Control and heterologous expression in Escherichia coli of the Klebsiella pneumoniae gene encoding alginate lyase

The gene (aly) encoding the guluronate-specific alginate lyase from Klebsiella pneumoniae has been subcloned into the plasmid vector pHG327, transformed into Escherichia coli, and expressed in this host. Three groups of lyase-positive clones have been identified in which one or more copies of a 1.95-kb HindIII fragment encoding the gene have been inserted. The enzyme is expressed constitutively from its own promoter, but the efficiency depends on the orientation of the insert within the vector. Similarly, enhanced expression by induction of the vector's lac promoter is also orientation-dependent.