• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.80-87
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• 2000

The nucleotide sequence of the luxC gene coding for lux-specific fatty acyl-CoA reductase and the upstream DNA (325bp)of the structural gene from bioluminescent bacterium, Photobacterium phosphoreum, has been deternubed. An open reading frame extending for more than 20 codons in 325 bp DNA upstream of luxC was not present in both directions. The lux gene can be translated into a polypeptide of 54 kDa and the amino acid sequences of lux specific reductases of P. phosphoreum shares 80, 65, 58, and 62% identity with those of the Photobacterium leiognathi, Vibrio fischeri, Vibrio harveyi, and Xehnorhabdus luminescenens reductases, respectively. Analyses of codon usage, showing that a high frequency (2.3%) of the isoleucine codon, AUA, in the luxC gene compared to that found in Escherichia coli genes (0.2%) and its absence in the luxA and B genes, suggested that the AUA codon may play a modulator role in the expression of lux gene in E. coli. The structural genes (luxC, D, A, B, E) of the P. phosphoreum coding for luciferase (${\alpha}$,${\beta}$) and fatty acid reductase (r, s, t) polypeptides can be expressed exclusively in E. coli under the T7 phage RNA polymerase/promoter system and identificationof the [35S]methionine labelled polypeptide products. The degree of expression of lux genes in analyses of codon usage. High expression of the luxC gene could only be accomplished in a mutant E. coli 43R. Even in crude extracts, the acylated acyl-CoA reductase intermediate as well as acyl-CoA reductrase activities could be readily detected.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.47-50
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• 2004

The defenses against free radical damage include specialized repair enzymes that correct oxidative damages in DNA, and detoxification systems such as superoxide dismutases. These defenses may be coordinated genetically as global responses. We hypothesized that the expression of the SOD and the DNA repair genes would inhibit DNA damage under oxidative stress. Therefore, the protection of E. coli mutants deficient in SOD and DNA repair genes $(sod^-\;xth^-\;and\;nfo^-)$ was demonstrated by transforming the mutant strain with a plasmid pYK9 which encoded Photobacterium leiognathi CuZnSOD and human AP endonuclease. The results show that survival rates were increased in $sod^+\;xth^-\;nfo^+$ cells compared to $sod^-\;xth^-\;ap^+,\;sod^-\;xth^-\;ap^-,\;and\;sod^+\;xth^-\;ap^-$ cells under oxidative stress generated from 0.1 mM Paraquat or 3 mM $H_2O_2$. The data suggested that, at least, SOD and DNA repair enzymes may have collaborate protection and repair of the damaged DNA. Additionally, both enzymes are required for protection against free radicals.