Gene cloning, expression, and substrate specificity of an imidase from the strain Pseudomonas putida YZ-26

A gene-encoding imidase was isolated from Pseudomonas putdia YZ-26 genomic DNA using a combination of polymerase chain reaction and activity screening the recombinant. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence revealed that an open reading frame (ORF) of 879 bp encoded a protein of 293 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 33712.6 kDa. The deduced amino-acid sequence showed 78% identity with the imidase from Alcaligenes eutrophus 112R4 and 80% identity with N-terminal 20 amino-acid imidase from Blastobacter sp. A17p-4. Next, the ORF was subcloned into vector pET32a to form recombinant plasmid pEI. The enzyme was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity by Ni(2+)-NTA column, with 75% activity recovery. The subunit molecular mass of the recombinant imidase as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was approximately 36 kDa, whereas its functional unit was approximately 141 kDa with four identical subunits determined by size-exclusion chromatography. The purified enzyme showed the highest activity and affinity toward succinimide, and some other substrates, such as dihydrouracil, hydantoin, succinimide, and maleimde, were investigated.