Novel organization of the genes for phthalate degradation from Burkholderia cepacia DBO1

Characterization of the isophthalate degradation genes of Comamonas sp. strain E6

The isophthalate (IPA) degradation gene cluster (iphACBDR) responsible for the conversion of IPA into protocatechuate (PCA) was isolated from Comamonas sp. strain E6, which utilizes phthalate isomers as sole carbon and energy sources via the PCA 4,5-cleavage pathway. Based on amino acid sequence similarity, the iphA, iphC, iphB, iphD, and iphR genes were predicted to code for an oxygenase component of IPA dioxygenase (IPADO), a periplasmic IPA binding receptor, a 1,2-dihydroxy-3,5-cyclohexadiene-1,5-dicarboxylate (1,5-DCD) dehydrogenase, a reductase component of IPADO, and an IclR-type transcriptional regulator, respectively. The iphACBDR genes constitute a single transcriptional unit, and transcription of the iph catabolic operon was induced during growth of E6 on IPA. The iphA, iphD, and iphB genes were expressed in Escherichia coli. Crude IphA and IphD converted IPA in the presence of NADPH into a product which was transformed to PCA by IphB. These results suggested that IPADO is a two-component dioxygenase that consists of a terminal oxygenase component (IphA) and a reductase component (IphD) and that iphB encodes the 1,5-DCD dehydrogenase. Disruption of iphA and iphB resulted in complete loss of growth of E6 on IPA. Inactivation of iphD significantly affected growth on IPA, and the iphC mutant did not grow on IPA at neutral pH. These results indicated that the iphACBD genes are essential for the catabolism of IPA in E6. Disruption of iphR resulted in faster growth of E6 on IPA, suggesting that iphR encodes a repressor for the iph catabolic operon. Promoter analysis of the operon supported this notion.

The genome of Polaromonas naphthalenivorans strain CJ2, isolated from coal tar-contaminated sediment, reveals physiological and metabolic versatility and evolution through extensive horizontal gene transfer

We analysed the genome of the aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading, facultatively chemolithotrophic betaproteobacterium, Polaromonas naphthalenivorans strain CJ2. Recent work has increasingly shown that Polaromonas species are prevalent in a variety of pristine oligotrophic environments, as well as polluted habitats. Besides a circular chromosome of 4.4 Mb, strain CJ2 carries eight plasmids ranging from 353 to 6.4 kb in size. Overall, the genome is predicted to encode 4929 proteins. Comparisons of DNA sequences at the individual gene, gene cluster and whole-genome scales revealed strong trends in shared heredity between strain CJ2 and other members of the Comamonadaceae and Burkholderiaceae. blastp analyses of protein coding sequences across strain CJ2's genome showed that genetic commonalities with other betaproteobacteria diminished significantly in strain CJ2's plasmids compared with the chromosome, especially for the smallest ones. Broad trends in nucleotide characteristics (GC content, GC skew, Karlin signature difference) showed at least six anomalous regions in the chromosome, indicating alteration of genome architecture via horizontal gene transfer. Detailed analysis of one of these anomalous regions (96 kb in size, containing the nag-like naphthalene catabolic operon) indicates that the fragment's insertion site was within a putative MiaB-like tRNA-modifying enzyme coding sequence. The mosaic nature of strain CJ2's genome was further emphasized by the presence of 309 mobile genetic elements scattered throughout the genome, including 131 predicted transposase genes, 178 phage-related genes, and representatives of 12 families of insertion elements. A total of three different terminal oxidase genes were found (putative cytochrome aa(3)-type oxidase, cytochrome cbb(3)-type oxidase and cytochrome bd-type quinol oxidase), suggesting adaptation by strain CJ2 to variable aerobic and microaerobic conditions. Sequence-suggested abilities of strain CJ2 to carry out nitrogen fixation and grow on the aromatic compounds, biphenyl and benzoate, were experimentally verified. These new phenotypes and genotypes set the stage for gaining additional insights into the physiology and biochemistry contributing to strain CJ2's fitness in its native habitat, contaminated sediment.

Involvement of two transport systems and a specific porin in the uptake of phthalate by Burkholderia spp

Burkholderia spp. that degrade phthalate have an ABC transporter-type phthalate transport system (OphFGH) and a specific porin (OphP) in addition to a permease-type phthalate transporter (OphD). OphFGH has a lower K(m) and higher V(max) than OphD, which affects how the bacteria grow. OphP is involved in both mechanisms of transport.

Dibutylphthalate and Tween 80 alter ultrastructure inCandida albicans: implications for peroxisome proliferation

Phthalates are ubiquitous environmental pollutants associated with endocrine disruption and peroxisome proliferation in experimental animals. In yeasts exposed to environmental chemicals, including phthalates, alterations in cell growth, cellular morphology, and H2O2detoxification occur. Nutrient availability also influences diverse cellular processes. Differences in responses to environmental stress between Candida albicans and the model yeast, Saccharomyces cerevesiae , have been reported. In this study, we chose C. albicans as an alternate model for testing estrogen-like chemicals because of its high affinity estrogen-binding protein and, in contrast to S. cerevesiae, estrogens are not growth inhibitory for C. albicans. Cultures were grown in either yeast nitrogen dextrose (YND; phosphate limiting) or YNDP (YND plus 100 mmol/L inorganic phosphate). For chemical testing, 0.5% dibutylphthalate (DBP), 0.05% Tween 80, or a combination of the two (DBPT) were incorporated in growth media to investigate the effects of these estrogenic agents on cell proliferation, morphology, and catalase demonstration. We observed significant differences in cell growth related to DBP and changes in cell wall thickness related to both Tween 80 and phosphate. We describe ultrastructural changes including detachment of the outer yeast cell wall layer and presence of putative peroxisomes. Our findings support the proposal that C. albicans may be particularly suitable for use in studies involving cellular responses associated with exposure to estrogenic chemicals contained in complex mixtures.

