JBC, Vol. 250, Issue 3, 1123-1131, Feb, 1975
In vitro synthesis of the E3 immunity protein directed by Col E3 plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid
J. Sidikaro and N. Masayasu
E3 colicinogenic cells are immune to colicin E3. A protein called "E3
immunity protein" was previously isolated from E3 colicinogenic cells and
shown to prevent the E3-induced in vitro inactivation of ribosomes. We now
show that the structural gene for E3 immunity protein resides on the Col E3
plasmid, a plasmid which is present in E3 colicinogenic cells and carries
the structural gene for colicin E3 production. For this purpose, Col E3
plasmid DNA was purified and characterized. The DNA preparation was shown
to be homogeneous as judged by electron microscopy as well as agarose gel
electrophoresis and has the ability to transform noncolicinogenic
Escherichia coli cells into E3 colicinogenic cells with a high efficiency.
The Col E3 DNA was then used as a template in a DNA-dependent in vitro
protein-synthesizing system, and protein products were characterized. A
radioactive protein product was detected which co-migrates with reference
E3 immunity protein in urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 8.7
and urea-sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH
7.6. This protein was produced only in the presence of Col E3 plasmid DNA.
No such protein was produced when Col E3 plasmid DNA was omitted or
replaced with chromosomal DNA. This radioactive protein was isolated and
shown to be very similar to reference E3 immunity protein, as judged by the
correspondence of tryptic peptides. The synthesis of immunity protein in
vitro was also shown by radioimmunodiffusion. Thus, the structural gene for
E3 immunity protein resides on the Col E3 plasmid. In addition, we have
shown that colicin E3 protein is also synthesized in the same in vitro
system using Col E3 plasmid DNA, as a template, confirming the previous
notion that the structural gene for colicin E3 protein resides on the Col
E3 plasmid.