Cloning, expression, and regulation of the Pseudomonas cepacia protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase genes

The genes for the alpha and beta subunits of the enzyme protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase (EC 1.13.11.3) were cloned from the Pseudomonas cepacia DBO1 chromosome on a 9.5-kilobase-pair PstI fragment into the broad-host-range cloning vector pRO2317. The resultant clone was able to complement protocatechuate 3,4-dioxugenase mutations in P. cepacia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Pseudomonas putida. Expression studies showed that the genes were constitutively expressed and subject to catabolite repression in the heterologous host. Since the cloned genes exhibited normal induction patterns when present in P. cepacia DBO1, it was concluded that induction was subject to negative control. Regulatory studies with P. cepacia wild-type and mutant strains showed that protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase is induced either by protocatechuate or by beta-carboxymuconate. Further studies of P. cepacia DBO1 showed that p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase (EC 1.14.13.2), the preceding enzyme in the pathway, is induced by p-hydroxybenzoate and that beta-carboxymuconate lactonizing enzyme, which catalyzes the reaction following protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase, is induced by both p-hydroxybenzoate and beta-ketoadipate.