title: Functional identification of p-cumate operons in the terpene-degrading Rhodococcus sp. strain T104.
abstract: We identified a p-cumate degrading gene cluster (designated cmt) with a novel organization in our genomic studies of the terpene-degrading Rhodococcus sp. strain T104. The mutant strain SN140, isolated for the inability to grow on p-cumate, accumulates 2,3-dihydroxy-p-cumate as identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and 300 MHz proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction experiments showed that the cmt genes are operonic and induced specifically by growth on p-cumate. This report is the first example of identifying the genes for p-cumate degradation in a gram-positive organism based on functional data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Dockyu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ki Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Na Ra
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Jong Chan
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Gerben J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Zylstra
authors.forename: Sung-Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Choong-Hwan
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eungbin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D001565:Benzoates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D023061:Gene Order; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D009154:Mutation; D009876:Operon / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012240:Rhodococcus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D013729:Terpenes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001565:Benzoates; D013729:Terpenes; C055607:cumic acid