Epoxyalkane: coenzyme M transferase in the ethene and vinyl chloride biodegradation pathways of mycobacterium strain JS60.

ABSTRACT: Mycobacterium strains that grow on ethene and vinyl chloride (VC) are widely distributed in the environment and are potentially useful for biocatalysis and bioremediation. The catabolic pathway of alkene assimilation in mycobacteria is not well characterized. It is clear that the initial step is a monooxygenase-mediated epoxidation that produces epoxyethane from ethene and chlorooxirane from VC, but the enzymes involved in subsequent transformation of the epoxides have not been identified. We investigated epoxyethane metabolism in Mycobacterium strain JS60 and discovered a coenzyme M (CoM)-dependent enzyme activity in extracts from VC- and ethene-grown cells. PCR amplifications using primers targeted at epoxyalkane:CoM transferase (EaCoMT) genes yielded part of the JS60 EaCoMT gene, which

SUBMITTER: Coleman NV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC193758 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature