Nucleotide sequence of a portion of the camphor-degrading gene cluster from Rhodococcus sp. NCIMB 9784

Rhodococcus sp. NCIMB 9784 is a camphor-degrading Gram-positive organism originally isolated from activated sewage sludge. A 5.4kbp portion of a proposed camphor degradation gene cluster from this organism was cloned and its nucleotide sequence determined. Four open reading frames (ORFs) were identified encoding proteins possibly involved in camphor metabolism; sequence alignment of the translation products suggested that the ORFs encode for a ferredoxin reductase, acyl-CoA ligase, epimerase and an acyl-CoA dehydrogenase. The last three activities are thought to be involved in the poorly understood late stage of camphor degradation. Our findings are entirely consistent with the proposed formation of a branched 9-carbon acid intermediate (3,4,4-trimethyl-5-oxo-trans-2-hexenoic acid) which has been isolated from the fermentation broth of camphor-grown cells.