Fused lacZ genes code for di-, tri- and tetra-beta-galactosidase in Escherichia coli

Plasmids were constructed which carry two, three or four active lacZ genes of Escherichia coli fused head-to-tail in phase. The products of these oligomeric lacZ genes are shown to be polypeptides with expected subunit mol. wts. of 230 kd (di-beta-galactosidase), 350 kd (tri-beta-galactosidase) and 460 kd (tetra-beta-galactosidase). Di-beta-galactosidase has the same enzymatic activity as the wild-type enzyme. It subunits are practically not degraded proteolytically in vivo. It aggregates predominantly to a dimer which has the same sedimentation constant as the wild-type tetrameric enzyme. Furthermore, it is more heat stable than the wild-type enzyme. Tri- and tetra-beta-galactosidase have strongly reduced enzymatic activities and are largely degraded. Our experiments lead us to propose that covalent joining of two subunits through proper gene duplication may possibly be an intermediate in the evolution of self aggregation of homo-oligomeric proteins.