Sokol, Pamela A.Gingues, Sonia2005-08-162005-08-1620040612976475http://hdl.handle.net/1880/41542Bibliography: p. 151-173The distribution of the zinc metalloprotease gene, zmpA, and a sedolisin gene, scpB, was determined in the Burkholderia cepacia complex. Extracellular proteolytic activity correlated with the presence of zmpA with the exception of five strains that possess zmpA but are protease negative. To investigate the regulation of zmpA in these strains, zmpA::lacZ, zmpA::luxCDABE, cepl::luxCDABE and cepR::luxCDABE transcriptional fusions were constructed. zmpA, cepl and cepR genes are expressed in all the strains tested; however, different patterns of expression are observed. Protease activity of two of the five strains was restored by introduction of zmpA encoding an active protease. The amino acid sequence of the zinc metalloprotease from the two complemented strains was compared with that of an active protease. The two protease negative strains contain a serine to threonine substitution at position 489. ScpB mutants were constructed and scpB localized to the periplasm.xiv, 173 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.master thesis10.11575/PRISM/15768AC1 .T484 2004 G56