This review summarizes the main results obtained in the fields of general and molecular microbiology and microbial genetics at the Institute of Microbiology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (AS CR) [formerly Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences (CAS)] over more than 50 years. Contribution of the founder of the Institute, academician Ivan Málek, to the introduction of these topics into the scientific program of the Institute of Microbiology and to further development of these studies is also included.

• MeSH
• Academies and Institutes history   MeSH
• History, 20th Century MeSH
• Genetics, Microbial history   MeSH
• Molecular Biology history   MeSH
• Check Tag
• History, 20th Century MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Historical Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH

The cryptic multicopy plasmid pGA1 (4,826 bp) from Corynebacterium glutamicum LP-6 belongs to the fifth group of rolling-circle-replicating plasmids. A determinant, which negatively controls pGA1 replication, was localized in the leader region of the rep gene coding for the initiator of plasmid replication. This region, when cloned into the compatible vector pEC6, was found to cause decrease of segregational stability of the pGA1 derivative pKG48. A promoter and a single transcriptional start site were found in the rep leader region in orientation opposite to the rep gene. These results suggest that a small countertranscribed RNA (ctRNA) (ca. 89 nucleotides in length), which might inhibit translation of pGA1 rep gene, is formed. Analysis of predicted secondary structure of the pGA1-encoded ctRNA revealed features common with the known ctRNAs in bacteria. Inactivation of the promoter P-ctRNA caused a dramatic increase of copies of the respective plasmid, which proved a negative role of the ctRNA in control of pGA1 copy number. A region between the promoters Prep and P-ctRNA with a potential to form secondary structures on both ctRNA and rep mRNA was found to cause low activity of the rep promoter even when promoter P-ctRNA was deleted. Thus, the sequence within the rep leader region itself seems to act, in addition to the ctRNA, as a second regulatory element of a novel type, negatively influencing expression of the pGA1 rep gene.

• MeSH
• RNA, Bacterial MeSH
• Corynebacterium genetics   MeSH
• DNA, Bacterial biosynthesis   genetics   MeSH
• Nucleic Acid Conformation MeSH
• Molecular Sequence Data MeSH
• Plasmids biosynthesis   genetics   MeSH
• Promoter Regions, Genetic MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial * MeSH
• Base Sequence MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• RNA, Bacterial MeSH
• DNA, Bacterial MeSH

Deletion and mutational analysis of the promoter P-dapA from Corynebacterium glutamicum was performed to identify regions and particular nucleotides important for its function. An extended -10 region and a stretch of six T's at positions -55 to -50 were found to be the most important elements in the promoter function. The results of mutational analysis of P-dapA are consistent with the conclusions of statistical computer-aided analysis of 44 C. glutamicum promoter sequences.

• MeSH
• Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase MeSH
• Corynebacterium enzymology   genetics   MeSH
• Hydro-Lyases genetics   MeSH
• Cloning, Molecular MeSH
• Molecular Sequence Data MeSH
• DNA Mutational Analysis MeSH
• Promoter Regions, Genetic * MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial MeSH
• Genes, Reporter MeSH
• Base Sequence MeSH
• Sequence Deletion MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• 4-hydroxy-tetrahydrodipicolinate synthase MeSH Browser
• Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase MeSH
• Hydro-Lyases MeSH