Purine utilization by Klebsiella oxytoca M5al: genes for ring-oxidizing and -opening enzymes

The enterobacterium Klebsiella oxytoca uses a variety of inorganic and organic nitrogen sources, including purines, nitrogen-rich compounds that are widespread in the biosphere. We have identified a 23-gene cluster that encodes the enzymes for utilizing purines as the sole nitrogen source. Growth and complementation tests with insertion mutants, combined with sequence comparisons, reveal functions for the products of these genes. Here, we report our characterization of 12 genes, one encoding guanine deaminase and the others encoding enzymes for converting (hypo)xanthine to allantoate. Conventionally, xanthine dehydrogenase, a broadly distributed molybdoflavoenzyme, catalyzes sequential hydroxylation reactions to convert hypoxanthine via xanthine to urate. Our results show that these reactions in K. oxytoca are catalyzed by a two-component oxygenase (HpxE-HpxD enzyme) homologous to Rieske nonheme iron aromatic-ring-hydroxylating systems, such as phthalate dioxygenase. Our results also reveal previously undescribed enzymes involved in urate oxidation to allantoin, catalyzed by a flavoprotein monooxygenase (HpxO enzyme), and in allantoin conversion to allantoate, which involves allantoin racemase (HpxA enzyme). The pathway also includes the recently described PuuE allantoinase (HpxB enzyme). The HpxE-HpxD and HpxO enzymes were discovered independently by de la Riva et al. (L. de la Riva, J. Badia, J. Aguilar, R. A. Bender, and L. Baldoma, J. Bacteriol. 190:7892-7903, 2008). Thus, several enzymes in this K. oxytoca purine utilization pathway differ from those in other microorganisms. Isofunctional homologs of these enzymes apparently are encoded by other species, including Acinetobacter, Burkholderia, Pseudomonas, Saccharomyces, and Xanthomonas.

Bacterial degradation of phthalate isomers and their esters

Phthalate isomers and their esters are used heavily in various industries. Excess use and leaching from the product pose them as major pollutants. These chemicals are toxic, teratogenic, mutagenic and carcinogenic in nature. Various aspects like toxicity, diversity in the aerobic bacterial degradation, enzymes and genetic organization of the metabolic pathways from various bacterial strains are reviewed here. Degradation of these esters proceeds by the action of esterases to form phthalate isomers, which are converted to dihydroxylated intermediates by specific and inducible phthalate isomer dioxygenases. Metabolic pathways of phthalate isomers converge at 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, which undergoes either ortho- or meta- ring cleavage and subsequently metabolized to the central carbon pathway intermediates. The genes involved in the degradation are arranged in operons present either on plasmid or chromosome or both, and induced by specific phthalate isomer. Understanding metabolic pathways, diversity and their genetic regulation may help in constructing bacterial strains through genetic engineering approach for effective bioremediation and environmental clean up.

A new classification system for bacterial Rieske non-heme iron aromatic ring-hydroxylating oxygenases

BACKGROUND

Rieske non-heme iron aromatic ring-hydroxylating oxygenases (RHOs) are multi-component enzyme systems that are remarkably diverse in bacteria isolated from diverse habitats. Since the first classification in 1990, there has been a need to devise a new classification scheme for these enzymes because many RHOs have been discovered, which do not belong to any group in the previous classification. Here, we present a scheme for classification of RHOs reflecting new sequence information and interactions between RHO enzyme components.

RESULT

We have analyzed a total of 130 RHO enzymes in which 25 well-characterized RHO enzymes were used as standards to test our hypothesis for the proposed classification system. From the sequence analysis of electron transport chain (ETC) components of the standard RHOs, we extracted classification keys that reflect not only the phylogenetic affiliation within each component but also relationship among components. Oxygenase components of standard RHOs were phylogenetically classified into 10 groups with the classification keys derived from ETC components. This phylogenetic classification scheme was converted to a new systematic classification consisting of 5 distinct types. The new classification system was statistically examined to justify its stability. Type I represents two-component RHO systems that consist of an oxygenase and an FNRC-type reductase. Type II contains other two-component RHO systems that consist of an oxygenase and an FNRN-type reductase. Type III represents a group of three-component RHO systems that consist of an oxygenase, a [2Fe-2S]-type ferredoxin and an FNRN-type reductase. Type IV represents another three-component systems that consist of oxygenase, [2Fe-2S]-type ferredoxin and GR-type reductase. Type V represents another different three-component systems that consist of an oxygenase, a [3Fe-4S]-type ferredoxin and a GR-type reductase.

CONCLUSION

The new classification system provides the following features. First, the new classification system analyzes RHO enzymes as a whole. RwithSecond, the new classification system is not static but responds dynamically to the growing pool of RHO enzymes. Third, our classification can be applied reliably to the classification of incomplete RHOs. Fourth, the classification has direct applicability to experimental work. Fifth, the system provides new insights into the evolution of RHO systems based on enzyme interaction.

Effects of enrichment with phthalate on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biodegradation in contaminated soil

The effect of enrichment with phthalate on the biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) was tested with bioreactor-treated and untreated contaminated soil from a former manufactured gas plant (MGP) site. Soil samples that had been treated in a bioreactor and enriched with phthalate mineralized (14)C-labeled phenanthrene and pyrene to a greater extent than unenriched samples over a 22.5-h incubation, but did not stimulate benzo[a]pyrene mineralization. In contrast to the positive effects on (14)C-labeled phenanthrene and pyrene, no significant differences were found in the extent of biodegradation of native PAH when untreated contaminated soil was incubated with and without phthalate amendment. Denaturing-gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles of bacterial 16S rRNA genes from unenriched and phthalate-enriched soil samples were substantially different, and clonal sequences matched to prominent DGGE bands revealed that beta-Proteobacteria related to Ralstonia were most highly enriched by phthalate addition. Quantitative real-time PCR analyses confirmed that, of previously determined PAH-degraders in the bioreactor, only Ralstonia-type organisms increased in response to enrichment, accounting for 89% of the additional bacterial 16S rRNA genes resulting from phthalate enrichment. These findings indicate that phthalate amendment of this particular PAH-contaminated soil did not significantly enrich for organisms associated with high molecular weight PAH degradation or have any significant effect on overall degradation of native PAH in the soil.

