Operon Construction Containing alsS, ilvC, ilvD and kivd Genes in Esch-erichia coli for Isobutanol Production from Glucose

Isobutanol is a biofuel considered to be a potential gasoline substitute. However, isobutanol production is difficult because there is no native organism that can produce isobutanol. A biosynthetic pathway to produce isobutanol had been designed to utilize pyruvate produced from glucose breakdown by glycolysis in Escherichia coli (E. coli). This biosynthetic pathway con-sists of acetolactate-synthase (ALS), ketol-acid reductoisomerase (KARI), dihydroxy-acid dehydratase (DHAD), alpha-ketoisovalerate decarboxylase (KDC) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) enzymes. Since E. coli does not have ALS and KDC, the genes coding for the protein is needed to be cloned and overexpressed in E. coli. KARI and DHAD were overexpressed to increase the accumulation of keto acid to increase isobutanol production. Plasmid contains an operon controlled by lac pro-moter and lac operator consisting of alsS (coded ALS from Bacillus subtilis), ilvC (coded KARI from E. coli MG1655) and ilvD (coded DHAD from E. coli MG1655) genes, obtained from previous research, and operon sequences have been confirmed by DNA sequencing. kivd gene (coding KDC from Lactococcus lactis) was obtained from iGEM 2013 kit. kivd was amplified by PCR and inserted into pJET 1.2 blunt. kivd gene was then added into 3’ end of previous operon using restriction-ligation tech-nique. The plasmid constructed was then transfered into E. coli DH5α using heat shock. The recombinant genes were expressed using IPTG (isopropyl-β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside) induction. The SDS PAGE results were inconclusive, however isobutanol was detected by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry – Selected Ion Monitoring (GC-MS-SIM) from 48 hours fermenta-tion culture at 30 oC (1,17%). An operon regulated by the lac promoter-operator containing four genes for the biosynthesis of isobutanol has been constructed and cloned in E. coli. The isobutanol production was not optimal due to weak expression and repression by glucose, which was used as substrate.

Exploitation of the Escherichia coli lac operon promoter for controlled recombinant protein production

The Escherichia coli lac operon promoter is widely used as a tool to control recombinant protein production in bacteria. Here, we give a brief review of how it functions, how it is regulated, and how, based on this knowledge, a suite of lac promoter derivatives has been developed to give a controlled expression that is suitable for diverse biotechnology applications.

Controlling the Expression of Rhizobial Genes During Nodule Development with Elements and An Inducer of the lac Operon

A simple strategy was tested for imposing artificial regulation of rhizobial genes during nodule development. Isopropyl-β-d-1-thiogalactoside (IPTG) was added to liquid root media to sustain expression of rhizobial genes controlled by Escherichia coli lac promoter/operators and repressor gene lacI. Conversely, a rinsing protocol was devised to remove IPTG sufficiently that genes could be repressed after having been induced. gusA under this control exhibited clearly delineated expression and repression in both the determinate Rhizobium etli–Phaseolus vulgaris and the indeterminate Sinorhizobium meliloti–Medicago sativa symbioses. Apparently, IPTG was taken up in sufficiently undegraded concentrations that gene expression was derepressed even in interior portions of the nodule. Moreover, the rinsing protocol led to obvious repression of gusA. Importantly, no deleterious effects of IPTG on nodule development, infection, or nitrogen fixation were observed. An R. etli CE3 gene required for lipopolysaccharide O antigen and infection on bean was put under this control by means of a two-plasmid construct. When this construct was added to a strain with a null mutation in this gene, infection, nodule development, and nitrogenase activity all depended on the length of time before IPTG was rinsed from the roots after inoculation.

A freeze-thaw method for disintegration of Escherichia coli cells producing T7 lysozyme used in pBAD expression systems.

The pLysN plasmid containing the T7 lysozyme gene under control of the lac promoter was constructed to facilitate cell disintegration after expression of recombinant proteins in arabinose-induced expression systems. The usefulness of this plasmid was tested in Escherichia coli TOP10 and E. coli LMG194 cells carrying pBADMHADgeSSB plasmid containing Deinococcus geothermalis SSB protein gene under control of the araBAD promoter. The results showed that low-level expression of T7 lysozyme did not interfere with the target SSB protein production, and that the freezing-thawing treatment was sufficient for disruption of the E. coli cells producing low amounts of T7 lysozyme.

Artificial Control of Nitrate Respiration through the lac Promoter Permits the Assessment of Oxygen-Mediated Posttranslational Regulation of the nar Operon in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

ABSTRACT In this study, oxygen and nitrate regulation of transcription and subsequent protein expression of the unique narK1K2GHJI respiratory operon of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were investigated. Under the control of PLAC, P. aeruginosa was able to transcribe nar and subsequently express methyl viologen-linked nitrate reductase activity under aerobic conditions without nitrate. Modulation of PLAC through the LacI repressor enabled us to assess both transcriptional and posttranslational regulation by oxygen during physiological whole-cell nitrate reduction.