Construction of a new gene integration platform system for theSynechococcus sp. PCC7942

According to the known sequence of iron stress-induced gene (isiAB operon), we cloned its 1.5 kb fragment by PCR, and used this fragment as integration homologous fragment. After several steps of subcloning donor DNA into theisiAB fragment, a donor plasmid pZL which could be integrated into the chromosomal DNA ofSynechococcus sp. PCC7942 was constructed. In order to express the heterologous gene at a high level through the integration platform system, we constructed the donor DNA by the following steps. We cloned the strong promoter (240 bp) of heat shock genegroESL operon fromSynechococcus sp. PCC7942 by PCR. Then subcloned the multiple cloning sites (MCS),rbcS polyA into the downstream of thegroESL promoter. The kanamycin resistance gene, as the marker gene, was also subcloned into the donor DNA. Thus, in the donor plasmid pZL, the integration homologous fragment and several expression elements, such asgroESL promoter, MCS,rbcS polyA terminator and kanamycin resistance gene, were all included.

After naturally transformed and introduced the donor plasmid pZL intoSynechococcus sp. PCC7942, as in the pZL, the donor DNA sequence is flanked by two DNA fragments (0.4 kb and 0.7 kb) homologous to theisiAB fragment ofSynechococcus sp. PCC7942, the homologous DNA can recombine with the chromosomal DNA. After screening by kanamycin, the transformants which integrated the heterologous DNA were selected. The efficiency of transformation is about 1×10^?6. By southern blot analysis, it was confirmed that the donor DNA had been integrated into the chromosomal DNA ofSynechococcus sp. PCC7942, located on the site of theisiAB gene, and can be replicated with the chromosomal DNA.