Screening of phosphorylcholine phosphatase gene (pcp) in species of Pseudomonas by DNA-DNA homology.

FORRELLAD, MA; BEASSONI, PR; MASSIMELLI, MJ; LUCCHESI, GI; DOMENECH, CE; LISA, AT

Villa Carlos Paz, Córdoba

Congreso; XXXVIII Reunión Anual, Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular (SAIB); 2002

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular

   Many species of the genus Pseudomonas included in RNA group I are considered pathogens responsible for diseases in both animals and plants. P. aeruginosa induces phosphorylcholine phosphatase (PcP), cholinesterase and phospholipase C activities when grows in the presence of choline as C and N source. These three proteins, acting coordinately, may contribute to the breakdown of membrane phospholipids in certain infections caused by P. aeruginosa.    Recently we have identified the pcP gene in P. aeruginosa genome. By using the PCR amplified pcP gene as a probe, we can now report the existence of homologue pcP gene in other species of Pseudomonas genus such as P. cichorii, P. asplenii, P tolaasii, and P syringae. All these species were capable to grow in choline as C and N source and had PcP activity. DNA from P. putida, P. chlororaphis and others non-fluorescent species had not homology with the pcP probe, although grew in choline and presented an acid phosphatase activity.    The results obtained in the present work agree with previous biochemical approaches that indicated that the pcP gene is present in other Pseudomonas pathogenic strains besides P. aeruginosa.