The ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase gene cluster of Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath)

摘要: The genes encoding the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) from Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) were localised to an 8.3-kb EcoRI fragment of genome. Genes large subunit (cbbL), small (cbbS) and putative regulatory gene (cbbQ) shown be located on one cluster. Surprisingly, cbbO, a second gene, was not in remaining 1.2-kb downstream (3′) cbbQ. However, probing M. genome with cbbO Nitrosomonas europaea demonstrated that homologue contained within separate 3.0-kb fragment. Instead cbbR ORF being upstream (5′) cbbL, there moxR-like transcribed opposite direction cbbL. There three additional ORFs fragment: pyrE-like ORF, rnr-like incomplete no sequence similarity any known protein. Phylogenetic analysis cbbL placed it clade A green-type Form 1 Rubisco. expressed when grown methane as sole carbon energy source under both copper-replete copper-limited conditions. capable autotrophic growth solid medium but liquid medium. Preliminarily investigations suggested other methanotrophs may also growth. Rubisco identified, by PCR, Methylococcus-like strains Methylocaldum species; however, found Methylomicrobium album BG8, Methylomonas methanica S1, rubra, Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b or Methylocystis parvus OBBP.