title: Expression in Escherichia coli of genes encoding the E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of Bacillus stearothermophilus and assembly of a functional E1 component (alpha 2 beta 2) in vitro.
abstract: The E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits of the pyruvate decarboxylase (E1) component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex of Bacillus stearothermophilus were produced from two genes overexpressed separately in Escherichia coli. A functional E1 enzyme was generated from disrupted mixtures of cells containing the separately overexpressed E1 alpha and E1 beta genes. The purified E1 enzyme exhibited an apparent molecular mass of 150,000 Da, consistent with an alpha 2 beta 2 structure. The Km for pyruvate and kcat (30 degrees C) were found to be 0.9 +/- 0.2 microM and 0.47 +/- 0.03 s-1, respectively. The purified E1 alpha subunit existed as a monomer (42,000 Da), whereas the E1 beta subunit existed mainly (95%) in a tetrameric form (145,000 Da). Mixing equimolar amounts of the pure recombinant E1 alpha and E1 beta subunits in vitro generated a functional E1 enzyme with a molecular mass and an E1 activity similar to those of the E1(alpha 2 beta 2) enzyme purified from disrupted mixtures of cells containing individually expressed subunits. Mixing individual subunits in vitro with one of the subunits in excess resulted in complete assembly of the lesser subunit into the intact E1 (alpha 2 beta 2) enzyme. Thus, no chaperonin is needed in vitro to promote the assembly of the separate subunits to form the E1 component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex of B. stearothermophilus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Lessard
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Perham
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D001411:Geobacillus stearothermophilus / Q000201:enzymology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011768:Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D011768:Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex; D011994:Recombinant Proteins