Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence of the complementary DNA for penicillolysin gene, plnC, and 18 kDa metalloendopeptidase gene from Penicillium citrinum.

A full-length cDNA encoding the penicillolysin, an 18 kDa metalloendopeptidase from Penicillium citrinum, was cloned. Analysis of the 1284 base pair nucleotide sequence of the cDNA revealed a single open reading frame coding for 351 amino acid residues. The coding region of penicillolysin gene, plnC, occupies 1053 base pairs of the cDNA. The sequence consists of a putative 19-residue signal sequence, a 155-residue propeptide segment, and the 177-residues of penicillolysin with a molecular weight of 18,529. The deduced primary structure of penicillolysin is unique and the enzyme is a member of a new metalloendopeptidase family. Two histidine residues, His-128 and His-132, and glutamic acid residue, Glu-65 in penicillolysin were assumed to correspond to zinc ligands in the homologous thermolysin.