Disease relevance of picA

• This chapter describes in detail a method to integrate a gene of interest into the pgl/picA locus of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 chromosome [1].

High impact information on picA

• We constructed several versatile sets of vectors that can be used to introduce any gene into the pgl/picA locus of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 chromosome without affecting T-DNA transfer [2].
• Genetic and molecular analyses of picA, a plant-inducible locus on the Agrobacterium tumefaciens chromosome [3].
• In addition, a potato tuber disk virulence assay indicated that a preinduced picA mutant was more virulent than was the wild-type control, a further indication that the picA locus regulates the surface properties of the bacterium in the presence of plant cells or plant cell extracts [3].
• This sequence, denoted pgl, has extensive homology to polygalacturonase genes from several organisms and inhibited the induction of the picA promoter when present in multiple copies in A. tumefaciens [3].
• S1 nuclease mapping was used to identify the transcription initiation site of picA [3].

Biological context of picA

• picA is an Agrobacterium tumefaciens chromosomal locus, identified by Mu d11681 mutagenesis, that is inducible by certain acidic polysaccharides found in carrot root extract [3].
• DNA sequence analysis indicated at least two long open reading frames (ORFs) in the picA region [3].
• One set contains a fragment containing the lacIq and lacZ genes and a multiple cloning site from pBluescriptII SK(+) inserted into a PstI site between the pgl and picA genes on an incPalpha plasmid [2].

Other interactions of picA

• Mutation of picA had no detectable effect upon bacterial growth or virulence under laboratory assay conditions [4].

References