Host proteins can stimulate Tn7 transposition: a novel role for the ribosomal protein L29 and the acyl carrier protein

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Abstract
The bacterial transposon Tn 7 is distinguished by its ability to insert at a high frequency into a specific site in the Escherichia coli chromosome called attTn7 . Tn 7 insertion into attTn7 requires four Tn 7 ‐encoded transposition proteins: TnsA, TnsB, TnsC and TnsD. The selection of attTn7 is determined by TnsD, a sequence‐specific DNA‐binding protein. TnsD binds attTn7 and interacts with TnsABC, the core transposition machinery, which facilitates the insertion of Tn 7 into attTn7 . In this work, we report the identification of two host proteins, the ribosomal protein L29 and the acyl carrier protein (ACP), which together stimulate the binding of TnsD to attTn7 . The combination of L29 and ACP also stimulates Tn 7 transposition in vitro . Interestingly, mutations in L29 drastically decrease Tn 7 transposition in vivo , and this effect of L29 on Tn 7 transposition is specific for TnsABC+D reactions.