Figure 1

RecU and PBP2 are encoded in the same operon. A – Schematic representation of the recU-pbp2 operon in the NCTC8325-4 wild-type strain (top) and the 8325-4recUi mutant strain (bottom) where the recU gene, including the RBS, was placed in the spa locus under the control of the IPTG inducible P _spac promoter (white flag). Subsequently, the first 165 codons of the native copy of recU were deleted. Black flags represent the promoters (P1 and P2) of the recU-pbp2 operon. B – Western blot analysis of PBP2 levels in control strain BCBHV008 and recU inducible mutant 8325-4recUi grown in the presence or absence of IPTG showing that PBP2 levels were not affected by recU deletion. FtsZ was used as an internal control of total protein loaded.