Characteristic analysis of the luxG gene encoding the probable flavin reductase that resides in the lux operon of Photobacterium leiognathi.

Nucleotide sequence of the luxG gene (GenBank Accession No. AF053227) from Photobacterium leiognathi PL741 has been determined, and the encoded probable flavin reductase is deduced. The probable flavin reductase encoded by the luxG gene has a calculated M(r) 26,544 and comprises 235 amino acid residues. The probable flavin reductase like the NAD(P)H-flavin reductase might catalyze the reduction of flavins. Alignment and comparison of the probable flavin reductases from P. leiognathi PL741, ATCC 25521, P. phosphoreum, Vibrio fischeri, and V. harveyi show that they are homologous; there is 66% homologous (29.4% identity and 36.6% similarity). Also, the probable flavin reductase is homologous to the NAD(P)H-flavin reductase; it is perceived that the probable flavin reductase and the NAD(P)H-flavin reductase could be enzyme isoforms encoded by two genes of a multigene family for differential response functions. Functional analysis illustrates that the specific segment sequence lay inside and behind the luxG gene might form the potential hairpin loops omega gI, omega gII, omega o, and omega oT as mRNA stability loop or/and as the attenuator-like loop or the dynamic terminator-like block for sub-regulation in the lux operon. The gene order of the luxG gene in the lux operon and the lum operon is <--ter-lumQ-lumP-R&R-luxC-luxD-luxA-luxB-+ ++luxN-luxE-luxG--> (R&R: regulatory region; ter: transcriptional terminator), whereas the R&R is the regulatory region for the lum operon and the lux operon, and ter is the transcriptional terminator for the lum operon.