The gene coding for the 190,000-dalton iron-regulated protein of Yersinia species is present only in the highly pathogenic strains.

A genomic library containing DNA fragments of 0.5 to 2 kilobase pairs in length from Yersinia enterocolitica serovar O:8 was constructed in a bacteriophage lambda gt11 expression vector. Mouse antibodies specific for the iron-regulated high-molecular-weight proteins (HMWPs) were used to screen the library. Two positive clones of 1 and 0.5 kilobase pairs, designated A13 and D7, respectively, were detected and isolated. They coded for beta-galactosidase fusion proteins of 151,000 and 138,000 daltons (Da). Antibodies affinity purified on the two recombinant lambda gt11 vectors specifically recognized the smaller HMWP (190,000 Da) and not the larger (240,000 Da). The two cloned DNA fragments were used to construct recombinant amplification plasmid pUC13 and to obtain large amounts of purified A13 and D7 inserts. Southern hybridizations performed with the inserts used as probes revealed that: (i) the two cloned DNA fragments overlap; (ii) only one gene hybridizes with the A13 and D7 inserts; (iii) the gene coding for the HMWP is conserved among all highly pathogenic Yersinia species studied; (iv) this gene is missing in the low-virulence and nonvirulent strains; and (v) transcription of the HMWP gene is induced by iron starvation.