Metabolic Diversity in Bacterial Degradation of Aromatic Compounds

Aromatic compounds pose a major threat to the environment, being mutagenic, carcinogenic, and recalcitrant. Microbes, however, have evolved the ability to utilize these highly reduced and recalcitrant compounds as a potential source of carbon and energy. Aerobic degradation of aromatics is initiated by oxidizing the aromatic ring, making them more susceptible to cleavage by ring-cleaving dioxygenases. A preponderance of aromatic degradation genes on plasmids, transposons, and integrative genetic elements (and their shuffling through horizontal gene transfer) have lead to the evolution of novel aromatic degradative pathways. This enables the microorganisms to utilize a multitude of aromatics via common routes of degradation leading to metabolic diversity. In this review, we emphasize the exquisiteness and relevance of bacterial degradation of aromatics, interlinked degradative pathways, genetic and metabolic regulation, carbon source preference, and biosurfactant production. We have also explored the avenue of metagenomics, which opens doors to a plethora of uncultured and uncharted microbial genetics and metabolism that can be used effectively for bioremediation.

Requirement of duplicated operons for maximal metabolism of phthalate by Rhodococcus sp. strain DK17

The operons encoding the transformation of phthalate to protocatechuate are duplicated and present on two different megaplasmids [pDK2 (330 kb) and pDK3 (750 kb)] in Rhodococcus sp. strain DK17. RT-PCR experiments using gene-specific primers showed that both the pDK2- and the pDK3-encoded dihydroxyphthalate decarboxylase genes are simultaneously expressed during growth on phthalate. The doubling time of the pDK2-cured mutant strain DK176 in minimal liquid medium with 5mM phthalate is 52.5% of that of the wild-type strain DK17. The data indicate that both copies of the phthalate operon are equally functional in DK17, and gene dosage is the main reason for slower growth of DK176 on phthalate.

Isolation and characterization of a gene cluster involved in PAH degradation in Mycobacterium sp. strain SNP11: Expression in Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155

Mycobacterium sp. strain SNP11 is able to grow with pyrene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene and fluorene the sole carbon and energy sources. A probe based on the previously described gene pdoA2, which encodes the alpha subunit of a PAH ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase in Mycobacterium sp. strain 6PY1 [S. Krivobok et al., Identification of pyrene-induced proteins in Mycobacterium sp. strain 6PY1: evidence for two ring-hydroxylating dioxygenases, J. Bacteriol. 185(13) (2003) 3828-3841], was used to isolate a 14kb DNA fragment from strain SNP11. Twelve putative open reading frames (ORFs), divided into two groups by a promoter intergenic region, were detected in this DNA sequence. The first gene cluster, located upstream of the promoter region, showed low but significant deduced amino acid sequence homologies with enzymes involved in aromatic degradation. The second gene cluster, under control of the promoter, contained pdoA2 (designated phdA in this study) and several other ORFs with deduced amino acid sequences closely related to enzymes involved in the phenanthrene-degrading pathway of Nocardioides sp. strain KP7. Gene expression analysis in Mycobacterium smegmatis mc(2)155 revealed broad substrate specificity of the ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase, since transformant cells containing phdAB strongly oxidized fluoranthene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluorine and dibenzofuran. Laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI-ToF MS) analyses of culture media after PAH degradation by M. smegmatis transformants also revealed that the second gene cluster, located downstream of the promoter, takes an active share in initial phenanthrene and anthracene degradation by allowing transformation of these two PAHs in aromatic ring-cleaved metabolites.

Expression of the bviIR and cepIR quorum-sensing systems of Burkholderia vietnamiensis

Burkholderia vietnamiensis has both the cepIR quorum-sensing system that is widely distributed among the Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) and the bviIR system. Comparison of the expression of cepI, cepR, bviI, and bviR-luxCDABE fusions in B. vietnamiensis G4 and the G4 cepR and bviR mutants determined that the expression of bviI requires both a functional cognate regulator, BviR, and functional CepR. The cepIR system, however, is not regulated by BviR. Unlike the cepIR genes in other BCC species, the cepIR genes are not autoregulated in G4. N-Acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) production profiles in G4 cepI, cepR, bviI, and bviR mutants confirmed the regulatory organization of the G4 quorum-sensing systems. The regulatory network in strain PC259 is similar to that in G4, except that CepR positively regulates cepI and negatively regulates cepR. AHL production and the bviI expression levels in seven B. vietnamiensis isolates were compared. All strains produced N-octanoyl-homoserine lactone and N-hexanoyl-homoserine lactone; however, only one of four clinical strains but all three environmental strains produced the BviI synthase product, N-decanoyl-homoserine lactone (DHL). The three strains that did not produce DHL expressed bviR but not bviI. Heterologous expression of bviR restored DHL production in these strains. The bviIR loci of the non-DHL-producing strains were sequenced to confirm that bviR encodes a functional transcriptional regulator. Lack of expression of G4 bviI in these three strains indicated that an additional regulatory element may be involved in the regulation of bviIR expression in certain strains of B. vietnamiensis.

The Sphingomonas plasmid pCAR3 is involved in complete mineralization of carbazole

We determined the complete 254,797-bp nucleotide sequence of the plasmid pCAR3, a carbazole-degradative plasmid from Sphingomonas sp. strain KA1. A region of about 65 kb involved in replication and conjugative transfer showed similarity to a region of plasmid pNL1 isolated from the aromatic-degrading Novosphingobium aromaticivorans strain F199. The presence of many insertion sequences, transposons, repeat sequences, and their remnants suggest plasticity of this plasmid in genetic structure. Although pCAR3 is thought to carry clustered genes for conjugative transfer, a filter-mating assay between KA1 and a pCAR3-cured strain (KA1W) was unsuccessful, indicating that pCAR3 might be deficient in conjugative transfer. Several degradative genes were found on pCAR3, including two kinds of carbazole-degradative gene clusters (car-I and car-II), and genes for electron transfer components of initial oxygenase for carbazole (fdxI, fdrI, and fdrII). Putative genes were identified for the degradation of anthranilate (and), catechol (cat), 2-hydroxypenta-2,4-dienoate (carDFE), dibenzofuran/fluorene (dbf/fln), protocatechuate (lig), and phthalate (oph). It appears that pCAR3 may carry clustered genes (car-I, car-II, fdxI, fdrI, fdrII, and, and cat) for the degradation of carbazole into tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates; KA1W completely lost the ability to grow on carbazole, and the carbazole-degradative genes listed above were all expressed when KA1 was grown on carbazole. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis also revealed that the transcription of car-I, car-II, and cat genes was induced by carbazole or its metabolic intermediate. Southern hybridization analyses with probes prepared from car-I, car-II, repA, parA, traI, and traD genes indicated that several Sphingomonas carbazole degraders have DNA regions similar to parts of pCAR3.

