Menaquinone (vitamin K2) biosynthesis: localization and characterization of the menE gene from Escherichia coli

In Escherichia coli, the biosynthesis of the electron carrier menaquinone (vitamin K₂) involves at least seven identified enzymatic activities, five of which are encoded in the men cluster. One of these, the conversion of o-succinylbenzoic acid to 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, requires the formation of o-succinylbenzoyl-CoA (OSB-CoA) as an intermediate. Formation of the intermediate is mediated by OSB-CoA synthetase encoded by the menE locus known to be located either 5′ of menB, or 3′ of menC. A DNA fragment overlapping the 3′ end of menC is shown by enzymatic complementation to elevate OSB-CoA synthetase activity. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the fragment identified a 1.355-kb open reading frame (ORF) which, when deleted at either the 5′ or 3′ end, failed to generate increased enzymatic activity. The ORF is preceded by a consensus ribosome-binding site, but no apparent σ⁷⁰ promoter. An oppositely transcribed unidentified gene cluster follows the menE ORF. The region 5′ of menB contains an additional ORF of unknown function (orf241) and establishes the order of genes in the men cluster as menD, orf241, menB, menC and menE. All loci are transcribed counter-clockwise.     

Regulation of lysine biosynthesis in Escherichia coli K12.

A general survey of the regulation in lysine biosynthesis in Escherichia coli K12 is presented. No polygenic operon exists for the genes that code for enzymes of the lysine biosynthetic pathway. Lysyl-tRNA is not directly involved as a co-repressor in the pathway. Different regulation mechanisms must exist for the different enzymes. In the case of the last enzyme, diaminopimelate decarboxylase, its synthesis is induced in vivo by the lysine-sensitive aspartokinase under its non-inhibited allosteric conformation.     

温度对大肠埃希菌Mn-SOD基因启动子调控条件的优化

目的 构建大肠埃希菌BL21 Mn-SOD-RFP报告基因载体,并探讨温度对大肠埃希菌Mn-SOD基因启动子的调控.方法 利用重组PCR技术,构建以Mn-SOD启动子调控的红色荧光蛋白(RFP)报告基因载体,将融合基因与T载体连接导入大肠埃希菌中,在不同温度(20、37、40和45℃)培养不同时间(13、20、30、37、44和54 h)后,利用荧光显微镜和荧光光度计观察大肠埃希菌表达RFP的情况.结果 正确构建Mn-SOD-RFP融合基因,重组PCR结果与测序结果完全一致;不同温度不同时间诱导后,Mn-SOD启动子在37℃,培养30～ 37 h表达的红色荧光蛋白最多.结论 成功构建该报告基因载体,并完成温度、时间对其调控的优化,为更进一步研究其他因素对SOD基因启动子的调控机制奠定基础.