Part:BBa_K5121011
Reb1 Locus
Promoter - rebA - rebB - rebC - rebD - Terminator
Sequence and Features
- 10COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[10]
- 12INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[12]Illegal NheI site found at 1481
Illegal NheI site found at 1543 - 21INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[21]Illegal BamHI site found at 1423
Illegal XhoI site found at 1721 - 23COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[23]
- 25COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[25]
- 1000COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[1000]
Refractile bodies, known as R bodies, are ribbon-like protein complexes produced by certain strains of bacteria. Five classes of R bodies have been described — this part specifically encodes a modified type 51 R body containing four genes; rebA, rebB, rebC, and rebD. rebA and rebB constitute the primary structural components of R bodies, while rebC is thought to aid in the polymerisation process — the function of rebD remains unknown (Heruth et al., 1994). Under basic conditions, R bodies exist in a coiled-up conformation but will extend in a telescopic fashion under acidic conditions (Heruth et al., 1994). In nature, R bodies are produced by bacterial endosymbionts of some Paramecia. Also referred to as kappa particles, these bacteria constitute the genus Caedibacter (Beier et al., 2002). These bacterial endosymbionts confer a killer trait to host paramecia — when released and taken up by sensitive paramecia, the bacteria are exposed to an acidifying environment in the endosome. These conditions cause the extension of R bodies inside the bacteria, rupturing them and the endosome to release a toxin to kill the host cell (Pond et al., 1989). Their ability to burst endosomes make R bodies appealing candidates for use in drug delivery, as they could hold the key to solving the endosomal escape problem.
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