title: Cloning and expression of the phospholipase C gene from Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium bifermentans.
abstract: The phospholipase C gene from Clostridium perfringens was isolated, and its sequence was determined. It was found that the structural gene codes for a protein of 399 amino acid residues. The NH2-terminal residues have the typical features of a signal peptide and are probably cleaved after secretion. Escherichia coli cells harboring the phospholipase C gene-containing plasmid expressed high levels of this protein in the periplasmic space. Phospholipase C purified from E. coli transformants was enzymatically active, hemolytic to erythrocytes, and toxic to animals when injected intravenously. The phospholipase C gene from a related organism, Clostridium bifermentans, was also isolated. The two phospholipase C genes were found to be 64% homologous in coding sequence. The C. bifermentans protein, however, was 50-fold less active enzymatically than the C. perfringens enzyme.
authors.affiliation: Protein Design Labs, Inc., Palo Alto, California 94304.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Tso
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Siebel
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003013:Clostridium / Q000235:genetics*; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000235:genetics*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D010738:Type C Phospholipases