title: The galE gene encoding the UDP-galactose 4-epimerase of Brevibacterium lactofermentum is coupled transcriptionally to the dmdR gene.
abstract: The galE gene of Brevibacterium lactofermentum, encoding UDP-galactose 4-epimerase (EC 5.1.3.2), has been identified by DNA sequencing downstream from the orf1-sigB-dmdR region. The arrangement of the sigB-dtxR-galE cluster is also conserved in Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The deduced galE product was a protein of 329 aa residues (35.4 kDa) that shared a high degree of identity to known UDP-galactose 4-epimerase proteins from Gram-positive microorganisms (Streptomyces lividans and Streptococcus thermophilus). Transcriptional analysis of the dmdR and galE genes in nutrient-rich medium showed that these genes are part of an operon, that is actively transcribed as a bicistronic mRNA during the exponential growth phase, but transcription of the operon is decreased during the stationary growth phase. In addition, the dmdR gene was also expressed as a monocistronic 0.7-kb transcript during the active growth phase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of León, Spain.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Oguiza
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Marcos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malumbres
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Martín
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001951:Brevibacterium / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014534:UDPglucose 4-Epimerase / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C075586:DtxR protein, Corynebacterium diphtheriae; D014534:UDPglucose 4-Epimerase; C020551:galactose epimerase