This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kahng, H.-Y.
Right arrow Articles by Kukor, J. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kahng, H.-Y.
Right arrow Articles by Kukor, J. J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Bacteriology, March 2000, p. 1232-1242, Vol. 182, No. 5
0021-9193/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Characterization and Role of tbuX in Utilization of Toluene by Ralstonia pickettii PKO1

Hyung-Yeel Kahng,1 Armando M. Byrne,2,dagger Ronald H. Olsen,2 and Jerome J. Kukor1,3,*

Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and the Environment1 and Department of Environmental Sciences,3 Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901-8520, and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-06202

Received 14 September 1999/Accepted 7 December 1999

The tbu regulon of Ralstonia pickettii PKO1 encodes enzymes involved in the catabolism of toluene, benzene, and related alkylaromatic hydrocarbons. The first operon in this regulon contains genes that encode the tbu pathway's initial catabolic enzyme, toluene-3-monooxygenase, as well as TbuT, the NtrC-like transcriptional activator for the entire regulon. It has been previously shown that the organization of tbuT, which is located immediately downstream of tbuA1UBVA2C, and the associated promoter (PtbuA1) is unique in that it results in a cascade type of up-regulation of tbuT in response to a variety of effector compounds. In our efforts to further characterize this unusual mode of gene regulation, we discovered another open reading frame, encoded on the strand opposite that of tbuT, 63 bp downstream of the tbuT stop codon. The 1,374-bp open reading frame, encoding a 458-amino-acid peptide, was designated tbuX. The predicted amino acid sequence of TbuX exhibited significant similarity to several putative outer membrane proteins from aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, as well as to FadL, an outer membrane protein needed for uptake of long-chain fatty acids in Escherichia coli. Based on sequence analysis, transcriptional and expression studies, and deletion analysis, TbuX seems to play an important role in the catabolism of toluene in R. pickettii PKO1. In addition, the expression of tbuX appears to be regulated in a manner such that low levels of TbuX are always present within the cell, whereas upon toluene exposure these levels dramatically increase, even more than those of toluene-3-monooxygenase. This expression pattern may relate to the possible role of TbuX as a facilitator of toluene entry into the cell.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and the Environment, Foran Hall, Cook College Campus, Rutgers University, 59 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520. Phone: (732) 932-8165, ext. 318. Fax: (732) 932-0312. E-mail: kukor{at}aesop.rutgers.edu.

dagger Present address: DuPont CR&D, Experimental Station, Wilmington, DE 19880-0328.

Journal of Bacteriology, March 2000, p. 1232-1242, Vol. 182, No. 5
0021-9193/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Ganas, P., Brandsch, R. (2009). Uptake of L-nicotine and of 6-hydroxy-L-nicotine by Arthrobacter nicotinovorans and by Escherichia coli is mediated by facilitated diffusion and not by passive diffusion or active transport. Microbiology 155: 1866-1877 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Toyoda, A., Iio, W., Mitsumori, M., Minato, H. (2009). Isolation and Identification of Cellulose-Binding Proteins from Sheep Rumen Contents. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 1667-1673 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hearn, E. M., Patel, D. R., van den Berg, B. (2008). Outer-membrane transport of aromatic hydrocarbons as a first step in biodegradation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 105: 8601-8606 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kane, S. R., Chakicherla, A. Y., Chain, P. S. G., Schmidt, R., Shin, M. W., Legler, T. C., Scow, K. M., Larimer, F. W., Lucas, S. M., Richardson, P. M., Hristova, K. R. (2007). Whole-Genome Analysis of the Methyl tert-Butyl Ether-Degrading Beta-Proteobacterium Methylibium petroleiphilum PM1. J. Bacteriol. 189: 1931-1945 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kivistik, P. A., Putrins, M., Puvi, K., Ilves, H., Kivisaar, M., Horak, R. (2006). The ColRS Two-Component System Regulates Membrane Functions and Protects Pseudomonas putida against Phenol. J. Bacteriol. 188: 8109-8117 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Mooney, A., O'Leary, N. D., Dobson, A. D. W. (2006). Cloning and Functional Characterization of the styE Gene, Involved in Styrene Transport in Pseudomonas putida CA-3. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 1302-1309 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fishman, A., Tao, Y., Rui, L., Wood, T. K. (2005). Controlling the Regiospecific Oxidation of Aromatics via Active Site Engineering of Toluene para-Monooxygenase of Ralstonia pickettii PKO1. J. Biol. Chem. 280: 506-514 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fishman, A., Tao, Y., Wood, T. K. (2004). Toluene 3-Monooxygenase of Ralstonia pickettii PKO1 Is a para-Hydroxylating Enzyme. J. Bacteriol. 186: 3117-3123 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Miyata, N., Iwahori, K., Foght, J. M., Gray, M. R. (2004). Saturable, Energy-Dependent Uptake of Phenanthrene in Aqueous Phase by Mycobacterium sp. Strain RJGII-135. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 363-369 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Nikaido, H. (2003). Molecular Basis of Bacterial Outer Membrane Permeability Revisited. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 67: 593-656 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ramos-Gonzalez, M.-I., Olson, M., Gatenby, A. A., Mosqueda, G., Manzanera, M., Campos, M. J., Vichez, S., Ramos, J. L. (2002). Cross-Regulation between a Novel Two-Component Signal Transduction System for Catabolism of Toluene in Pseudomonas mendocina and the TodST System from Pseudomonas putida. J. Bacteriol. 184: 7062-7067 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kasai, Y., Inoue, J., Harayama, S. (2001). The TOL Plasmid pWW0 xylN Gene Product from Pseudomonas putida Is Involved in m-Xylene Uptake. J. Bacteriol. 183: 6662-6666 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»