gene segment shows marked differences in the arrangement of restriction sites. We suppose that these differences determine strain-specific variations of N. gonorrhoeae IgA proteases and also affect the secretory properties of the enzyme when produced in E. coli. A novel purification procedure developed for IgA protease of N. gonorrhoeae allowed us to correlate the enzyme activity with a distinct protein band in SDS acrylamide gels. By comparison with the enzyme prepared from the E. coli clone, we identified a 105-kd protein as the extracellular form of gonococcal IgA protease.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009344	Neisseria gonorrhoeae	A species of gram-negative, aerobic bacteria primarily found in purulent venereal discharges. It is the causative agent of GONORRHEA.	Diplococcus gonorrhoeae,Gonococcus,Gonococcus neisseri,Merismopedia gonorrhoeae,Micrococcus der gonorrhoe,Micrococcus gonococcus,Micrococcus gonorrhoeae
D010447	Peptide Hydrolases	Hydrolases that specifically cleave the peptide bonds found in PROTEINS and PEPTIDES. Examples of sub-subclasses for this group include EXOPEPTIDASES and ENDOPEPTIDASES.	Peptidase,Peptidases,Peptide Hydrolase,Protease,Proteases,Proteinase,Proteinases,Proteolytic Enzyme,Proteolytic Enzymes,Esteroproteases,Enzyme, Proteolytic,Hydrolase, Peptide
D003001	Cloning, Molecular	The insertion of recombinant DNA molecules from prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic sources into a replicating vehicle, such as a plasmid or virus vector, and the introduction of the resultant hybrid molecules into recipient cells without altering the viability of those cells.	Molecular Cloning
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D005110	Extracellular Space	Interstitial space between cells, occupied by INTERSTITIAL FLUID as well as amorphous and fibrous substances. For organisms with a CELL WALL, the extracellular space includes everything outside of the CELL MEMBRANE including the PERIPLASM and the cell wall.	Intercellular Space,Extracellular Spaces,Intercellular Spaces,Space, Extracellular,Space, Intercellular,Spaces, Extracellular,Spaces, Intercellular
D005786	Gene Expression Regulation	Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control (induction or repression) of gene action at the level of transcription or translation.	Gene Action Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression,Expression Regulation, Gene,Regulation, Gene Action,Regulation, Gene Expression
D005796	Genes	A category of nucleic acid sequences that function as units of heredity and which code for the basic instructions for the development, reproduction, and maintenance of organisms.	Cistron,Gene,Genetic Materials,Cistrons,Genetic Material,Material, Genetic,Materials, Genetic
D005798	Genes, Bacterial	The functional hereditary units of BACTERIA.	Bacterial Gene,Bacterial Genes,Gene, Bacterial
D001483	Base Sequence	The sequence of PURINES and PYRIMIDINES in nucleic acids and polynucleotides. It is also called nucleotide sequence.	DNA Sequence,Nucleotide Sequence,RNA Sequence,DNA Sequences,Base Sequences,Nucleotide Sequences,RNA Sequences,Sequence, Base,Sequence, DNA,Sequence, Nucleotide,Sequence, RNA,Sequences, Base,Sequences, DNA,Sequences, Nucleotide,Sequences, RNA
D012697	Serine Endopeptidases	Any member of the group of ENDOPEPTIDASES containing at the active site a serine residue involved in catalysis.	Serine Endopeptidase,Endopeptidase, Serine,Endopeptidases, Serine