Construction and analysis of plasmids containing the Escherichia coli serB gene.

Plasmid pserB59-1 carries the E. coli serB gene on a 5.2 kb BamHI fragment cloned into the BamHI site of plasmid pBR322. The results of genetic and biochemical experiments established that a functional serB gene is contained in the fragment. The location of the serB gene within the insert was determined by restriction endonuclease analysis of plasmids derived from pserB59-1 that carry the Tn5 element at sites that inactivate the serB gene, and by deletions of segments of the 5.2 kb insert that either inactivate or do not inactivate the serB gene. A 38,000 Mr serB+ polypeptide was detected when plasmid pserB59-1 was used as template in a minicell system, but not when the serB gene was inactivated by insertion of a Tn5 element.