Transcriptomic analysis reveals a bifurcated terephthalate degradation pathway in Rhodococcus sp. strain RHA1

Phthalate isomers and their esters are important pollutants whose biodegradation is not well understood. Rhodococcus sp. strain RHA1 is notable for its ability to degrade a wide range of aromatic compounds. RHA1 was previously shown to degrade phthalate (PTH) and to have genes putatively encoding terephthalate (TPA) degradation. Transcriptomic analysis of 8,213 genes indicated that 150 were up-regulated during growth on PTH and that 521 were up-regulated during growth on TPA. Distinct ring cleavage dioxygenase systems were differentially expressed during growth on PTH and TPA. Genes encoding the protocatechuate (PCA) pathway were induced on both substrates, while genes encoding the catechol branch of the PCA pathway were additionally induced only on TPA. Accordingly, protocatechuate-3,4-dioxygenase activity was induced in cells grown on both substrates, while catechol-1,2-dioxygenase activity was induced only in cells grown on TPA. Knockout analysis indicated that pcaL, encoding 3-oxoadipate enol-lactone hydrolase and 4-carboxymuconolactone decarboxylase, was required for growth on both substrates but that pcaB, encoding beta-carboxy-cis,cis-muconate lactonizing enzyme, was required for growth on PTH only. These results indicate that PTH is degraded solely via the PCA pathway, whereas TPA is degraded via a bifurcated pathway that additionally includes the catechol branch of the PCA pathway.

Degradation of di-butyl-phthalate by soil bacteria

Twelve Gram-positive phthalate ester degraders were isolated from soil. Using Biolog GP2 plates, eight of them were identified as belonging to the Corynebacterium-Mycobacterium-Nocardia group, while the remaining four were unidentifiable. When cultured in the presence of di-butyl-phthalate (DBP) in basal salts solution, five of these isolates accomplished more than 90% of DBP degradation within 48 h (fast group), three were placed in the medium group, and the remaining four were placed in the slow group which caused less than 30% of DBP degradation within the same period of time. A 420 bp DNA fragment was amplified from six isolates and none of them fell within the slow group. When compared with the large subunit of phthalate dioxygenase gene (phtA) of Arthrobacter keyseri, 83% and 91% similarities were evident in the nucleotide and amino acid sequences, respectively. However, no correlation between cell surface hydrophobicity and phthalate degradation ability was evident. Six surfactants (Brij 30, Brij 35, Tergitoltype NP-10, Triton N-101, Triton X-100 and SDS) were tested for their abilities to increase degradation rate. When added at the critical micellar concentration (CMC), they all displayed strong growth inhibition against the three bacteria tested, with Brij 30 been the least toxic to isolates G2 and G11, and Brij 35 had the least inhibitory effect for G1. When half the CMC of Brij 30 was incorporated into the basal salts, the inhibitory effect on DBP degradation remained. Soil helped to minimize surfactant toxicity of surfactant and increase the degradation potential of some of the test bacteria. When DBP-amended soil had been aged for three months, decreases in bioavailability were observed but the effect varied tremendously between different organisms. For isolates G1, G2, G5, G7 and G17 the aging effects were almost non-exist. The present study indicates that selection of a suitable degrader may minimize the undesired effect of aging on bioremediation process.

Degradation of Plasticizer Di-n-butylphthalate by Delftia sp. TBKNP-05

Bacterial strain Delftia sp. TBKNP-05, isolated by para-hydroxybenzoate enrichment technique, is capable of degrading di-n-butylphthalate (DBP) as a sole source of carbon and energy. Analysis of intermediates by thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography indicated the presence of monobutylphthalate (MBP), phthalate (PA), and protocatechuate (PCA). The washed cells grown on DBP and PA showed appreciable oxidation of DBP, MBP, PA, and PCA. The enzyme activities in cell-free extracts of Delftia sp. TBKNP-05 exhibited the presence of DBP esterase, MBP esterase, PA-dioxygenase, and PCA 4,5-dioxygenase. The PCA is metabolized by meta-cleavage pathway, leading to further mineralization of the compound in this bacterium.

Analysis of genes involved in methyl halide degradation in Aminobacter lissarensis CC495

Aminobacter lissarensis CC495 is an aerobic facultative methylotroph capable of growth on glucose, glycerol, pyruvate and methylamine as well as the methyl halides methyl chloride and methyl bromide. Previously, cells grown on methyl chloride have been shown to express two polypeptides with apparent molecular masses of 67 and 29 kDa. The 67 kDa protein was purified and identified as a halomethane:bisulfide/halide ion methyltransferase. This study describes a single gene cluster in A. lissarensis CC495 containing the methyl halide utilisation genes cmuB, cmuA, cmuC, orf 188, paaE and hutI. The genes correspond to the same order and have a high similarity to a gene cluster found in Aminobacter ciceronei IMB-1 and Hyphomicrobium chloromethanicum strain CM2 indicating that genes encoding methyl halide degradation are highly conserved in these strains.

Degradation of a Plasticizer, di-n-Butylphthalate by Delftia sp. TBKNP-05

A bacterial strain Delftia sp. TBKNP-05 isolated by para-hydroxybenzoate enrichment technique is capable of degrading di-n-butylphthalate (DBP) as a sole source of carbon and energy. Analysis of intermediates by thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography indicated the presence of monobutylphthalate (MBP), phthalate (PA), and protocatechuate (PCA). The washed cells grown on DBP and PA showed appreciable oxidation of DBP, MBP, PA, and PCA. The enzyme activities in cell free extracts of Delftia sp. TBKNP-05 exhibited the presence of DBP esterase, MBP esterase, PA-dioxygenase, and protocatechuate 4, 5-dioxygenase. The protocatechuate is metabolized by a meta-cleavage pathway leading to further mineralization of the compound in this bacterium.

