title: Characterization of genes for the biosynthesis of the compatible solute ectoine from Marinococcus halophilus and osmoregulated expression in Escherichia coli.
abstract: The genes of the biosynthetic pathway of ectoine (1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acid) from the Gram-positive moderate halophile Marinococcus halophilus were cloned by functional expression in Escherichia coli. These genes were not only expressed, but also osmoregulated in E. coli, as demonstrated by increasing cytoplasmic ectoine concentration in response to medium salinity. Sequencing of a 4.4 kb fragment revealed four major ORFs, which were designated ectA, ectB, ectC and orfA. The significance of three of these genes for ectoine synthesis was proved by sequence comparison with known proteins and by physiological experiments. Several deletion derivatives of the sequenced fragment were introduced into E. coli and the resulting clones were investigated for their ability to synthesize ectoine or one of the intermediates in its biosynthetic pathway. It was demonstrated that ectA codes for L-2,4-diaminobutyric acid acetyltransferase, ectB for L-2,4-diaminobutyric acid transaminase and ectC for L-ectoine synthase. A DNA region upstream of ectA was shown to be necessary for the regulated expression of ectoine synthesis in response to the osmolarity of the medium.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Mikrobiologie & Biotechnologie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.affiliation: Institut für Mikrobiologie & Biotechnologie, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 168, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Erwin A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Galinski
mesh_terms: D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000235:genetics; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D006836:Hydro-Lyases / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D000637:Transaminases / Q000235:genetics; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance
chemical_list: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C045628:ectoine; C106232:2,4-diaminobutyric acid acetyltransferase; D000123:Acetyltransferases; D000637:Transaminases; C106233:2,4-diaminobutyric acid transaminase; D006836:Hydro-Lyases; C106231:ectoine synthase