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Cloning and functional analysis of alkB genes in Alcanivorax borkumensis SK2
Author(s) -
Hara Akihiro,
Baik Sangho,
Syutsubo Kazuaki,
Misawa Norihiko,
Smits Theo H. M.,
Van Beilen Jan B.,
Harayama Shigeaki
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.954
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1462-2920
pISSN - 1462-2912
DOI - 10.1046/j.1462-2920.2003.00550.x
Subject(s) - alkb , biology , gene , alkane , cloning (programming) , organism , genetics , mutant , phenotype , biochemistry , escherichia coli , computer science , programming language , catalysis
Summary Alcanivorax is an alkane‐degrading marine bacterium which propagates and becomes predominant in crude‐oil‐containing seawater when nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients are supplemented. To identify the genes responsible for alkane degradation in this organism, two putative genes for alkane hydroxylases were cloned from Alcanivorax borkumensis SK2. They were named alkB1 and alkB2 . These genes were subsequently disrupted in A. borkumensis SK2, and the growth phenotypes of the disruptants were examined. The results indicate that the alkB1 gene is responsible for the degradation of short‐chain n ‐alkanes. A double mutant defective in both alkB1 and alkB2 was still able to grow on medium‐chain n ‐alkanes, indicating that genes other than alkB1 and alkB2 are also involved in n ‐alkane hydroxylation by A. borkumensis SK2.