Molecular and biochemical analysis of phthalate and terephthalate degradation byRhodococcussp. strain DK17

Alkylbenzene-degrading Rhodococcus sp. strain DK17 is able to utilize phthalate and terephthalate as growth substrates. The genes encoding the transformation of phthalate and terephthalate to protocatechuate are organized as two separate operons, located 6.7kb away from each other. Interestingly, both the phthalate and terephthalate operons are induced in response to terephthalate while expression of the terephthalate genes is undetectable in phthalate-grown cells. In addition to two known plasmids (380-kb pDK1 and 330-kb pDK2), a third megaplasmid (750-kb pDK3) was newly identified in DK17. The phthalate and terephthalate operons are duplicated and are present on both pDK2 and pDK3. RT-PCR experiments, coupled with sequence analysis, suggest that phthalate and terephthalate degradation in DK17 proceeds through oxygenation at carbons 3 and 4 and at carbons 1 and 2 to form 3,4-dihydro-3,4-dihydroxyphthalate and 1,2-dihydro-1,2-dihydroxyterephthalate, respectively. The 3,4-dihydroxyphthalate pathway was further corroborated through colorometric tests. Apparently, the two dihydrodiol metabolites are subsequently dehydrogenated and decarboxylated to form protocatechuate, which is further degraded by a protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase as confirmed by a ring-cleavage enzyme assay.

A second 5-carboxyvanillate decarboxylase gene, ligW2, is important for lignin-related biphenyl catabolism in Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6

A lignin-related biphenyl compound, 5,5'-dehydrodivanillate (DDVA), is degraded to 5-carboxyvanillate (5CVA) by the enzyme reactions catalyzed by DDVA O-demethylase (LigX), meta-cleavage oxygenase (LigZ), and meta-cleavage compound hydrolase (LigY) in Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6. 5CVA is then transformed to vanillate by a nonoxidative 5CVA decarboxylase and is further degraded through the protocatechuate 4,5-cleavage pathway. A 5CVA decarboxylase gene, ligW, was isolated from SYK-6 (X. Peng, E. Masai, H. Kitayama, K. Harada, Y, Katayama, and M. Fukuda, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68:4407-4415, 2002). However, disruption of ligW slightly affected the 5CVA decarboxylase activity and the growth rate on DDVA of the mutant, suggesting the presence of an alternative 5CVA decarboxylase gene. Here we isolated a second 5CVA decarboxylase gene, ligW2, which consists of a 1,050-bp open reading frame encoding a polypeptide with a molecular mass of 39,379 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence encoded by ligW2 exhibits 37% identity with the sequence encoded by ligW. Based on a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the reaction product from 5CVA catalyzed by LigW2 in the presence of deuterium oxide, LigW2 was indicated to be a nonoxidative decarboxylase of 5CVA, like LigW. After disruption of ligW2, both the growth rate on DDVA and the 5CVA decarboxylase activity of the mutant were decreased to approximately 30% of the wild-type levels. The ligW ligW2 double mutant lost both the ability to grow on DDVA and the 5CVA decarboxylase activity. These results indicate that both ligW and ligW2 contribute to 5CVA degradation, although ligW2 plays the more important role in the growth of SYK-6 cells on DDVA.

Catabolism of benzoate and phthalate in Rhodococcus sp. strain RHA1: redundancies and convergence

Genomic and proteomic approaches were used to investigate phthalate and benzoate catabolism in Rhodococcus sp. strain RHA1, a polychlorinated biphenyl-degrading actinomycete. Sequence analyses identified genes involved in the catabolism of benzoate (ben) and phthalate (pad), the uptake of phthalate (pat), and two branches of the beta-ketoadipate pathway (catRABC and pcaJIHGBLFR). The regulatory and structural ben genes are separated by genes encoding a cytochrome P450. The pad and pat genes are contained on a catabolic island that is duplicated on plasmids pRHL1 and pRHL2 and includes predicted terephthalate catabolic genes (tpa). Proteomic analyses demonstrated that the beta-ketoadipate pathway is functionally convergent. Specifically, the pad and pat gene products were only detected in phthalate-grown cells. Similarly, the ben and cat gene products were only detected in benzoate-grown cells. However, pca-encoded enzymes were present under both growth conditions. Activity assays for key enzymes confirmed these results. Disruption of pcaL, which encodes a fusion enzyme, abolished growth on phthalate. In contrast, after a lag phase, growth of the mutant on benzoate was similar to that of the wild type. Proteomic analyses revealed 20 proteins in the mutant that were not detected in wild-type cells during growth on benzoate, including a CatD homolog that apparently compensated for loss of PcaL. Analysis of completed bacterial genomes indicates that the convergent beta-ketoadipate pathway and some aspects of its genetic organization are characteristic of rhodococci and related actinomycetes. In contrast, the high redundancy of catabolic pathways and enzymes appears to be unique to RHA1 and may increase its potential to adapt to new carbon sources.

Novel organization of genes in a phthalate degradation operon of Mycobacterium vanbaalenii PYR-1

Mycobacterium vanbaalenii PYR-1 is capable of degrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to ring cleavage metabolites. This study identified and characterized a putative phthalate degradation operon in the M. vanbaalenii PYR-1 genome. A putative regulatory protein (phtR) was encoded divergently with five tandem genes: phthalate dioxygenase large subunit (phtAa), small subunit (phtAb), phthalate dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (phtB), phthalate dioxygenase ferredoxin subunit (phtAc) and phthalate dioxygenase ferredoxin reductase (phtAd). A 6.7 kb EcoRI fragment containing these genes was cloned into Escherichia coli and converted phthalate to 3,4-dihydroxyphthalate. Homologues to the operon region were detected in a number of PAH-degrading Mycobacterium spp. isolated from various geographical locations. The operon differs from those of other Gram-positive bacteria in both the placement and orientation of the regulatory gene. In addition, the M. vanbaalenii PYR-1 pht operon contains no decarboxylase gene and none was identified within a 37 kb region containing the operon. This study is the first report of a phthalate degradation operon in Mycobacterium spp.

