Open AccessMutation in a “ tesB -Like” Hydroxyacyl-Coenzyme A-Specific Thioesterase Gene Causes Hyperproduction of Extracellular Polyhydroxyalkanoates by Alcanivorax borkumensis SK2
Author(s) -
Julia Sabirova,
Manuel Ferrer,
Heinrich Lünsdorf,
Victor Wray,
Rainer Kalscheuer,
Alexander Steinbüchel,
Kenneth N. Timmis,
Peter N. Golyshin
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.652
H-Index - 246
eISSN - 1067-8832
pISSN - 0021-9193
DOI - 10.1128/jb.01321-06
Subject(s) - thioesterase , polyhydroxyalkanoates , biology , biochemistry , mutant , bioplastic , enzyme , coenzyme a , gene , extracellular , lipase , transposable element , biosynthesis , bacteria , genetics , ecology , reductase
A novel mutant of the marine oil-degrading bacterium Alcanivorax borkumensis SK2, containing a mini-Tn5 transposon disrupting a "tesB-like" acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) thioesterase gene, was found to hyperproduce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), resulting in the extracellular deposition of this biotechnologically important polymer when grown on alkanes. The tesB-like gene encodes a distinct novel enzyme activity, which acts exclusively on hydroxylated acyl-CoAs and thus represents a hydroxyacyl-CoA-specific thioesterase. Inactivation of this enzyme results in the rechanneling of CoA-activated hydroxylated fatty acids, the cellular intermediates of alkane degradation, towards PHA production. These findings may open up new avenues for the development of simplified biotechnological processes for the production of PHA as a raw material for the production of bioplastics.