Cloning and Expression in Escherichia coli of a Bacteriolytic Enzyme Gene from Alkalophilic Bacillus sp.

The gene encoding the bacteriolytic enzyme cell wall peptidoglycan hydrolase from alkalophilic Bacillus sp. was cloned in E. coli using pBR322 as a vector. A recombinant plasmid, designated pYTR451, was isolated and the size of the cloned HindIII fragment was found to be 4.8 Kb. The cell wall hydrolysis activity of an extract of the E. coli harboring the recombinant plasmid pYTR 451 was detected by SDS- polyacrylamide gel containing 0.2% (w/v) purified cell wall of Bacillus sp. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be about 27, 000 corresponding to the molecular weight of the Bacillus sp. bacteriolytic enzyme. The recombinant plasmid was found to contain the fragment originated from Bacillus sp. YJ-451 chromosomal DNA by Southern hybridization.