DNA Structure of Pectate Lyase I Gene Cloned from Erwinia carotovora

Abstract

The pectate lyase I (PAL I) gene was cloned from Erwinia carotovora Er. The cloned DNA, 5.1 kb, seemed to contain the region necessary for the regulation of pectin lyase formation, as PAL I was induced by pectin in E. carotovora Er 18 containing the cloned PAL I gene. PAL I had a signal peptide of 22 amino acids which seemed to be cleaved between Gly and Ala. PAL I had a M.W. of 37, 587 composed of 345 amino acids. The presence of promoter and SD sequences was suggested upstream of the translational start cod on of the PAL I gene. A palindromic sequence, which might be important for the regulation of PAL I gene expression, was detected downstream from the putative promoter. Another open reading frame highly homologous to the PAL I gene was detected downstream from the PAL I gene and designated the PAL X gene. This gene had 81 % homology in 606 bp from the translational start codon with the PAL I gene.