This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Ventura, M.
Right arrow Articles by van Sinderen, D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Ventura, M.
Right arrow Articles by van Sinderen, D.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Ventura, M.
Right arrow Articles by van Sinderen, D.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2005, p. 487-500, Vol. 71, No. 1
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.1.487-500.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Gene Structure and Transcriptional Organization of the dnaK Operon of Bifidobacterium breve UCC 2003 and Application of the Operon in Bifidobacterial Tracing

Marco Ventura,1* Ralf Zink,2 Gerald F. Fitzgerald,1 and Douwe van Sinderen1

Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre and Department of Microbiology, Bioscience Institute, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland,1 Department of Nutrition and Health, Cognis, Düsseldorf, Germany2

Received 30 June 2004/ Accepted 16 August 2004

The incorporation and delivery of bifidobacterial strains as probiotic components in many food preparations expose these microorganisms to a multitude of environmental insults, including heat and osmotic stresses. We characterized the dnaK gene region of Bifidobacterium breve UCC 2003. Sequence analysis of the dnaK locus revealed four genes with the organization dnaK-grpE-dnaJ-ORF1, whose deduced protein products display significant similarity to corresponding chaperones found in other bacteria. Northern hybridization and real-time LightCycler PCR analysis revealed that the transcription of the dnaK operon was strongly induced by osmotic shock but was not induced significantly by heat stress. A 4.4-kb polycistronic mRNA, which represented the transcript of the complete dnaK gene region, was detected. Many other small transcripts, which were assumed to have resulted from intensive processing or degradation of this polycistronic mRNA, were identified. The transcription start site of the dnaK operon was determined by primer extension. Phylogenetic analysis of the available bifidobacterial grpE and dnaK genes suggested that the evolutionary development of these genes has been similar. The phylogeny derived from the various bifidobacterial grpE and dnaK sequences is consistent with that derived from 16S rRNA. The use of these genes in bifidobacterial species as an alternative or complement to the 16S rRNA gene marker provides sequence signatures that allow a high level of discrimination between closely related species of this genus.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology, National University of Ireland, Western Road, Cork, Ireland. Phone: 353-21-4901366. Fax: 353-21-4903031. E-mail: m.ventura{at}ucc.ie.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2005, p. 487-500, Vol. 71, No. 1
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.1.487-500.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Zomer, A., Fernandez, M., Kearney, B., Fitzgerald, G. F., Ventura, M., van Sinderen, D. (2009). An Interactive Regulatory Network Controls Stress Response in Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003. J. Bacteriol. 191: 7039-7049 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Turroni, F., Foroni, E., Pizzetti, P., Giubellini, V., Ribbera, A., Merusi, P., Cagnasso, P., Bizzarri, B., de'Angelis, G. L., Shanahan, F., van Sinderen, D., Ventura, M. (2009). Exploring the Diversity of the Bifidobacterial Population in the Human Intestinal Tract. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 1534-1545 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • O'Connell Motherway, M., Fitzgerald, G. F., Neirynck, S., Ryan, S., Steidler, L., van Sinderen, D. (2008). Characterization of ApuB, an Extracellular Type II Amylopullulanase from Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 6271-6279 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Solano-Aguilar, G., Dawson, H., Restrepo, M., Andrews, K., Vinyard, B., Urban, J. F. Jr. (2008). Detection of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (Bb12) in the Intestine after Feeding of Sows and Their Piglets. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 6338-6347 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Okamoto, M., Benno, Y., Leung, K.-P, Maeda, N. (2008). Bifidobacterium tsurumiense sp. nov., from hamster dental plaque. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 58: 144-148 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sanchez, B., Champomier-Verges, M.-C., Stuer-Lauridsen, B., Ruas-Madiedo, P., Anglade, P., Baraige, F., de los Reyes-Gavilan, C. G., Johansen, E., Zagorec, M., Margolles, A. (2007). Adaptation and Response of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis to Bile: a Proteomic and Physiological Approach. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 6757-6767 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sheehan, V. M., Sleator, R. D., Hill, C., Fitzgerald, G. F. (2007). Improving gastric transit, gastrointestinal persistence and therapeutic efficacy of the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003. Microbiology 153: 3563-3571 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ventura, M., Canchaya, C., Zhang, Z., Fitzgerald, G. F., van Sinderen, D. (2007). Molecular Characterization of hsp20, Encoding a Small Heat Shock Protein of Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 4695-4703 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ventura, M., Canchaya, C., Casale, A. D., Dellaglio, F., Neviani, E., Fitzgerald, G. F., van Sinderen, D. (2006). Analysis of bifidobacterial evolution using a multilocus approach. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 56: 2783-2792 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ventura, M., Zhang, Z., Cronin, M., Canchaya, C., Kenny, J. G., Fitzgerald, G. F., van Sinderen, D. (2005). The ClgR Protein Regulates Transcription of the clpP Operon in Bifidobacterium breve UCC 2003. J. Bacteriol. 187: 8411-8426 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ventura, M., Canchaya, C., Bernini, V., Del Casale, A., Dellaglio, F., Neviani, E., Fitzgerald, G. F., van Sinderen, D. (2005). Genetic Characterization of the Bifidobacterium breve UCC 2003 hrcA Locus. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 8998-9007 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ventura, M., Fitzgerald, G. F., van Sinderen, D. (2005). Genetic and Transcriptional Organization of the clpC Locus in Bifidobacterium breve UCC 2003. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 6282-6291 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ventura, M., Kenny, J. G., Zhang, Z., Fitzgerald, G. F., van Sinderen, D. (2005). The clpB gene of Bifidobacterium breve UCC 2003: transcriptional analysis and first insights into stress induction. Microbiology 151: 2861-2872 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sanchez, B., Champomier-Verges, M.-C., Anglade, P., Baraige, F., de los Reyes-Gavilan, C. G., Margolles, A., Zagorec, M. (2005). Proteomic Analysis of Global Changes in Protein Expression during Bile Salt Exposure of Bifidobacterium longum NCIMB 8809. J. Bacteriol. 187: 5799-5808 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»