Vector Development, Isolation of New Promoters and Enhancement of the Catalytic Activity of the Dsz Enzyme Complex in Rhodococcus Sp. Strains

Abstract

Rhodococcus is a metabolically versatile genus, commonly found in soils and sea water, markedly solvent tolerant and capable of catalyzing diverse transformation reactions of compounds present in crude oil. Among these, oxidation and catabolism of alkanes and aromatics, sulfur removal from aryl- and alkyl-sulfonates and other organosulfur compounds are useful characteristics. To better exploit the performance of strains exhibiting biotransformation of oil components (in particular desufurization and hydrocarbon oxidation) we have developed efficient genetic tools for the engineering of Rhodococcus strains. Strong and constitutive promoters have been isolated and characterized. Strains have been constructed in which the careful overexpression of selected components of the desulfurization pathway leads to the enhancement of the sulfur removal activity in model systems.