Biology 216 - Lect 4 (Genetics)
Objective: genetics as it pertains to med bact
I. Review replication, transcription, translation if unfamiliar
Necessary for discussion of antibiotic MOA (rif, str, tet, clin);
Topoisomerases - Quinolones TopoII
Overview - circular x-some, ori, bidirectional, topoII (gyrase),
RNA pol (single one) at -35 and -10 (promoter) + sigma,
concensus sequence, tRNA and rRNA stable, translation,
ribosome (L&S proteins), charged tRNA,
rbs (Shine Dalgarno), EFGvsII, release factors.
II. Mutation - alteration in DNA base sequence
A. Basic types: Frameshift (from deletion or insertion)
Single base change (transversion, transition) - less severe.
B. Causes - Spontaneous (due to infidelity during replication or repair)
- 10(-7) - 10(-12)
Induced - physical (uv) or chemical mutagens, Tn,
site specific mutagenesis
C. Effect - Maladaptive, cryptic, adaptive (increase likelihood of survival)
ex. SmR - combined Ab therapy
D. Ames test (Bruce Ames - UCB) - based upon carcinogen = mutagen
Library of his- Salmonella -> growth w/o his?
E. Isogenic mutants to test virulence factors
III. Gene transfer in bacteria
A. Transformation - if chromosome must recombine; if plasmid autonomous
Used by Avery, MacLeod, McCarty to
demonstrate DNA is genetic (S. pn)
Natural in some Gm+; Must make Gm- competent
Used in cloning after in vitro manipulations.
B. Conjugation - Requires pilus
Mapping in E. coli with F+, Hfr, and F' (fine structure)
Similar mapping done in Ps (toxA, LasB, Hly)
1. R-factor plasmids (resistance factor plasmids) - modified F-factors
a. RTF - Resistance transfer factor = pilus
b. Antibiotic resistance
c. Other - Resistance often Tn
Often multiple resistances - Shigella
Promiscuous - often cross genus (Ps -> E.coli -> Legionella)
Antibiotic in animal feed (R-factor transferred to human pathogen)
C. Transduction - Lytic (general) vs lysogenic (specialized)
Ex. lambda-gal; diphtheria-tox; botulism-tox; cholera toxin
(recently discovered); O157 verotoxin
IV. Molecular cloning - Know basics since used in med bact research (Fig 5.12)
A. Principles - passenger, vector (plasmid/phage) -> microbe -> product
B. Applications - Products, Vaccines (hepB, S. typhi w/ LT,
rotavirus, Shigella surface, A-B+ V. chol)
Research on Ag Shift - Borrelia, Trypanosomes,
Research on bugs which cannot grow in vitro
- Treponema pallidum, M. leprae
Production of DNA probes
(ex. probe to TB rRNA, GenProbe and Chlamydia/GC)
PCR - principles, use to amplify (bacterial and host mRNA),
V. Sequencing entire organisms
A. Why? New drugs, vaccines
B. Pathogens sequenced:
1995 - Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma genitalium
1996 - Mycoplasma pneumoniae
1997 - Helicobacter pylori
1998 - Borrelia burgdorferi, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Treponema pallidum,
Rickettsia prowazekii, Chlamydia trachomatis
1999 - Chlamydia pneumoniae
2000 - Campylobacter jejuni, Neisseria meningitidis, Vibrio cholerae,
Ureaplasma, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
2001 - Mycobacterium leprae, Pasteurella multocida, E. coli O157:H7
VI. End of Review portion of course -
Use Baron and Dictionary to fill in gaps