Identification and characterization of γ-aminobutyric acid uptake system GabPCg (NCgl0464) in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Corynebacterium glutamicum is widely used for industrial production of various amino acids and vitamins, and there is growing interest in engineering this bacterium for more commercial bioproducts such as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). In this study, a C. glutamicum GABA-specific transporter (GabP(Cg)) encoded by ncgl0464 was identified and characterized. GabP(Cg) plays a major role in GABA uptake and is essential to C. glutamicum growing on GABA. GABA uptake by GabP(Cg) was weakly competed by l-Asn and l-Gln and stimulated by sodium ion (Na(+)). The K(m) and V(max) values were determined to be 41.1 ± 4.5 µM and 36.8 ± 2.6 nmol min(-1) (mg dry weight [DW])(-1), respectively, at pH 6.5 and 34.2 ± 1.1 µM and 67.3 ± 1.0 nmol min(-1) (mg DW)(-1), respectively, at pH 7.5. GabP(Cg) has 29% amino acid sequence identity to a previously and functionally identified aromatic amino acid transporter (TyrP) of Escherichia coli but low identities to the currently known GABA transporters (17% and 15% to E. coli GabP and Bacillus subtilis GabP, respectively). The mutant RES167 Δncgl0464/pGXKZ9 with the GabP(Cg) deletion showed 12.5% higher productivity of GABA than RES167/pGXKZ9. It is concluded that GabP(Cg) represents a new type of GABA transporter and is potentially important for engineering GABA-producing C. glutamicum strains.

Phenylacetic acid catabolism and its transcriptional regulation in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

The industrially important organism Corynebacterium glutamicum has been characterized in recent years for its robust ability to assimilate aromatic compounds. In this study, C. glutamicum strain AS 1.542 was investigated for its ability to catabolize phenylacetic acid (PAA). The paa genes were identified; they are organized as a continuous paa gene cluster. The type strain of C. glutamicum, ATCC 13032, is not able to catabolize PAA, but the recombinant strain ATCC 13032/pEC-K18mob2::paa gained the ability to grow on PAA. The paaR gene, encoding a TetR family transcription regulator, was studied in detail. Disruption of paaR in strain AS 1.542 resulted in transcriptional increases of all paa genes. Transcription start sites and putative promoter regions were determined. An imperfect palindromic motif (5'-ACTNACCGNNCGNNCGGTNAGT-3'; 22 bp) was identified in the upstream regions of paa genes. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) demonstrated specific binding of PaaR to this motif, and phenylacetyl coenzyme A (PA-CoA) blocked binding. It was concluded that PaaR is the negative regulator of PAA degradation and that PA-CoA is the PaaR effector. In addition, GlxR binding sites were found, and binding to GlxR was confirmed. Therefore, PAA catabolism in C. glutamicum is regulated by the pathway-specific repressor PaaR, and also likely by the global transcription regulator GlxR. By comparative genomic analysis, we reconstructed orthologous PaaR regulons in 57 species, including species of Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Flavobacteria, that carry PAA utilization genes and operate by conserved binding motifs, suggesting that PaaR-like regulation might commonly exist in these bacteria.

