Characterization of the C alpha-dehydrogenase gene involved in the cleavage of beta-aryl ether by Pseudomonas paucimobilis.

C alpha-dehydrogenase catalyzes the oxidation of arylglycerol-beta-aryl ether at the C alpha-position, and therefore this process produces the specific substrate for beta-etherase, which cleaves beta-ary ethers (C alpha carbonyl type). Here we isolated the C alpha-dehydrogenase gene (lig D) and sequenced its nucleotides. This gene contains an open reading frame of 915 bp and the deduced amino acid sequence had a homology with the ribitol dehydrogenase family. lig D is about 1 kbp upstream of the beta-etherase gene (lig E).