The gene encoding mycobacterial DNA-binding protein I (MDPI) transformed rapidly growing bacteria to slowly growing bacteria

• Published in: FEMS microbiology letters Vol. 182; no. 2; pp. 297 - 301
• Main Authors: Matsumoto, Sohkichi, Furugen, Makoto, Yukitake, Hideharu, Yamada, Takeshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2000; Blackwell; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Amino acids; Asparagine; Bacteria; Bacterial Proteins; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA, Bacterial - biosynthesis; DNA-binding protein; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; DNA-Binding Proteins - physiology; Dormancy; E coli; Escherichia coli - genetics; Escherichia coli - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Growth; Growth rate; Growth, nutrition, cell differenciation; Leprosy; Macromolecules; Microbiology; Mycobacterium; Mycobacterium - genetics; Mycobacterium - growth & development; Mycobacterium - metabolism; Parasitism; Protein Biosynthesis; Proteins; Transcription; Transcription, Genetic; Transformation, Bacterial; Translation; Tuberculosis; Dormancy; Mycobacterium; Translation; DNA-binding protein; Transcription; Growth; Microorganism growth; DNA binding protein; Genetical translation; Structure function relationship; Velocity; Regulation(control); Mycobacteriales; N terminal-Sequence; Mycobacteriaceae; Bacteria; Replication; Actinomycetes
• ISSN: 0378-1097; 1574-6968
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2000.tb08911.x

Abstract Pathogenic species of Mycobacterium are slowly growing intracellular bacteria. Slow growth is important for the parasitism of these organisms and chronicity of the disease, but its precise mechanism has not been elucidated. Recently, we found that a novel DNA-binding protein (MDPI) was expressed (7–10% in total protein) in mycobacteria, such as Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette–Guérin, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Mycobacterium leprae. In this study, we observed that MDPI interfered with replication, transcription, and translation in the analysis in in vitro E. coli cell-free macromolecular biosynthesizing systems. Furthermore, MDPI inhibited the rapid growth of both Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium smegmatis, and NH2-terminal second amino acid, asparagine, was observed to be important in terms of this function. These data suggest an important role of MDPI for suppression of growth rates of mycobacteria.