MOLECULAR BREEDING OF GLUTATHIONE PRODUCING BACTERIAL STRAINS

In order to increase the production of glutathione by maximizing the expression of recombinant gsh plasmids, two genes responsible for the biosynthesis of glutathione were cloned. A gshI gene was cloned onto pBR322 plasmid as 3.6Kb PstI DNA fragment from E. coli K-12 chromosomal DNA. Also gshII gene was cloned onto pUC13 plasmid as 2.2Kb PstI-BamHI DNA fragment. In order to improve the glutathione producing activity more efficiently, various recombinant plasmids containing tandem repeated gshI genes or both genes in various copy number onto the same vector were constructed. E. coli cells harboring pGH501 plasmid (pUC8-gshI$\cdot$I$\cdot$II) showed the highest glutathione synthesizing activity. The conditions for glutathione production with an ATP-generating system such as acetate kinase reaction of E. coli cells or glycolytic pathway of yeast cells were examined using the E. coli cells harboring the pGH501 plasmid. When the acetate kinase reaction of E. coli cells was used as an ATP generating system, 20mM of L-csteine was converted into glutathione with a yield of $100\%$.