title: A second gene (qutH) within the Aspergillus nidulans-quinic-acid utilisation gene cluster encodes a protein with a putative zinc-cluster motif.
abstract: A sequence of 3299 nt, contiguous with the previously sequenced quinate permease-encoding (qutD) gene and encompassing the dehydroshikimate dehydratase-encoding (qutC) gene, has been determined. Northern-blot analysis detected (i) a quinate-inducible mRNA of the expected size for the qutC gene, and (ii) a quinate-inducible mRNA of 1.45 kb divergently transcribed away from qutC towards qutD. Computer-aided sequence analysis identified an ORF of 1047 nt corresponding to the qutC gene encoding dehydroshikimate dehydratase. In addition, a genetically uncharacterized 1188-nt gene, designated qutH and containing a putative intron of 61 nt, was identified between qutC and qutD. The inferred protein sequence encoded by qutH contains a putative 'zinc cluster' motif and has a low (16%) but significant similarity with the DNA-directed DNA polymerase of hepatitis B virus. The results are interpreted as being consistent with the view that the qutH gene encodes a DNA-binding protein, possibly involved in the regulation of genes essential for the utilisation of protocatechuic acid.
authors.affiliation: Department Biochemistry and Genetics, Medical School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K.
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hawkins
mesh_terms: D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects*; D005800:Genes, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics; D011801:Quinic Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D011801:Quinic Acid; C073833:QutH protein, Emericella nidulans; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases; C022641:Shikimate dehydrogenase; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase