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pWW174: A large plasmid from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus encoding benzene catabolism by the β‐ketoadipate pathway
Author(s) -
Winstanley C.,
Taylor S. C.,
Williams P. A.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1987.tb00515.x
Subject(s) - acinetobacter calcoaceticus , biology , plasmid , gene , catabolism , mutant , enzyme , catechol , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , genetics , acinetobacter , bacteria
Summary Acinetobacter calcoaceticus RJE74 contains a large transmissible catabolic plasmid, pWW174, of about 200 kb, which encodes its ability to grow on benzene (Bzn + ). pWW174 was unstable in Acinetobacter hosts and was lost at high frequency in the absence of selection for Bzn*. The catabolic pathway appeared to be via benzene cis ‐glycol, catechol and the β‐ketoadipate (ortho) pathway. pWW174 encodes a catechol 1,2‐oxygenase which is significantly more thermolabile than the chromosomally determined enzyme. pWW174 was able to complement all cat mutants (catechol to central metabolites) of A. calcoaceticus ADP1 (BD413) tested. Two regions of the plasmid were cloned, one carrying catA , the gene for catechol 1,2‐oxygenase, and another carrying catBCDE , the subsequent four enzymes of the β‐ketoadipate pathway: these two regions appeared to be separated by at least 10 kbp. Hybridization indicated homology between the plasmid cat genes and the corresponding chromosomal genes of ADPL.