Escherichia coli peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase gene: regulation of expression and role in protecting against oxidative damage

Abstract

The Escherichia coli peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase gene (msrA) encodes a single-subunit polypeptide of 212 amino acid residues (M. A. Rahman, H. Nelson, H. Weissbach, and N. Brot, J. Biol. Chem. 267:15549-15551, 1992). RNA blot analysis showed that the gene is transcribed into an mRNA of about 850 nucleotides. The promoter region was characterized, and the transcription initiation site was identified by primer extension. The synthesis of the MsrA protein increased about threefold in a growth-phase-dependent fashion. In an attempt to define the in vivo role of msrA, a chromosomal disruption was constructed. This mutant was more sensitive to oxidative stress, suggesting that oxidation of methionine in proteins plays an important role in oxidative damage.