title: Gene cloning and characterization of α-amino acid ester acyl transferase in Empedobacter brevis ATCC14234 and Sphingobacterium siyangensis AJ2458.
abstract: The gene encoding α-amino acid ester acyl transferase (AET), the enzyme that catalyzes the peptide-forming reaction from amino acid methyl esters and amino acids, was cloned from Empedobacter brevis ATCC14234 and Sphingobacterium siyangensis AJ2458 and expressed in Escherichia coli. This is the first report on the aet gene. It encodes a polypeptide composed of 616 (ATCC14234) and 619 (AJ2458) amino acids residues. The V(max) values of these recombinant enzymes during the catalysis of L-alanyl-L-glutamine formation from L-alanine methylester and L-glutamine were 1,010 U/mg (ATCC14234) and 1,154 U/mg (AJ2458). An amino acid sequence similarity search revealed 35% (ATCC14234) and 36% (AJ2458) identity with an α-amino acid ester hydrolase from Acetobacter pasteurianus, which contains an active-site serine in the consensus serine enzyme motif, GxSYxG. In the deduced amino acid sequences of AET from both bacteria, the GxSYxG motif was conserved, suggesting that AET is a serine enzyme.
authors: Research Institute for Bioscience Products and Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co, Inc, Kawasaki, Japan. isao_abe@ajinomoto.com
authors: Isao
authors: I
authors: Abe
authors: Seiichi
authors: S
authors: Hara
authors: Kenzo
authors: K
authors: Yokozeki
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000409:Alanine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005417:Flavobacterium / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D005973:Glutamine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D045249:Sphingobacterium / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D005973:Glutamine; D000217:Acyltransferases; D000409:Alanine