IMIS

Publications | Institutes | Persons | Datasets | Projects | Maps
[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

Characterization of a deep-sea sediment metagenomic clone that produces water-soluble melanin in Escherichia coli
Huang, Y.; Lai, X.; He, X.; Cao, L.; Zeng, Z.; Zhang, J.; Zhou, S. (2009). Characterization of a deep-sea sediment metagenomic clone that produces water-soluble melanin in Escherichia coli. Mar. Biotechnol. 11(1): 124-131. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10126-008-9128-3
In: Marine Biotechnology. Springer-Verlag: New York. ISSN 1436-2228; e-ISSN 1436-2236, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keywords
    Melanin
    Escherichia coli Castellani & Chalmers, 1919 [WoRMS]
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    Deep-sea sediment; Homogentistic acid; 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvatedioxygenase; Idiomarina loihiensis; Melanin; Metagenome

Authors  Top 
  • Huang, Y.
  • Lai, X.
  • He, X.
  • Cao, L.
  • Zeng, Z.
  • Zhang, J.
  • Zhou, S.

Abstract
    To access to the microbial genetic resources of deep-sea sediment by a culture-independent approach, the sediment DNA was extracted and cloned into fosmid vector (pCC1FOS) generating a library of 39,600 clones with inserts of 24-45 kb. The clone fss6 producing red-brown pigment was isolated and characterized. The pigment was identified as melanin according to its physico-chemical characteristics. Subcloning and sequences analyses of fss6 demonstrated that one open reading frame (ORF2) was responsible for the pigment production. The deduced protein from ORF2 revealed significant amino acid similarity to the 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) from deep-sea bacteria Idiomarina loihiensis. Further study demonstrated that the production of melanin was correlated with homogentistic acid (HGA). The p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate produced by the Escherichia coli host was converted to HGA through the oxidation reaction of introduced HPPD. The results demonstrate that expression of DNA extracted directly from the environment might generate applicable microbial gene products. The construction and analysis of the metagenomic library from deep-sea sediment contributed to our understanding for the reservoir of unexploited deep-sea microorganisms.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors