Molecular cloning of the xylL-xylE region from the P. putida TOL plasmid, pDK1

A 5.2 kilobase EcoRI restriction fragment from the Pseudomonas putida HS1 TOL plasmid pDK1, encoding a portion of the lower toluene degradation pathway, was cloned into the E. coli plasmid pBR325. A detailed map of the restriction endonuclease sites was constructed and the nucleotide sequence of three contiguous XhoI fragments, with a combined total length of approximately 3.9 kilobases, has been investigated. This region was determined to contain a total of four separate open reading frames, each preceded by an identical putative ribosome-binding site (nucleotide sequence of 5'-GAGGTG-3'). These open reading frames have been tentatively identified as encoding the lower pathway enzymes catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) and 1,2-dihydroxycyclohexa-3,5-diene carboxylate dehydrogenase (DHCDH) and a subunit of the toluate 1,2-dioxygenase complex (TO).