Heterogenous expression of poly-gamma-glutamic acid synthetase complex gene of Bacillus licheniformis WBL-3

Prikl Biokhim Mikrobiol. 2011 Jul-Aug;47(4):424-8.

Abstract

Bacillus licheniformis WBL-3, one of poly-gamma-glutamic acid (gamma-PGA) producers, depends on the existence of glutamate in the medium. In this paper, gamma-PGA synthetase complex gene (pgsBCA) was cloned from Bacillus licheniformis WBL-3. pgsBCA gene of B. licheniformis WBL-3 was highly homologous with pgsBCA gene of B. licheniformis 14580. The similarity was 97%, but the similarity of pgsBCA gene between B. licheniformis WBL-3 and Bacillus subtilis IF03336 was only 74%. However, when pgsBCA was expressed in Escherichia coli, the E. coli clone produced gamma-PGA extracellularly. The yield of gamma-PGA was 8.624 g/l. This result infers that B. licheniformis and B. subtilis has the similar gamma-PGA biosynthesis mechanism, namely, glutamic acid is catalyzed by an ATP-dependent amide ligase to synthesize gamma-PGA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacillus / chemistry
  • Bacillus / enzymology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Electrophoresis, Agar Gel
  • Escherichia coli* / enzymology
  • Escherichia coli* / genetics
  • Gene Expression
  • Genetic Engineering / methods*
  • Ligases / genetics
  • Ligases / metabolism*
  • Plasmids
  • Polyglutamic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Polyglutamic Acid / biosynthesis
  • Polyglutamic Acid / isolation & purification
  • Polyglutamic Acid / metabolism
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism*
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Protein Isoforms
  • poly(gamma-glutamic acid)
  • Polyglutamic Acid
  • Ligases