Functional expression of heterologous UDP-galactose-4-epimerase in Agrobacterium sp. via a broad host-range expression vector

We report here the first functional expression of a heterologous protein in an Agrobacterium sp. strain (LTU261). A 1014 bp gene coding for the dimeric 79 kDa UDP-galactose-4-epimerase from E. coli was successfully cloned into a 11 kb broad host-range expression vector. Both expression level and activity level in Agrobacterium sp. LTU 261 were about one-tenth of the level obtained in E. coli from the same plasmid. The success of the heterologous expression in Agrobacterium sp. opens up possibilities for introducing new products into this organism and offers opportunities for improvement in production and modification of the existing bioproducts from this organism.