title: Poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) biosynthesis in Alcaligenes eutrophus H16. Identification and characterization of the PHB polymerase gene (phbC).
abstract: The phbC gene encoding the third enzyme of the poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate biosynthetic pathway, poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate polymerase, in Alcaligenes eutrophus H16 has been identified by the complementation of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate negative mutants of A. eutrophus H16. These results demonstrate that the three enzymes of the poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate biosynthetic pathway are organized phbC-phbA-phbB. Expression of all three genes in Escherichia coli results in a significant level (50% dry cell weight) of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate production. phbC encodes a polypeptide of Mr = 63,900 which has a hydropathy profile distinct from typical membrane proteins indicating that poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate biosynthesis probably does not involve a membrane complex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139.
authors.forename: O P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Peoples
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Sinskey
mesh_terms: D000421:Alcaligenes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005784:Gene Amplification; D005796:Genes; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010957:Plasmids; D011091:Polyesters / Q000378:metabolism*; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates
chemical_list: D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D011091:Polyesters; C003182:poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate; D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates