Construction of a stepwise gene integration system by transient expression of actinophage R4 integrase in cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Mol Genet Genomics. 2014 Aug;289(4):615-23. doi: 10.1007/s00438-014-0838-0. Epub 2014 Mar 18.

Abstract

The integrase of actinophage R4, which belongs to the large serine-recombinase family, catalyzes site-specific recombination between two distinct attachment site sequences of the phage (attP) and actinomycete Streptomyces parvulus 2297 chromosome (attB). We previously reported that R4 integrase (Sre) catalyzed site-specific recombination both in vivo and in vitro. In the present study, a Sre-based system was developed for the stepwise site-specific integration of multiple genes into the chromosome of cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (hereafter PCC 6803). A transgene-integrated plasmid with two attP sites and a non-replicative sre-containing plasmid were co-introduced into attB-inserted PCC 6803 cells. The transiently expressed Sre catalyzed highly efficient site-specific integration between one of the two attP sites on the integration plasmid and the attB site on the chromosome of PCC 6803. A second transgene-integrated plasmid with an attB site was integrated into the residual attP site on the chromosome by repeating site-specific recombination. The transformation frequencies (%) of the first and second integrations were approximately 5.1 × 10(-5) and 8.2 × 10(-5), respectively. Furthermore, the expression of two transgenes was detected. This study is the first to apply the multiple gene site-specific integration system based on R4 integrase to cyanobacteria.

MeSH terms

  • Attachment Sites, Microbiological
  • Chromosomes, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Viral
  • Integrases / genetics*
  • Integrases / metabolism
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Recombination, Genetic
  • Siphoviridae / enzymology*
  • Siphoviridae / genetics
  • Synechocystis / genetics*
  • Transformation, Genetic
  • Transgenes
  • Viral Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • Viral Proteins
  • Integrases