Biomaterial Database

Suppression of Escherichia coli alkB mutants by Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes. 1995

Y F Wei, and B J Chen, and L Samson

Department of Molecular and Cellular Toxicology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

The alkB gene is one of a group of alkylation-inducible genes in Escherichia coli, and its product protects cells from SN2-type alkylating agents such as methyl methanesulfonate (MMS). However, the precise biochemical function of the AlkB protein remains unknown. Here, we describe the cloning, sequencing, and characterization of three Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes (YFW1, YFW12, and YFW16) that functionally complement E. coli alkB mutant cells. DNA sequence analysis showed that none of the three gene products have any amino acid sequence homology with the AlkB protein. The YFW1 and YFW12 proteins are highly serine and threonine rich, and YFW1 contains a stretch of 28 hydrophobic residues, indicating that it may be a membrane protein. The YFW16 gene turned out to be allelic with the S. cerevisiae STE11 gene. STE11 is a protein kinase known to be involved in pheromone signal transduction in S. cerevisiae; however, the kinase activity is not required for MMS resistance because mutant STE11 proteins lacking kinase activity could still complement E. coli alkB mutants. Despite the fact that YFW1, YFW12, and YFW16/STE11 each confer substantial MMS resistance upon E. coli alkB cells, S. cerevisiae null mutants for each gene were not MMS sensitive. Whether these three genes provide alkylation resistance in E. coli via an alkB-like mechanism remains to be determined, but protection appears to be specific for AlkB-deficient E. coli because none of the genes protect other alkylation-sensitive E. coli strains from killing by MMS.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008565	Membrane Proteins	Proteins which are found in membranes including cellular and intracellular membranes. They consist of two types, peripheral and integral proteins. They include most membrane-associated enzymes, antigenic proteins, transport proteins, and drug, hormone, and lectin receptors.	Cell Membrane Protein,Cell Membrane Proteins,Cell Surface Protein,Cell Surface Proteins,Integral Membrane Proteins,Membrane-Associated Protein,Surface Protein,Surface Proteins,Integral Membrane Protein,Membrane Protein,Membrane-Associated Proteins,Membrane Associated Protein,Membrane Associated Proteins,Membrane Protein, Cell,Membrane Protein, Integral,Membrane Proteins, Integral,Protein, Cell Membrane,Protein, Cell Surface,Protein, Integral Membrane,Protein, Membrane,Protein, Membrane-Associated,Protein, Surface,Proteins, Cell Membrane,Proteins, Cell Surface,Proteins, Integral Membrane,Proteins, Membrane,Proteins, Membrane-Associated,Proteins, Surface,Surface Protein, Cell
D008741	Methyl Methanesulfonate	An alkylating agent in cancer therapy that may also act as a mutagen by interfering with and causing damage to DNA.	Methylmethane Sulfonate,Dimethylsulfonate,Mesilate, Methyl,Methyl Mesylate,Methyl Methylenesulfonate,Methylmesilate,Mesylate, Methyl,Methanesulfonate, Methyl,Methyl Mesilate
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
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
D003577	Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System	A superfamily of hundreds of closely related HEMEPROTEINS found throughout the phylogenetic spectrum, from animals, plants, fungi, to bacteria. They include numerous complex monooxygenases (MIXED FUNCTION OXYGENASES). In animals, these P-450 enzymes serve two major functions: (1) biosynthesis of steroids, fatty acids, and bile acids; (2) metabolism of endogenous and a wide variety of exogenous substrates, such as toxins and drugs (BIOTRANSFORMATION). They are classified, according to their sequence similarities rather than functions, into CYP gene families (>40% homology) and subfamilies (>59% homology). For example, enzymes from the CYP1, CYP2, and CYP3 gene families are responsible for most drug metabolism.	Cytochrome P-450,Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme,Cytochrome P-450-Dependent Monooxygenase,P-450 Enzyme,P450 Enzyme,CYP450 Family,CYP450 Superfamily,Cytochrome P-450 Enzymes,Cytochrome P-450 Families,Cytochrome P-450 Monooxygenase,Cytochrome P-450 Oxygenase,Cytochrome P-450 Superfamily,Cytochrome P450,Cytochrome P450 Superfamily,Cytochrome p450 Families,P-450 Enzymes,P450 Enzymes,Cytochrome P 450,Cytochrome P 450 Dependent Monooxygenase,Cytochrome P 450 Enzyme,Cytochrome P 450 Enzyme System,Cytochrome P 450 Enzymes,Cytochrome P 450 Families,Cytochrome P 450 Monooxygenase,Cytochrome P 450 Oxygenase,Cytochrome P 450 Superfamily,Enzyme, Cytochrome P-450,Enzyme, P-450,Enzyme, P450,Enzymes, Cytochrome P-450,Enzymes, P-450,Enzymes, P450,Monooxygenase, Cytochrome P-450,Monooxygenase, Cytochrome P-450-Dependent,P 450 Enzyme,P 450 Enzymes,P-450 Enzyme, Cytochrome,P-450 Enzymes, Cytochrome,Superfamily, CYP450,Superfamily, Cytochrome P-450,Superfamily, Cytochrome P450
D004249	DNA Damage	Injuries to DNA that introduce deviations from its normal, intact structure and which may, if left unrepaired, result in a MUTATION or a block of DNA REPLICATION. These deviations may be caused by physical or chemical agents and occur by natural or unnatural, introduced circumstances. They include the introduction of illegitimate bases during replication or by deamination or other modification of bases; the loss of a base from the DNA backbone leaving an abasic site; single-strand breaks; double strand breaks; and intrastrand (PYRIMIDINE DIMERS) or interstrand crosslinking. Damage can often be repaired (DNA REPAIR). If the damage is extensive, it can induce APOPTOSIS.	DNA Injury,DNA Lesion,DNA Lesions,Genotoxic Stress,Stress, Genotoxic,Injury, DNA,DNA Injuries
D004252	DNA Mutational Analysis	Biochemical identification of mutational changes in a nucleotide sequence.	Mutational Analysis, DNA,Analysis, DNA Mutational,Analyses, DNA Mutational,DNA Mutational Analyses,Mutational Analyses, DNA
D004305	Dose-Response Relationship, Drug	The relationship between the dose of an administered drug and the response of the organism to the drug.	Dose Response Relationship, Drug,Dose-Response Relationships, Drug,Drug Dose-Response Relationship,Drug Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Drug Dose-Response,Relationships, Drug Dose-Response
D004352	Drug Resistance, Microbial	The ability of microorganisms, especially bacteria, to resist or to become tolerant to chemotherapeutic agents, antimicrobial agents, or antibiotics. This resistance may be acquired through gene mutation or foreign DNA in transmissible plasmids (R FACTORS).	Antibiotic Resistance,Antibiotic Resistance, Microbial,Antimicrobial Resistance, Drug,Antimicrobial Drug Resistance,Antimicrobial Drug Resistances,Antimicrobial Resistances, Drug,Drug Antimicrobial Resistance,Drug Antimicrobial Resistances,Drug Resistances, Microbial,Resistance, Antibiotic,Resistance, Drug Antimicrobial,Resistances, Drug Antimicrobial
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