Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Novel Sequence Discovery by Subtractive Genomics
Published on: January 25, 2019
Identification of a novel bacteriocin-like protein and structural gene from Rhodococcus erythropolis JCM 2895, using
Wataru Kitagawa1,2, Shinya Mitsuhashi3,4, Miyako Hata5
1National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 2-17-2-1 Tsukisamu-Higashi, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo, 062-8517, Japan. w-kitagawa@aist.go.jp.
Abstract:
A novel bacteriocin-like protein and its structural gene (rap) were identified from Rhodococcus erythropolis JCM 2895. The rapA and B genes are located on a 5.4-kb circular plasmid, and were obtained using a modified suppression-subtractive hybridization method. The rapA and B genes were heterologously expressed in Rhodococcus sp. or Escherichia coli, and then characterized. The results indicated that RapA is a small, water-soluble, heat-stable antimicrobial protein, and that RapB is an immunity protein against RapA, estimated to be located on the cell membrane. RapA showed antimicrobial activity particularly against R. erythropolis, and the activity persisted even after SDS-PAGE analysis. For the heterologous expressed RapA protein, N-terminal amino acid sequence was also confirmed. This is the first report of a bacteriocin-like substance obtained from the genus Rhodococcus.
Related Concept Videos
Protein and Protein Structure
A protein's shape is critical to its function. For example, an enzyme...
Structural Protein Function
Collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals, is found throughout the body. In connective tissue, such as skin, ligaments, and tendons, it provides tensile strength and elasticity. In bones and teeth, it mineralizes to...
Structural Protein Function
Proteins: From Genes to Degradation
Transcription is the synthesis of RNA...
Resonance and Hybrid Structures
Resonance Structures and Resonance Hybrids
The Lewis structure of a nitrite anion (NO2−) may actually be drawn in two different ways, distinguished by the locations of the N–O and N=O bonds.
Structure of a Gene
However, only 1% of the DNA is composed of genes that encode proteins; the rest, 99% is non-coding DNA. This non-coding DNA performs...

