Open AccessCloning of a Serratia marcescens DNA fragment that induces quinoprotein glucose dehydrogenase‐mediated gluconic acid production in Escherichia coli in the presence of stationary phase Serratia marcescens
Author(s) -
Krishnaraj P.U.,
Goldstein A.H.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2001.tb10950.x
Subject(s) - serratia marcescens , gluconic acid , escherichia coli , dehydrogenase , plasmid , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , biochemistry , serratia , strain (injury) , enterobacteriaceae , chemistry , enzyme , gene , genetics , pseudomonas , anatomy
Serratia marcescens ER2 was isolated from an endorhizosphere sample based on its high level of mineral phosphate solubilizing (MPS) activity. This phenotype was correlated with expression of the direct oxidation pathway. An ER2 plasmid library constructed in Escherichia coli strain DH5α was screened for MPS activity. A recombinant clone DH5α (pKG3791) was capable of gluconic acid (GA) production and tricalcium phosphate solubilization but only in the presence of stationary phase ER2 cells. GA production in DH5α (pKG3791) was apparently the result of the quinoprotein glucose dehydrogenase activity because AG121 (a Tn5 knockout of gcd ) carrying pKG3791 did not produce GA under the same conditions. GA production by DH5α (pKG3791) was not observed when ER2 was replaced by another PQQ‐producing strain bacterium. These data add to a growing body of evidence that E. coli contains some type of PQQ biosynthesis pathway distinct from those previously characterized in Gram‐negative bacteria and that these genes may be induced under appropriate conditions.