Two unusual chlorocatechol catabolic gene clusters in Sphingomonas sp. TFD44

The genes responsible for the degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4-D) by alpha-Proteobacteria have previously been difficult to detect by using gene probes or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers. PCR products of the chlorocatechol 1,2-dioxygenase gene, tfdC, now allowed cloning of two chlorocatechol gene clusters from the Sphingomonas sp. strain TFD44. Sequence characterization showed that the first cluster, tfdD,RFCE, comprises all the genes necessary for the conversion of 3,5-dichlorocatechol to 3-oxoadipate, including a presumed regulatory gene, tfdR, of the LysR-type family. The second gene cluster, tfdC2E2F2, is incomplete and appears to lack a chloromuconate cycloisomerase gene and a regulatory gene. Purification and N-terminal sequencing of selected enzymes suggests that at least representatives of both gene clusters (TfdD of cluster 1 and TfdC2 of cluster 2) are induced during the growth of strain TFD44 with 2,4-D. A mutant constructed to contain an insertion in the chloromuconate cycloisomerase gene tfdD still was able to grow with 2,4-D, but more slowly and with a longer lag phase. This, and the detection of additional activity peaks during protein purification suggest that strain TFD44 harbors at least another chloromuconate cycloisomerase gene. The sequence of the tfdCE region was almost identical to that of a partially characterized chlorocatechol catabolic gene cluster of Sphingomonas herbicidovorans MH, whereas the sequence of the tfdC2E2F2 cluster was different. The similarity of the predicted proteins of the tfdD,RFCE and tfdC2E2F2 clusters to known sequences of other Proteobacteria in the database ranged from 42 to 61% identical positions for the first cluster and from 45.5 to 58% identical positions for the second cluster. Between both clusters, the similarities of their predicted proteins ranged from 44.5 to 64% identical positions. Thus, both clusters (together with those of S. herbicidovorans MH) represent deep-branching lines in the respective dendrograms, and the sequence information will help future primer design for the detection of corresponding genes in the environment.

Characterization and regulation of the genes for a novel anthranilate 1,2-dioxygenase from Burkholderia cepacia DBO1

Anthranilate (2-aminobenzoate) is an important intermediate in tryptophan metabolism. In order to investigate the degradation of tryptophan through anthranilate by Burkholderia cepacia, several plasposon mutations were constructed of strain DBO1 and one mutant with the plasposon insertion in the anthranilate dioxygenase (AntDO) genes was chosen for further study. The gene sequence obtained from flanking DNA of the plasposon insertion site revealed unexpected information. B. cepacia DBO1 AntDO (designated AntDO-3C) is a three-component Rieske-type [2Fe-2S] dioxygenase composed of a reductase (AndAa), a ferredoxin (AndAb), and a two-subunit oxygenase (AndAcAd). This is in contrast to the two-component (an oxygenase and a reductase) AntDO enzyme from Acinetobacter sp. strain ADP1, P. aeruginosa PAO1, and P. putida P111. AntDO from strains ADP1, PAO1, and P111 are closely related to benzoate dioxygenase, while AntDO-3C is closely related to aromatic hydrocarbon dioxygenases from Novosphingobium aromaticivorans F199 and Sphingomonas yanoikuyae B1 and 2-chlorobenzoate dioxygenase from P. aeruginosa strains 142 and JB2. Escherichia coli cells expressing the functional AntDO-3C genes transform anthranilate and salicylate (but not 2-chlorobenzoate) to catechol. The enzyme includes a novel reductase whose absence results in less efficient transformation of anthranilate by the oxygenase and ferredoxin. AndR, a possible AraC/XylS-type transcriptional regulator, was shown to positively regulate expression of the andAcAdAbAa genes. Anthranilate was the only effector (of 12 aromatic compounds tested) that was able to induce expression of the genes.

Purification and gene cloning of the oxygenase component of the terephthalate 1,2-dioxygenase system from Delftia tsuruhatensis strain T7

The terephthalate 1,2-dioxygenase system (TERDOS) was found in cell extracts of Delftia tsuruhatensis strain T7 (=IFO16741) grown in terephthalate-salt medium. The cell extract was separated by anion exchange chromatography to yield two fractions (R and Z) that were necessary for oxygenation of terephthalate with NADH and Fe(2+). The oxygenase component of TERDOS (TerZ) was purified from fraction Z by gel filtration chromatography to near homogeneity. An alpha(3)beta(3) subunit structure was deduced from the molecular masses of 235, 46 and 17 kDa of the native complex and the alpha- and beta-subunits, respectively. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of the two subunits of TerZ allowed polymerase chain reaction primers to be deduced and the DNA sequence of the alpha-subunit was determined. The amino acid sequence of the alpha-subunit (TerZalpha) showed significant similarities to the large subunits of multicomponent ring-hydroxylating oxygenases. Two motifs in the deduced amino acid sequence, a Rieske [2Fe-2S] center and a mononuclear Fe(II) binding site, were observed. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that TerZalpha and the large oxygenase component subunits ortho-halobenzoate 1,2-dioxygenase and salicylate-5-hydroxylase form a cluster that is distant from the rest of the large oxygenase subunits of multicomponent ring-hydroxylating oxygenases.

Elucidation of the flavonoid catabolism pathway in Pseudomonas putida PML2 by comparative metabolic profiling

Flavonoids are 15-carbon plant secondary metabolites exuded in the rhizosphere that hosts several flavonoid-degrading bacteria. We studied flavonoid catabolism in a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterial strain of Pseudomonas by using a combination of biochemical and genetic approaches. Transposants carrying mini-Tn5gfp insertions were screened for flavonoid auxotrophy, and these mutant strains were found to be unable to grow in the flavonols naringenin and quercetin, while their growth in glycerol was comparable to that of the parental strain. In order to understand flavonoid catabolism, culture supernatants, whole-cell fractions, cell lysate, and cell debris of the wild-type and mutant strains were analyzed. Intermediates that accumulated intracellularly and those secreted in the medium were identified by a combination of reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. Structures of four key intermediates were confirmed by one-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Comparative metabolic profiling of the compounds in the wild-type and mutant strains allowed us to understand the degradation events and to identify six metabolic intermediates. The first step in the pathway involves 3,3'-didehydroxylation, followed by hydrolysis and cleavage of the C-ring, leading via subsequent oxidations to the formation of protocatechuate. This is the first report on quercetin dehydroxylation in aerobic conditions leading to naringenin accumulation.