The ncgl1108 (PheP (Cg)) gene encodes a new L-Phe transporter in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Corynebacterium glutamicum played a central role in the establishment of fermentative production of amino acids, and it is a model for genetic and physiological studies. The general aromatic amino acid transporter, AroP(Cg), was the sole functionally identified aromatic amino acid transporter from C. glutamicum. In this study, the ncgl1108 (named as pheP (Cg), which is located upstream of the genetic cluster (ncgl1110 ~ ncgl1113) for resorcinol catabolism, was identified as a new L-Phe specific transporter from C. glutamicum RES167. The disruption of pheP (Cg) resulted in RES167∆ncgl1108, and this mutant showed decreased growth on L-Phe (as nitrogen source) but not on L-Tyr or L-Trp. Uptake assays with unlabeled and (14)C-labeled L-Phe and L-Tyr indicated that the mutants RES167∆ncgl1108 showed significant reduction in L-Phe uptake than RES167. Expression of pheP (Cg) in RES167∆ncgl1108/pGXKZ1 or RES167∆(ncgl1108-aroP (Cg))/pGXKZ1 restored their ability to uptake for L-Phe and growth on L-Phe. The uptake of L-Phe was not inhibited by nine amino acids but by L-Tyr. The K (m) and V (max) values of RES167∆(ncgl1108-aroP (Cg))/pGXKZ1 for L-Phe were determined to be 10.4 ± 1.5 µM and 1.2 ± 0.1 nmol min(-1) (mg DW)(-1), respectively, which are different from K (m) and V (max) values of RES167∆(ncgl1108-aroP (Cg)) for L-Phe [4.0 ± 0.4 µM and 0.6 ± 0.1 nmol min(-1) (mg DW)(-1)]. In conclusion, this PheP(Cg) is a new L-Phe transporter in C. glutamicum.

[Construction of Corynebacterium glutamicum/E. coli shuttle promoter-probe vector].

Based on the replication origins of the C. glutamicum pXZ10145 and the Escherichia coli ColE1 plasmid, a novel Corynebacterium glutamicum/Escherichia coli shuttle vector pAK6 was constructed. This vector was able to replicate in C. glutamicum and E. coli. Plasmid pAK6 carried multiple cloning site useful for gene cloning, kanamysin- and ampicillin-resistance-encoding gene. Furtherly based on the shuttle vector pAK6, a promoter-probe vector was developed for the isolation of promoter elements from C. glutamicum . This vector carried the promoterless chloramphenicol acetyltranstersae (CAT) gene as a reporter downstream from useful cloning site. For testing this promoter-probe vector, C. glutamicum genomic DNA was digested to completion with Sau3AI and the fragments shot-gun cloned into its unique Bgl II. Two fragments exhibiting promoter activity were isolated. By measuring CAT activity, the strength of promoter fragments was assayed. After being sequenced, promoter sequences were predicted by using BDGP Neural Network Promoter Prediction V2.2 and the similarities to the regions of the consensus promoter sequence or the known promoters were confirmed.

[Cloning, sequence analysis and expression of anthranilate synthetase gene in Corynebacterium pekinense].

Anthranilate synthetase (EC4.1.3.27;AS) genes from wild-type Corynebacterium pekinense AS1.299 and its mutant PD-67 were cloned and sequenced. Analysis of PCR fragments revealed that three ORFs existed, which corresponded to trpL, trpE and trpG gene, respectively. Six bases changes that resulted in the changes of five amino acids were found in the trpE structural gene of C. pekinense PD-67 and a single-base change that resulted in an amino acid substitution was found in the trpG structural gene of C. pekinense PD-67.A homology comparison revealed that C. pekinense AS1.299 was closely related to Corynebacterim glutamicum ATCC 13032 and Brevibacterium lactofermentum. An internal promoter was found in the upstream of the trpL gene from C. pekinense and it functioned in E. coli, but a single-base exchange (A to G) existed in the-35 box of PD-67. The trpEG genes from the wild-type strain and its mutant were expressed both in C. pekinense AS1.299 and PD-67, and the specific enzyme activities of transformed C. pekinense were much higher than that of the parental strains. The amplification of the activity of AS yielded 22.39% increase of L-tryptophan production, but the cell growth became slower than PD-67.

[Cloning, sequence analysis and expression of alanine racemase gene in Pseudomonas putida].

