CLEAVING ENZYMIC GENE FOR ARYLGLYCEROL-BETA-ARYL ETHER TYPE BOND WHICH IS BOND BETWEEN PRINCIPAL UNITS OF LIGNIN

摘要

PURPOSE:To obtain a new DNA fragment useful for mass-producing an enzyme for hydrolyzing lignin. CONSTITUTION:A DNA fragment containing a gene instructing an enzyme (hereinafter referred to as etherase) capable of specifically cleaving an arylglycerol-beta-aryl ether type bond which is a main intramolecular bond of lignin as shown in the formula in fragments prepared by cleaving a chromosomic DNA of a microorganism capable of producing the aforementioned etherase. For example, a DNA fragment of 20.5Kbp whole length capable of coding the etherase gene, containing 5 SalI cleavage sites in fragments prepared by cleaving a chromosomic DNA of Pseudomonas.paucimobilis) wild strain (SYK-6 strain) with a restriction enzyme SalI and cleavable into respective fragments of 7.0, 4.4, 3.0, 2.6, 1.9 and 1.6Kbp. The aforementioned DNA fragment is obtained by cloning from the Pseudomonas.paucimobilis according to a genetic engineering technique.