Expression of orf7(oxi III) as dTDP-Glucose 4,6-Dehydratase Gene Cloned from Streptomyces antibioticus Tu99 and Biochemical Characteristics of Expressed Protein

  • Published : 1999.04.01

Abstract

The gene orf7(oxi III) was expressed using an E. coli system in anticipation that it would encode dTDP-glucose 4,6-dehydratase which is involved in the biosynthesis of the olivose moiety of chlorothricin produced from Streptomyces antibioticus Tu99. The solubility of the expressed protein increased up to 20% under optimal induction conditions. The expressed protein was purified from the E. coli BL 21(DE3) cell lysate by a 28.5-fold purification in two chromatography steps with a 38% recovery to near homogeneity. The molecular weight and N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified protein correlated with the predicted mass and sequence deduced from the orf7 gene. The purified protein was a homodimer with a subunit relative molecular weight of 38,000 Dalton. The expressed protein was found to exhibit dTDP-glucose 4,6-dehydratase activity and be highly specific for dTDP-glucose as a substrate. The values of K'm and V'max for dTDP-glucose were 28 $\mu$M and 295 nmol $min^{-1} (mg protein)^{-1}$, respectively. dTTP and dTDP were strong inhibitors of this enzyme.$NAD^+$, the coenzyme for dTDP-glucose 4,6-dehydratase, was tightly bound to the expressed protein.

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