Comamonas testosteroni BR6020 possesses a single genetic locus for extradiol cleavage of protocatechuate

A key intermediate for biodegradation of various distinct aromatic growth substrates in Comamonas testosteroni is protocatechuate (Pca), which is metabolized by the 4,5-extradiol (meta) ring fission pathway. A locus harbouring genes from C. testosteroni BR6020 was cloned, dubbed pmd, which encodes the enzymes that degrade Pca. The identity of pmdAB, encoding respectively the alpha- and beta-subunit of the Pca ring-cleavage enzyme, was confirmed by N-terminal sequencing and molecular mass determination of both subunits from the separated enzyme. Disruption of pmdA resulted in a strain unable to grow on Pca and a variety of aromatic substrates funnelled through this compound (m- and p-hydroxybenzoate, p-sulfobenzoate, phthalate, isophthalate, terephthalate, vanillate, isovanillate and veratrate). Growth on benzoate and o-aminobenzoate (anthranilate) was not affected in this strain, indicating that these substrates are metabolized via a different lower pathway. Tentative functions for the products of other pmd genes were assigned based on sequence identity and/or similarity to proteins from other proteobacteria involved in uptake or metabolism of aromatic compounds. This study provides evidence for a single lower pathway in C. testosteroni for metabolism of Pca, which is generated by different upper pathways acting on a variety of aromatic substrates.

Plasmid-encoded phthalate catabolic pathway in Arthrobacter keyseri 12B

Several 2-substituted benzoates (including 2-trifluoromethyl-, 2-chloro-, 2-bromo-, 2-iodo-, 2-nitro-, 2-methoxy-, and 2-acetyl-benzoates) were converted by phthalate-grown Arthrobacter keyseri (formerly Micrococcus sp.) 12B to the corresponding 2-substituted 3,4-dihydroxybenzoates (protocatechuates). Because these products lack a carboxyl group at the 2 position, they were not substrates for the next enzyme of the phthalate catabolic pathway, 3,4-dihydroxyphthalate 2-decarboxylase, and accumulated. When these incubations were carried out in iron-containing minimal medium, the products formed colored chelates. This chromogenic response was subsequently used to identify recombinant Escherichia coli strains carrying genes encoding the responsible enzymes, phthalate 3,4-dioxygenase and 3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydrophthalate dehydrogenase, from the 130-kbp plasmid pRE1 of strain 12B. Beginning with the initially cloned 8.14-kbp PstI fragment of pRE824 as a probe to identify recombinant plasmids carrying overlapping fragments, a DNA segment of 33.5 kbp was cloned from pRE1 on several plasmids and mapped using restriction endonucleases. From these plasmids, the sequence of 26,274 contiguous bp was determined. Sequenced DNA included several genetic units: tnpR, pcm operon, ptr genes, pehA, norA fragment, and pht operon, encoding a transposon resolvase, catabolism of protocatechuate (3,4-dihydroxybenzoate), a putative ATP-binding cassette transporter, a possible phthalate ester hydrolase, a fragment of a norfloxacin resistance-like transporter, and the conversion of phthalate to protocatechuate, respectively. Activities of the eight enzymes involved in the catabolism of phthalate through protocatechuate to pyruvate and oxaloacetate were demonstrated in cells or cell extracts of recombinant E. coli strains.

Identification of methyl halide-utilizing genes in the methyl bromide-utilizing bacterial strain IMB-1 suggests a high degree of conservation of methyl halide-specific genes in gram-negative bacteria

Strain IMB-1, an aerobic methylotrophic member of the alpha subgroup of the Proteobacteria, can grow with methyl bromide as a sole carbon and energy source. A single cmu gene cluster was identified in IMB-1 that contained six open reading frames: cmuC, cmuA, orf146, paaE, hutI, and partial metF. CmuA from IMB-1 has high sequence homology to the methyltransferase CmuA from Methylobacterium chloromethanicum and Hyphomicrobium chloromethanicum and contains a C-terminal corrinoid-binding motif and an N-terminal methyltransferase motif. However, cmuB, identified in M. chloromethanicum and H. chloromethanicum, was not detected in IMB-1.

A comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Rieske and Rieske-type iron-sulfur proteins

The Rieske iron-sulfur center consists of a [2Fe-2S] cluster liganded to a protein via two histidine and two cysteine residues present in conserved sequences called Rieske motifs. Two protein families possessing Rieske centers have been defined. The Rieske proteins occur as subunits in the cytochrome bc1 and cytochrome b6f complexes of prokaryotes and eukaryotes or form components of archaeal electron transport systems. The Rieske-type proteins encompass a group of bacterial oxygenases and ferredoxins. Recent studies have uncovered several new proteins containing Rieske centers, including archaeal Rieske proteins, bacterial oxygenases, bacterial ferredoxins, and, intriguingly, eukaryotic Rieske oxygenases. Since all these proteins contain a Rieske motif, they probably form a superfamily with one common ancestor. Phylogenetic analyses have, however, been generally limited to similar sequences, providing little information about relationships within the whole group of these proteins. The aim of this work is, therefore, to construct a dendrogram including representatives from all Rieske and Rieske-type protein classes in order to gain insight into their evolutionary relationships and to further define the phylogenetic niches occupied by the recently discovered proteins mentioned above.

New classification system for oxygenase components involved in ring-hydroxylating oxygenations

Batie et al. [Chemistry and Biochemistry of Flavoenzymes, 3, 543-556 (1991)] proposed a classification system for ring-hydroxylating oxygenases in which the oxygenases are grouped into three classes in terms of the number of constituent components and the nature of the redox centers. But in recent years, many ring-hydroxylating oxygenases have been newly identified and characterized, and found difficult to classify into these three classes. Typical examples are carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase and 2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinoline 8-monooxygenase, which have been classified into class III and class IB, respectively, from biochemical characteristics. However, a phylogenetic study showed that the terminal oxygenases of both are closely related to class IA. Because this discrepancy derived from counting all the components together, here we proposed a new scheme based on the homology of the amino acid sequences of the alpha subunits of the terminal oxygenase components. This new scheme strongly reflects the actual phylogenetic affiliation of the terminal oxygenase component. By comparing their sequences pairwise using the CLUSTAL W program, 54 oxygenase components were classified into 4 groups (groups I, II, III, and IV). While group I contains broad-range oxygenases sharing low homology, groups II, III, and IV contain some typical oxygenases: benzoate/toluate dioxygenases for group II, naphthalene/polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon dioxygenases for group III, and benzene/toluene/biphenyl dioxygenases for group IV. Our new scheme is simple and powerful, since an oxygenase component can be nearly automatically grouped when the DNA sequence is available, and it fits very well with the phylogenetic affiliation.

