Five-Gene Cluster in Clostridium thermoaceticum Consisting of Two Divergent Operons Encoding Rubredoxin Oxidoreductase- Rubredoxin and Rubrerythrin–Type A Flavoprotein– High-Molecular-Weight Rubredoxin

Abstract

A five-gene cluster encoding four nonheme iron proteins and a flavoprotein from the thermophilic anaerobic bacterium Clostridium thermoaceticum ( Moorella thermoacetica ) was cloned and sequenced. Based on analysis of deduced amino acid sequences, the genes were identified as rub (rubredoxin), rbo (rubredoxin oxidoreductase), rbr (rubrerythrin), fprA (type A flavoprotein), and a gene referred to as hrb (high-molecular-weight rubredoxin). Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the five-gene cluster is organized as two subclusters, consisting of two divergently transcribed operons, rbr-fprA-hrb and rbo-rub . The rbr, fprA , and rub genes were expressed in Escherichia coli , and their encoded recombinant proteins were purified. The molecular masses, UV-visible absorption spectra, and cofactor contents of the recombinant rubrerythrin, rubredoxin, and type A flavoprotein were similar to those of respective homologs from other microorganisms. Antibodies raised against Desulfovibrio vulgaris Rbr reacted with both native and recombinant Rbr from C. thermoaceticum , indicating that this protein was expressed in the native organism. Since Rbr and Rbo have been recently implicated in oxidative stress protection in several anaerobic bacteria and archaea, we suggest a similar function of these proteins in oxygen tolerance of C. thermoaceticum .