Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Vol.78, No.5, 793-799, 2008
Screening, cloning, expression, and purification of an acidic arylmalonate decarboxylase from Enterobacter cloacae KU1313
We have already isolated, purified, and characterized arylmalonate decarboxylases (AMDase; EC. 4.1.1.76) from Alcaligenes bronchisepticus KU1201 and Achromobacter sp. KU1311. These are unique enzymes that give optically pure alpha-arylpropionates from the corresponding alpha-aryl-alpha-methylmalonates. Recently, we have further screened novel AMDase producers from soil samples under acidic conditions and succeeded in isolating Enterobacter cloacae KU1313. The gene encoding the enzyme was cloned by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced. The AMDase gene consists of 720 nucleotides, which specifies a 240-amino-acid protein. The recombinant enzyme was purified and shown that the pH-activity profiles were quite different from those of known AMDases.
Keywords:Enterobacter cloacae;arylmalonate decarboxylase;AMDase;asymmetric decarboxylation;purification