Expression of the mau genes involved in methylamine metabolism in Paracoccus denitrificans is under control of a LysR-type transcriptional activator.

Expression of methylamine dehydrogenase in Paracoccus denitrificans and its concomitant ability to grow on methylamine is regulated by a substrate-induction mechanism as well as by a catabolite-repression-like mechanism. Methylamine dehydrogenase is synthesized in cells growing on either methylamine or ethylamine, but not during growth on succinate, methanol or choline as sole sources of carbon and energy. The synthesis of methylamine dehydrogenase is repressed when succinate is added to the growth medium in addition to methylamine. Repression is not observed when the growth medium contains methylamine and either choline or methanol. Induction of the mau genes encoding methylamine dehydrogenase is under control of the mauR gene. This regulatory gene is located directly in front of, but with the transcription direction opposite to that of, the structural genes in the mau cluster. The mauR gene encodes a LysR-type transcriptional activator. Inactivation of the gene results in loss of the ability to synthesize methylamine dehydrogenase and amicyanin, and loss of the ability to grow on methylamine. The mutation is completely restored when the mauR gene is supplied in trans. The first gene of the cluster of mau genes that is under control of MauR is mauF, which encodes a putative membrane-embedded protein. Inactivation of the gene results in the inability of cells to grow on methylamine. Downstream from mauF and in the same transcription direction, mauB is located. This gene encodes the large subunit of methylamine dehydrogenase.