title: Biotransformation of various alkanes using the Escherichia coli expressing an alkane hydroxylase system from Gordonia sp. TF6.
abstract: Biotransformation using alkane-oxidizing bacteria or their alkane hydroxylase (AH) systems have been little studied at the molecular level. We have cloned and sequenced genes from Gordonia sp. TF6 encoding an AH system, alkB2 (alkane 1-monooxygenase), rubA3 (rubredoxin), rubA4 (rubredoxin), and rubB (rubredoxin reductase). When expressed in Escherichia coli, these genes allowed the construction of biotransformation systems for various alkanes. Normal alkanes with 5 to 13 carbons were good substrates for this biotransformation, and oxidized to their corresponding 1-alkanols. Surprisingly, cycloalkanes with 5 to 8 carbons were oxidized to their corresponding cycloalkanols as well. This is the first study to achieve biotransformation of alkanes using the E. coli expressing the minimum component genes of the AH system. Our biotransformation system has facilitated assays and analysis leading to improvement of AH systems, and has indicated a cycloalkane oxidation pathway in microorganisms for the first time.
authors.affiliation: Bioresource Laboratories, Mercian Corporation, Iwata, Shizuoka 438-0078, Japan. fujii-td@mercian.co.jp
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Narikawa
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000378:metabolism*; D001711:Biotransformation / Q000502:physiology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D042926:Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A / Q000378:metabolism*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D033601:Gordonia Bacterium / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009247:NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D012416:Rubredoxins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D017931:DNA Primers; D012416:Rubredoxins; D042926:Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A; C023091:rubredoxin-NAD+ reductase; D009247:NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases