Molecular Cloning of the nahC Gene Encoding 1,2-Dihydroxynaphthalene Dioxygenase from Pseudomonas fluorescens

The complete nucleotide sequence of the nahC gene from Pseudomonas fluorescens, the structural gene for 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene (1,2-DHN) dioxygenase, was determined. The 1,2-DHN dioxygenase is an extradiol ring-cleavage enzyme that cleaves the first ring of 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene. The amino acid sequence of the dioxygenase deduced from the nucleotide sequence suggested that the holoenzyme consists of eight identical subunits with a molecular weight of approximately 34,200. The amino acid sequence of 1,2-DHN dioxygenase showed more than $90\%$ homology with those of the dioxygenases of other Pseudomonas strains. However, sequence similarity with those of the Sphingomonas species was less than $60\%$. The nahC gene of P. fluorescens was moderately expressed in E. coli NM522, as determined by enzymatic activity.