Molecular cloning and expression of the Streptomyces coniferyl alcohol dehydrogenase gene in Escherichia coli

Coniferyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CADH) is a key enzyme in catabolism of lignin-related aromatic compounds in bacteria. In Streptomyces sp. NL15-2K, CADH is a tetramer of identical subunits with an individual molecular mass of 39 kDa. This work describes the cloning and sequencing of the CADH gene from Streptomyces sp. NL15-2K, optimization of a protocol for high-level active CADH expression, and purification of recombinant CADH. A BLAST search and motif analyses of the predicted CADH amino acid sequence indicated the enzyme belongs to the medium-chain zinc-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase group. Cell density at heat-shock treatment, temperatures for heat shock and culture, duration of heat shock, concentration of isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) as an inducer, and culture time after induction were adjusted for optimal CADH expression. Expression of active CADH under optimized conditions was approximately 4-fold higher than in the absence of heat shock. CADH purified from recombinant Escherichia coli was in the tetrameric form, as was natural CADH from NL15-2K.

► Streptomyces coniferyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CADH) gene was cloned and sequenced.
► The heat-shock protocol was developed for soluble expression of CADH.
► Expressed CADH was purified to homogeneity and characterized.