Two distinct alanine racemase genes from Pseudomonas putida 200 were cloned and sequenced. DadX encodes a peptide of 357 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 38.82kDa. The putative product of alr gene is a peptide of 409 amino acids with molecular weight of 44.182kDa. A homology comparison revealed identities of 96.64%, 71.99%, 44.88% and 47.37% of the DadX alanine racemase to those from P. putida KT2440, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli, respectively. The amino acids sequence deduced from alr gene showed the homologies of 94.38%, 22.89%, 25.72% and 26.44% to those from the microorganisms above, respectively. Two motifs believed essential to the enzyme activity are found both in DadX and Alr, such as pyridoxal-5'-phosphate binding site. Both dadX and alr were expressed in E. coli TG1. Neither alanine racemase activity or serine racemase activity was detected in the host strain. Only alanine racemase activity was found in E. coli TG1/pCTD. But both E. coli TG1/pCTA and TG1/pCBA exhibit activity toward L-alanine and L-serine. Transcription of alr gene in E. coli is independent from extraneous promoter, a result confirmed by the significant enzyme activity observed in the E. coli TG1/pCBA, which indicates the presence of a possible promoter upstream the structure gene.

[Cloning, sequence analysis and expression of N-acetylglutamate kinase gene in Corynebacterium crenatum].

N-Acetylglutamate kinase (EC 2.7.2.8;NAGK) genes from wild-type Corynebacterium crenatum AS 1.542 and a L-arginine-producing mutant C. crenatum 971.1 were cloned and sequenced. Analysis of argB sequences revealed that only one ORF existed, which used ATG as the initiation codon and coded a peptide of 317 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 33.6kDa. Only one nucleotide difference was found in the structure gene and the difference did not cause a change of amino acid by comparison of the gene sequences between the wild type C. crenatum AS 1.542 and the mutant 971.1. The ORF sequence of argB from C. crenatum AS 1.542 showed homologies of 99.89%, 76.62%, 37.94% to those from Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032, Corynebacterium efficient YS-314 and Escherichia coli k12. And the amino acid sequence deduced from ORF displayed homologies of 100%, 78.55%, 25.25% to those from microorganisms above, respectively. An internal promoter was found in the upstream of the argB gene from C. crenatum. The argB gene from C. crenatum AS 1.542 was expressed both in C. crenatum AS 1.542 and 971.1. The NAGK activity of transformed C. crenatum AS 1.542 was greatly increased by the induction of IPTG. The NAGK activity of transformed C. crenatum 971.1 was almost twice as much as that of C. crenatum 971.1 under the same induction. The amplification of the NAGK activity yielded 25% increase of L-arginine production in C. crenatum 971.1.

[Expression of feedback-resistant aspartate kinase gene in Corynebacterium crenatum].

The AEC-resistant aspartate kinase gene from C. crenatum CD945 was cloned into vector pJC1. Its expression was investigated both in the wild type C. crenatum AS1.542 and its mutant C. crenatum CD945. The result showed that C. crenatum AS1.542 harboring AK(fbr) gene could grow on the defined medium with the co-existence of 12 mg/mL both of AEC and L-threonine respectively. Overexpression of AK(fbr) gene in C. crenatum CD945 results in a 4-fold increase of specific enzyme activity than the parental strain. The amplification of the activity of aspartate kinase yields 22% increase of L-lysine production and 23% increase of L-lysine productivity without affecting the growth rate.

Engineering of Ralstonia eutropha for the production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) from glucose.

Production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) with Ralstonia eutropha relies on the addition of propionate during fermentation, and propionate consumption is one of the major factors affecting the cost of PHBV production. In this study, 7 strains were obtained by genetic manipulating the methylcitric acid cycle and the methylmalonyl-CoA pathway in R. eutropha. Disruption of prpC1 and prpC2 genes did not affect cell growth and PHBV accumulation. All 7 strains were able to accumulation high amounts of PHBVs with 3HV fractions of 0.41-29.1 mol% during cultivation in flasks. Fermentation in 7.5-L fermenter showed that genetically engineered Rem-8 was able to yield biomass of 132.8 CDWg/L, of which 68.6% were PHBV with 3HV fraction of 26.0 mol% in the biopolymer, indicating promising potentials of commercialization in the future.