title: Chlorella viruses contain genes encoding a complete polyamine biosynthetic pathway.
abstract: Two genes encoding the putative polyamine biosynthetic enzymes agmatine iminohydrolase (AIH) and N-carbamoylputrescine amidohydrolase (CPA) were cloned from the chloroviruses PBCV-1, NY-2A and MT325. They were expressed in Escherichia coli to form C-terminal (His)6-tagged proteins and the recombinant proteins were purified by Ni2+-binding affinity chromatography. The biochemical properties of the two enzymes are similar to AIH and CPA enzymes from Arabidopsis thaliana and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Together with the previously known virus genes encoding ornithine/arginine decarboxlyase (ODC/ADC) and homospermidine synthase, the chloroviruses have genes that encode a complete set of functional enzymes that synthesize the rare polyamine homospermidine from arginine via agmatine, N-carbamoylputrescine and putrescine. The PBCV-1 aih and cpa genes are expressed early during virus infection together with the odc/adc gene, suggesting that biosynthesis of putrescine is important in early stages of viral replication. The aih and cpa genes are widespread in the chlorella viruses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Physiology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsstrasse 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany. Sascha.Baumann@mpi-dortmund.mpg.de
authors.forename: Sascha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: Adrianne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sander
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gurnon
authors.forename: Giane M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Yanai-Balser
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Van Etten
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piotrowski
mesh_terms: D000581:Amidohydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism; D001482:Base Composition; D002708:Chlorella / Q000821:virology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007317:Insemination, Artificial, Homologous; D017862:Phycodnaviridae / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D011073:Polyamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011073:Polyamines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D001120:Arginine; D006867:Hydrolases; D000581:Amidohydrolases; C019626:agmatine deiminase