Abstract

By PCR amplification using the sequence of the previously cloned shiga-like toxin II DNA, a gene encoding it has been cloned from an isolate of healthy Korean native bovine feces, Escherichia coli KSC109. The nucleotide sequence s included tow open reading frames coding for 319 and 89 amino acids corresponding to A and B subunits, respectively. Comparison of the nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequences of newly cloned gene (slt-II) with those of others in the SLT-II family revealed completely identical homology with SLT-II cloned previously from bacteriophabe DNA of E. coli 933 derived from a patient with hemorrhagic colities. In addition, the sequence homology of SLT-II with SLT-II variant form bovine was more than 95% at both the nucleotide and protein levels. Overexpression of SLT-II recombinant gene by induction with IPTG using an E, coli host-vector, system was conducted and the correctly processed products with active mature form exhibited 1000-fold higher cytotoxycity for Vero cells than that form original strain.

• Keywords: Shiga like toxin II gene; bovin feces; E. coli