A novel dual vector coexpressing PhiX174 lysis E gene and staphylococcal nuclease A gene on the basis of lambda promoter pR and pL, respectively.

Bacterial ghost is a novel vaccine platform, and its safe and efficient production depends largely upon a suitable and functional vector. In this study, a series of temperature-inducible plasmids, carrying Phix174 lysis gene E and/or staphylococcal nuclease A (SNA) gene, were constructed and evaluated in Escherichia coli. The results showed that the direct product of SNA (pBV220-SNA) could degrade the plasmid and genomic DNA of E. coli while the fusion product of gene E and partial Cro gene (pKF396M-2) lost the ability to lyse the host strain. The insertion of enhancer T7g10 elements and Shine-Dalgarno box (ESD) between them (pKF396M-3) could resume the function of gene E. Using plasmid pKF396M-4 with gene E and SNA, respectively, under the immediate control of promoter pR and pL, the remnant plasmids and genomic DNA of E. coli were eliminated, and the rates of inactivation increased by two orders of magnitude over that obtained with the exclusive use of E-mediated lysis plasmid. By substituting these two genes with customized multiple cloning sites sequences, the plasmid could be modified to a dual expression vector (pKF396M-5).