title: Mutation in a "tesB-like" hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A-specific thioesterase gene causes hyperproduction of extracellular polyhydroxyalkanoates by Alcanivorax borkumensis SK2.
abstract: A novel mutant of the marine oil-degrading bacterium Alcanivorax borkumensis SK2, containing a mini-Tn5 transposon disrupting a "tesB-like" acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) thioesterase gene, was found to hyperproduce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), resulting in the extracellular deposition of this biotechnologically important polymer when grown on alkanes. The tesB-like gene encodes a distinct novel enzyme activity, which acts exclusively on hydroxylated acyl-CoAs and thus represents a hydroxyacyl-CoA-specific thioesterase. Inactivation of this enzyme results in the rechanneling of CoA-activated hydroxylated fatty acids, the cellular intermediates of alkane degradation, towards PHA production. These findings may open up new avenues for the development of simplified biotechnological processes for the production of PHA as a raw material for the production of bioplastics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Microbiology, HZI-Helmholtz Center fro Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany. jsa05@helmholtz-hzi.de
authors.forename: Julia S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Sabirova
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lünsdorf
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wray
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kalscheuer
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steinbüchel
authors.forename: Kenneth N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Timmis
authors.forename: Peter N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Golyshin
mesh_terms: D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A / Q000378:metabolism*; D000473:Alkanes / Q000378:metabolism; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D003470:Culture Media; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D020563:Gammaproteobacteria / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009154:Mutation; D011091:Polyesters / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A; D000473:Alkanes; D003470:Culture Media; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D011091:Polyesters; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases; C022883:octadecane