Genetic mapping of katG, a locus that affects synthesis of the bifunctional catalase-peroxidase hydroperoxidase I in Escherichia coli.

A locus unlinked to either katE or katF that affected catalase levels in Escherichia coli was identified and localized between metB and ppc at 89.2 min on the genome. The locus was named katG. Mutations in katG which prevented the formation of both isoenzyme forms of the bifunctional catalase-peroxidase HPI were created both by nitrosoguanidine and by transposon Tn10 insertions. All katG+ recombinants and transductants contained both HPI isoenzymes. Despite the common feature of little or no catalase activity in four of the catalase-deficient strains, subtle differences in the phenotypes of each strain resulted from the different katG mutations. All three mutants caused by nitrosoguanidine produced a protein with little or no catalase activity but with the same subunit molecular weight and with similar antigenic properties to HPI, implying the presence of missense mutations rather than nonsense mutations in each strain. Indeed one mutant produced an HPI-like protein that retained peroxidase activity, whereas the HPI-like protein in a second mutant exhibited no catalase or peroxidase activity. The third mutant responded to ascorbate induction with the synthesis of near normal catalase levels, suggesting a regulatory defect. The Tn10 insertion mutant produced no catalase and no protein that was antigenically similar to HPI.

Genetic mapping of katF, a locus that with katE affects the synthesis of a second catalase species in Escherichia coli.

A class of catalase-deficient mutants that was unlinked to katE was localized between mutS and cys at 59.0 min on the Escherichia coli genome. This locus was named katF. Transposon Tn10 insertions were isolated that mapped in both katE and katF loci. The catalase species present in katE+ and katF+ recombinants was found to be different from the main catalase activities, HPI and HPII, in several respects. It did not have an associated peroxidase activity; it was electrophoretically slower on native polyacrylamide gels; it eluted from DEAE-Sephadex A50 at a higher salt concentration; its Km for H2O2 was 30.9 mM as compared with 3.7 mM for HPI and HPII; its synthesis was not induced by ascorbate; and it did not cross react with HPI-HPII antisera. This new catalase was labeled HPIII.

Identification and physical characterization of a Col E1 hybrid plasmid containing a catalase gene of Escherichia coli.

A hybrid Escherichia coli: Col E1 plasmid, pLC36-19, containing a catalase gene has been identified in the Clarke and Carbon colony bank. Catalase activity was amplified two- to three-fold in the pLC36-19-containing strain relative to other hybrid-plasmid-containing strains and this activity could be induced three- or four-fold by hydrogen peroxide or ascorbic acid. The plasmid was transferred to a strain chromosomally deficient in catalase synthesis, resulting in a strain with high and inducible levels of catalase. The plasmid was also transferred to a minicell-producing strain and minicells harbouring the plasmid were found to synthesize a labelled protein with a molecular weight of 84 000 characteristic of catalase from E. coli. A catalase activity was also synthesized by the plasmid-containing minicells. Two catalase activities with associated peroxidase activities coded for by the plasmid were separable by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and migrated coincident with chromosomally encoded catalase-peroxidase activities. A third catalase activity which did not have an associated peroxidase activity was not coded for by the plasmid. A physical map of the 25.5-kilobase pair plasmid was constructed by restriction nuclease analysis and the relative positions of 38 restriction sites were defined.