title: Cloning and sequencing of the ilvBNC gene cluster from Mycobacterium avium.
abstract: Disseminated Mycobacterium avium (Ma)-M. intracellulare disease is a prevalent opportunistic infection in patients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Mycobacteria produce a variety of fatty acids which provide the first line of defence against potentially lethal environmental conditions. The metabolism of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) could be correlated to the production of branched-chain fatty acids in mycobacteria. In order to develop a better understanding of Mycobacterium BCAA biosynthesis, three genes, ilvBN and ilvC, encoding acetohydroxy acid synthase (AHS) and acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase (IR), respectively, were cloned from Ma. The genes were isolated by screening a Ma genomic library with a heterologous probe. The deduced amino acid sequences revealed significant homology to the AHS and IR proteins from other bacterial species.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Genetica e Microbiologia, A. Buzzati-Traverso, Università di Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gusberti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cantoni
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Rossi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Branzoni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riccardi
mesh_terms: D000095:Acetolactate Synthase / Q000235:genetics*; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D050540:Ketol-Acid Reductoisomerase; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D009162:Mycobacterium avium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases; D050540:Ketol-Acid Reductoisomerase; D000095:Acetolactate Synthase