Structure and function of a conserved DNA region coding for tartrate utilization in Agrobacterium vitis

Abstract

Three tartrate utilization regions from Agrobacterium vitis strains involved in host specificity have been compared, to clearly define the borders of these regions and eventually identify specific sequences that could provide a mechanism of duplication of this region. A 10.8-kb conserved DNA fragment called the TAR element, found in different genetic contexts, was defined. A comparison of the two tartrate dehydrogenase genes (ttuC and ttuCP) in each of the three TAR elements suggests that these genes co-evolve. z

Identification and genomic organization of gene loci negatively controlled by the virulence regulatory BvgAS two-component system in Bordetella bronchiseptica

“…In the mutant BB SU11 the transposon is integrated within an ORF with significant similarities to the putative tartrate dehydrogenase VrgZ of Agrobacterium vitis (Tipton and Beecher 1994;Salomone and Otten 1999), and in the mutant BB SU08 the transposon insertion is located in a gene encoding a putative protein with similarities to a coenzyme F390 synthetase (ftsA-3) of Archaeoglobus fulgidus (Table 2) (Gloss and Hausinger 1988). The transposon in mutant BB SU13 was found to be located in an ORF that exhibits strong sequence similarities to acyl-CoA carboxylases such as the propionyl-CoA carboxylase AccD1 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Table 2).…”

“…Several kilobases further downstream of the bllY gene a second vrg locus was identified which encodes a putative protein with similarities to the tartrate dehydrogenase VrgZ of A. vitis. In A. vitis the vrgZ gene appears to be part of a bicistronic operon and the ORF located downstream of vrgZ encodes a putative protein of unknown function (Table 2) (Tipton and Beecher 1994;Salomone and Otten 1999). These two ORFs are organized in the same manner in B. bronchiseptica (Fig.…”