Cloning, sequencing and complementation analysis of the recA gene from Prevotella ruminicola

Degenerate PCR primers based on conserved RecA protein regions were used to amplify a portion of recA [corrected] from Prevotella ruminicola strain 23, which was used as a probe to isolate the full-length recA gene from the P. ruminicola genomic library. The P. ruminicola recA gene encoded a protein of 340 amino acids with a molecular mass of 36.81 kDa, P. ruminicola RecA was highly similar to other RecA proteins and most closely resembled that of Bacteroides fragilis (75% identity). It alleviated the methyl methanesulfonate and mitomycin C sensitivities of Escherichia coli recA mutants, but did not restore the resistance to UV-light irradiation. Mitomycin C treatment of otherwise isogenic E. coli strains showed a higher level of prophage induction in a recA harboring lysogen.