title: Characterization of the locus encoding the [Ni-Fe] sulfhydrogenase from the archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus: evidence for a relationship to bacterial sulfite reductases.
abstract: The hydBGDA genes, which encode the four subunits beta, gamma, delta and alpha of the [Ni-Fe] hydrogenase from the archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus, have been isolated and sequenced using a PCR/IPCR-based strategy. From the sequence analysis it appears that the four structural genes are tightly linked and organized in a single transcription unit. The hydD and hydA gene products are related to the small and the large subunits of several archaeal and eubacterial [Ni-Fe] hydrogenases with an overall degree of sequence relatedness ranging from 35% to 50% (identity + similarity). In particular, the amino acid sequence motifs involved in the accommodation of nickel and iron-sulfur clusters are conserved. In addition, the database search revealed that the hydB and hydG gene products are homologous to the asrA- and asrB-encoded subunits of the sulfite reductase enzyme from Salmonella typhimurium. This is particularly interesting in view of the recent finding that the P. furiosus hydrogenase appears to be a bifunctional enzyme endowed with both proton- and sulfur-reducing activities.
authors.affiliation: ENIRICERCHE S.p.A.--Genetic Engineering and Microbiology Laboratories, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pedroni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Della Volpe
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Mura
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pratesi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grandi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001105:Archaea / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D006864:Hydrogenase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics*; D050862:Oxidoreductases Acting on Sulfur Group Donors / Q000235:genetics; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: C043296:nickel-iron hydrogenase; D006864:Hydrogenase; D050862:Oxidoreductases Acting on Sulfur Group Donors