GENETIC ORGANIZATION OF METHYLAMINE UTILIZATION GENES FROM METHYLOBACTERIUM-EXTORQUENS AM1

An isolated 5.2-kb fragment of Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 DNA was found to contain a gene cluster involved in methylamine utilization. Analysis of polypeptides synthesized in an Escherichia coli T7 expression system showed that five genes were present. Two of the genes encoded the large and small subunits of methylamine dehydrogenase, and a third encoded amicyanin, the presumed electron acceptor for methylamine dehydrogenase, but the function of the other two genes is not known. The order on the 5.2-kb fragment was found to be large-subunit gene, the two genes of unknown function, small-subunit gene, amicyanin gene. The gene for azurin, another possible electron acceptor in methylamine oxidation, does not appear to be present within this cluster of methylamine utilization genes.