title: Nucleotide sequence and expression of the aceK gene coding for isocitrate dehydrogenase kinase/phosphatase in Escherichia coli.
abstract: The flow of isocitrate through the glyoxylate bypass in Escherichia coli is regulated via the phosphorylation-dephosphorylation of isocitrate dehydrogenase mediated by a bifunctional enzyme: isocitrate dehydrogenase kinase/phosphatase. The aceK gene coding for this enzyme is part of the polycistronic ace operon, which also includes the aceB and aceA genes coding, respectively, for malate synthase and isocitrate lyase, the two glyoxylate bypass enzymes. The complete nucleotide sequence of a 2,214-base-pair DNA fragment containing the aceK gene and its 5' flanking region has been determined. In vivo experiments based on gene expression in a minicell system and protein fusion with beta-galactosidase, as well as in vitro assays with a plasmid-directed transcription-translation coupled system, have shown that the aceK gene extends over 1,731 nucleotides encoding a 66,528-dalton protein. The 5' flanking region presents an unusual intercistronic structural pattern consisting of two consecutive long dyad symmetries, almost identical in sequence, which can yield very stable stem-loop units. These structures are probably responsible for the drastic downshifting in expression observed in acetate-grown bacteria between the aceK gene and the aceA gene located immediately upstream in the ace operon.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Lyon, Villeurbanne, France.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cortay
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bleicher
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rieul
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Reeves
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cozzone
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000235:genetics*; D010957:Plasmids; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D011494:Protein Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C042301:isocitrate dehydrogenase kinase; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; C042300:isocitrate dehydrogenase phosphatase; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases