Identification and Cloning of the Gene Coding for Lysophospholipase L2 of E. coli K-121

Abstract

E. coil bearing hybrid plasmid pKOl (Oeda et al. (1981) Mol. Gen. Genet. 184, 191–199) expressed a large amount of lysophospholipase L₂ activity. When a mutant which was defective in lysophospholipase L2 activity was transformed with plasmid pKOl, it overproduced lysophospholipase L₂ activity. The gene responsible for the lysophospholipase L2 activity was designated as pld B. On the same hybrid plasmid another gene (pld A) coding for detergent-resistant phospholipase A (DR-phospholipase A) was also identified. These facts together with the results of a P1 transduction experiment revealed that the pld B gene must be between the pld A and met E genes on the E. coli chromosome.