Genetic and biochemical characterization of 4-carboxy-2-hydroxymuconate-6-semialdehyde dehydrogenase and its role in the protocatechuate 4,5-cleavage pathway in Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6

Protocatechuate (PCA) is the key intermediate metabolite in the lignin degradation pathway of Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6 and is metabolized to pyruvate and oxaloacetate via the PCA 4,5-cleavage pathway. We characterized the 4-carboxy-2-hydroxymuconate-6-semialdehyde (CHMS) dehydrogenase gene (ligC). CHMS is the 4,5-cleavage product of PCA and is converted into 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylate (PDC) by LigC. We found that ligC was located 295 bp downstream of ligB, which encodes the large subunit of the PCA 4,5-dioxygenase. The ligC gene consists of a 945-bp open reading frame encoding a polypeptide with a molecular mass of 34,590 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence of ligC showed 19 to 20% identity with 3-chlorobenzoate cis-dihydrodiol dehydrogenase of Alcaligenes sp. strain BR60 and phthalate cis-dihydrodiol dehydrogenases of Pseudomonas putida NMH102-2 and Burkholderia cepacia DBO1, which are unrelated to group I, II, and III microbial alcohol dehydrogenases (M. F. Reid and C. A. Fewson, Crit. Rev. Microbiol. 20:13-56, 1994). The ligC gene was expressed in Escherichia coli and LigC was purified to near homogeneity. Production of PDC from CHMS catalyzed by LigC was confirmed in the presence of NADP(+) by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. LigC is a homodimer. The isoelectric point, optimum pH, and optimum temperature were estimated to be 5.3, 8.0, and 25 degrees C, respectively. The K(m) for NADP(+) was estimated to be 24.6 +/- 1.5 microM, which was approximately 10 times lower than that for NAD(+) (252 +/- 3.9 microM). The K(m)s for CHMS in the presence of NADP(+) and NAD(+) are 26.0 +/- 0.5 and 20.6 +/- 1.0 microM, respectively. Disruption of ligC in S. paucimobilis SYK-6 prevented growth with vanillate. Only PCA was accumulated during the incubation of vanillate with the whole cells of the ligC insertion mutant (DLC), indicating a lack of PCA 4,5-dioxygenase activity in DLC. However, the introduction of ligC into DLC restored its ability to grow on vanillate. PDC was suggested to be an inducer for ligAB gene expression.

Characterization of the phthalate permease OphD from Burkholderia cepacia ATCC 17616

The ophD gene, encoding a permease for phthalate transport, was cloned from Burkholderia cepacia ATCC 17616. Expression of the gene in Escherichia coli results in the ability to transport phthalate rapidly into the cell. Uptake inhibition experiments show that 4-hydroxyphthalate, 4-chlorophthalate, 4-methylphthalate, and cinchomeronate compete for the phthalate permease. An ophD knockout mutant of 17616 grows slightly more slowly on phthalate but is still able to take up phthalate at rates equivalent to that of the wild-type strain. This means that 17616 must have a second phthalate-inducible phthalate uptake system.

Role of quinolinate phosphoribosyl transferase in degradation of phthalate by Burkholderia cepacia DBO1

Two distinct regions of DNA encode the enzymes needed for phthalate degradation by Burkholderia cepacia DBO1. A gene coding for an enzyme (quinolinate phosphoribosyl transferase) involved in the biosynthesis of NAD+ was identified between these two regions by sequence analysis and functional assays. Southern hybridization experiments indicate that DBO1 and other phthalate-degrading B. cepacia strains have two dissimilar genes for this enzyme, while non-phthalate-degrading B. cepacia strains have only a single gene. The sequenced gene was labeled ophE, due to the fact that it is specifically induced by phthalate as shown by lacZ gene fusions. Insertional knockout mutants lacking ophE grow noticeably slower on phthalate while exhibiting normal rates of growth on other substrates. The fact that elevated levels of quinolinate phosphoribosyl transferase enhance growth on phthalate stems from the structural similarities between phthalate and quinolinate: phthalate is a competitive inhibitor of this enzyme and the phthalate catabolic pathway cometabolizes quinolinate. The recruitment of this gene for growth on phthalate thus gives B. cepacia an advantage over other phthalate-degrading bacteria in the environment.

Cloning, expression, and nucleotide sequence of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa 142 ohb genes coding for oxygenolytic ortho dehalogenation of halobenzoates

We have cloned and characterized novel oxygenolytic ortho-dehalogenation (ohb) genes from 2-chlorobenzoate (2-CBA)- and 2,4-dichlorobenzoate (2,4-dCBA)-degrading Pseudomonas aeruginosa 142. Among 3,700 Escherichia coli recombinants, two clones, DH5alphaF'(pOD22) and DH5alphaF'(pOD33), converted 2-CBA to catechol and 2,4-dCBA and 2,5-dCBA to 4-chlorocatechol. A subclone of pOD33, plasmid pE43, containing the 3,687-bp minimized ohb DNA region conferred to P. putida PB2440 the ability to grow on 2-CBA as a sole carbon source. Strain PB2440(pE43) also oxidized but did not grow on 2,4-dCBA, 2,5-dCBA, or 2,6-dCBA. Terminal oxidoreductase ISPOHB structural genes ohbA and ohbB, which encode polypeptides with molecular masses of 20,253 Da (beta-ISP) and 48,243 Da (alpha-ISP), respectively, were identified; these proteins are in accord with the 22- and 48-kDa (as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) polypeptides synthesized in E. coli and P. aeruginosa parental strain 142. The ortho-halobenzoate 1,2-dioxygenase activity was manifested in the absence of ferredoxin and reductase genes, suggesting that the ISPOHB utilized electron transfer components provided by the heterologous hosts. ISPOHB formed a new phylogenetic cluster that includes aromatic oxygenases featuring atypical structural-functional organization and is distant from the other members of the family of primary aromatic oxygenases. A putative IclR-type regulatory gene (ohbR) was located upstream of the ohbAB genes. An open reading frame (ohbC) of unknown function that overlaps lengthwise with ohbB but is transcribed in the opposite direction was found. The ohbC gene codes for a 48,969-Da polypeptide, in accord with the 49-kDa protein detected in E. coli. The ohb genes are flanked by an IS1396-like sequence containing a putative gene for a 39,715-Da transposase A (tnpA) at positions 4731 to 5747 and a putative gene for a 45,247-Da DNA topoisomerase I/III (top) at positions 346 to 1563. The ohb DNA region is bordered by 14-bp imperfect inverted repeats at positions 56 to 69 and 5984 to 5997.