Characterisation of the diol dehydratase pdu operon of Lactobacillus collinoides

The three genes (pduCDE) encoding the diol dehydratase of Lactobacillus collinoides were sequenced. They exhibited strong identities with the ddrABC and pduCDE genes of Klebsiella oxytoca and Salmonella enterica, respectively. These genes are part of a putative operon with at least four other genes. An eighth open reading frame was identified as homologous to the pocR gene (encoding the operon regulatory protein). Although the enzyme was detected in exponential growth phase, PduCDE activity was increased at the end of exponential phase in presence of 1,2-propanediol.