The Malonate Decarboxylase Operon of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus KCCM 40902 Is Regulated by Malonate and the Transcriptional Repressor MdcY

Abstract

ABSTRACT A regulatory gene-like open reading frame oriented oppositely to mdcL, coined mdcY , was found upstream from the structural genes of the mdcLMACDEGBH operon in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus KCCM 40902. To elucidate the function of this gene, mdcY was expressed in Escherichia coli , and the MdcY protein was purified to homogeneity. Its DNA binding activity and binding site were examined by gel retardation and footprinting assays in vitro and by site-directed mutagenesis of the binding sites in vivo. The regulator bound target DNA regardless of the presence of malonate, and the binding site was found centered at −65 relative to the mdcL transcriptional start site and contains a 12-bp palindromic structure (5′-ATTGTA/TACAAT-3′). Using a promoter fusion to the reporter gene luc , we found that the promoter P mdcY is negatively regulated by MdcY independent of malonate. However, the promoter P mdcL recovered its activity in the presence of malonate. When mdcY was introduced into A. calcoaceticus KCCM 40902 in which the gene is inactivated by an IS 3 family element, malonate decarboxylase was significantly repressed in cultures growing in acetate, succinate, or Luria-Bertani medium. However, in cells growing in malonate, malonate decarboxylase was induced, indicating that MdcY is a transcriptional repressor and that malonate or a product resulting from malonate metabolism should be the intracellular inducer of the mdc operon.