Genes for phosphonate biodegradation in Escherichia coli.
Escherichia coli has a carbon-phosphorus (C-P) lyase with a broad substrate specificity, whose synthesis is induced many hundred fold during phosphate (Pi) limitation. Fourteen genes for phosphonate metabolism comprise the phnC-to-phnP gene cluster: three gene products (PhnC, PhnD, and PhnE) comprise a binding protein-dependent phosphonate transporter, which also transports Pi and phosphate esters; two gene products (PhnF and PhnO) may have a role in gene regulation; and nine gene products (PhnG, PhnH, PhnI, PhnJ, PhnK, PhnL, PhnM, PhnN, and PhnP) may comprise a C-P lyase enzyme complex. Phosphonate biodegradation via a C-P lyase appears to be limited by the specificity of the PhnCDE transporter and not by the specificity of the C-P lyase. These interpretations are based on results from a combination of molecular genetic and molecular biological studies on phosphonate metabolism in E. coli.
Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907.
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D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008190:Lyases / Q000235:genetics; D005810:Multigene Family; D063065:Organophosphonates / Q000378:metabolism*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism
D063065:Organophosphonates; D010710:Phosphates; D008190:Lyases; C051328:carbon-phosphorus lyase