DNA fragment coding for mercuric reductase of thiobacillus, and recombinant plasmid
AssigneeDowa Mining Co., Ltd.
InventorsToshikazu Shiratori, Chihiro Inoue, Yoshichika Kitagawa, Tomonobu Kusano
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Abstract
Microorganisms of the genus Thiobacillus find utility in the mining industry in such applications as bacterial leaching, the treatment of mine drainage water and the deiron in hydrometallurgy process. This invention discloses a DNA fragment which codes for a mercuric reductase in microorganisms of the genus Thiobacillus and is useful in constructing a new strain of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans capable of fast growth. A recombinant plasmid incorporating the DNA fragment, a shuttle vector plasmid incorporating the DNA fragment, host cells and a method of transforming the host cells are also disclosed.
Claims15
A 4.8 kb SalI-SalI DNA fragment isolated from genomic DNA of a Thiobacillus ferrooxidans mercury resistant strain, or a shorter fragment thereof having a size at least 2.3 kb and containing a 2.1 kb HindIII-HindIII segment, wherein
- said DNA fragment contains the 56 kDa mercuric reductase gene (merA) and the 16 kDa protein gene (merC),
- said DNA fragment hybridizes with the mercuric resistance gene of Pseudomonas transposen Tn501, and
- said DNA fragment provides mercury resistance with Escherichia cell cells when said cells are transformed with E. coli plasmid carrying said DNA fragment.
A plasmid which comprises an E. coli plasmid together with a 4.8 kb SalI-SalI DNA fragment isolated from genomic DNA of a Thiobacillus ferrooxidans mercury resistant strain, or a shorter fragment thereof having a size at least 2.3 kb and containing a 2.1 kb HindIII-HindIII segment, wherein
- said DNA fragment contains the 56 kDa mercuric reductase gene (merA) and the 16 kDa protein gene (merC),
- said DNA fragment hybridizes with the mercuric resistance gene of Pseudomonas transposon Tn501, and
- said DNA fragment provides mercury resistance with Escherichia coli cells when said cells are transformed with E. coli plasmid carrying said DNA fragment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.