Skip to main content
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1974 Apr;118(1):41–45. doi: 10.1128/jb.118.1.41-45.1974

Biosynthesis of Ubiquinone in Escherichia coli K-12: Biochemical and Genetic Characterization of a Mutant Unable to Convert Chorismate into 4-Hydroxybenzoate

J Lawrence 1, G B Cox 1, F Gibson 1
PMCID: PMC246637  PMID: 4595202

Abstract

A mutant strain of Escherichia coli unable to carry out the first specific reaction of ubiquinone biosynthesis, that is the conversion of chorismate into 4-hydroxybenzoate, has been isolated. The gene concerned maps at about minute 79 on the E. coli chromosome and has been designated ubiC. This gene is probably the structural gene for chorismate lyase since cell extracts from a transductant strain carrying the ubiC437 mutant allele are unable to convert chorismate into 4-hydroxybenzoate and growing cells of the mutant do not form appreciable quantities of ubiquinone unless 4-hydroxybenzoate is added to the growth medium.

Full text

PDF
45

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Cox G. B., Gibson F., Pittard J. Mutant strains of Escherichia coli K-12 unable to form ubiquinone. J Bacteriol. 1968 May;95(5):1591–1598. doi: 10.1128/jb.95.5.1591-1598.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cox G. B., Gibson F. The role of shikimic acid in the biosynthesis of vitamin K2. Biochem J. 1966 Jul;100(1):1–6. doi: 10.1042/bj1000001. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cox G. B., Young I. G., McCann L. M., Gibson F. Biosynthesis of ubiquinone in Escherichia coli K-12: location of genes affecting the metabolism of 3-octaprenyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid and 2-octaprenylphenol. J Bacteriol. 1969 Aug;99(2):450–458. doi: 10.1128/jb.99.2.450-458.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. DAVIS B. D. Inhibition of Escherichia coli by p-aminobenzoic acid and its reversal by p-hydroxybenzoic acid. J Exp Med. 1951 Sep;94(3):243–254. doi: 10.1084/jem.94.3.243. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Gibson F. Chorismic acid: purification and some chemical and physical studies. Biochem J. 1964 Feb;90(2):256–261. doi: 10.1042/bj0900256. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gibson M. I., Gibson F. Preliminary studies on the isolation and metabolism of an intermediate in aromatic biosynthesis: chorismic acid. Biochem J. 1964 Feb;90(2):248–256. doi: 10.1042/bj0900248. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hamilton J. A., Cox G. B. Ubiquinone biosynthesis in Escherichia coli K-12. Accumulation of an octaprenol, farnesylfarnesylgeraniol, by a multiple aromatic auxotroph. Biochem J. 1971 Jul;123(3):435–443. doi: 10.1042/bj1230435. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Huang M., Gibson F. Biosynthesis of 4-aminobenzoate in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1970 Jun;102(3):767–773. doi: 10.1128/jb.102.3.767-773.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. LURIA S. E., BURROUS J. W. Hybridization between Escherichia coli and Shigella. J Bacteriol. 1957 Oct;74(4):461–476. doi: 10.1128/jb.74.4.461-476.1957. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. MONOD J., COHEN-BAZIRE G., COHN M. Sur la biosynthèse de la beta-galactosidase (lactase) chez Escherichia coli; la spécificité de l'induction. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1951 Nov;7(4):585–599. doi: 10.1016/0006-3002(51)90072-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Newton N. A., Cox G. B., Gibson F. The function of menaquinone (vitamin K 2 ) in Escherichia coli K-12. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1971 Jul 20;244(1):155–166. doi: 10.1016/0304-4165(71)90132-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. OLSON R. E., DIALAMIEH G. H., BENTLEY R., SPRINGER C. M., RAMSEY V. G. STUDIES ON COENZYME Q. PATTERN OF LABELING IN COENZYME Q9 AFTER ADMINISTRATION OF ISOTOPIC ACETATE AND AROMATIC AMINO ACIDS TO RATS. J Biol Chem. 1965 Jan;240:514–523. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. PARSON W. W., RUDNEY H. THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF THE BENZOQUINONE RING OF UBIQUINONE FROM P-HYDROXYBENZALDEHYDE AND P-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID IN RAT KIDNEY, AZOTOBACTER VINELANDII, AND BAKER'S YEAST. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1964 Mar;51:444–450. doi: 10.1073/pnas.51.3.444. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. PITTARD J. EFFECT OF INTEGRATED SEX FACTOR ON TRANSDUCTION OF CHROMOSOMAL GENES IN ESCHERICHIA COLI. J Bacteriol. 1965 Mar;89:680–686. doi: 10.1128/jb.89.3.680-686.1965. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Pittard J., Wallace B. J. Distribution and function of genes concerned with aromatic biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1966 Apr;91(4):1494–1508. doi: 10.1128/jb.91.4.1494-1508.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Schwartz M. Location of the maltose A and B loci on the genetic map of Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1966 Oct;92(4):1083–1089. doi: 10.1128/jb.92.4.1083-1089.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Stroobant P., Young I. G., Gibson F. Mutants of Escherichia coli K-12 blocked in the final reaction of ubiquinone biosynthesis: characterization and genetic analysis. J Bacteriol. 1972 Jan;109(1):134–139. doi: 10.1128/jb.109.1.134-139.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. TAYLOR A. L., THOMAN M. S. THE GENETIC MAP OF ESCHERICHIA COLI K-12. Genetics. 1964 Oct;50:659–677. doi: 10.1093/genetics/50.4.659. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Taylor A. L. Current linkage map of Escherichia coli. Bacteriol Rev. 1970 Jun;34(2):155–175. doi: 10.1128/br.34.2.155-175.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Young I. G., Gibson F., MacDonald C. G. Enzymic and nonenzymic transformations of chorismic acid and related cyclohexadienes. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1969 Oct 7;192(1):62–72. doi: 10.1016/0304-4165(69)90010-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Young I. G., Leppik R. A., Hamilton J. A., Gibson F. Biochemical and genetic studies on ubiquinone biosynthesis in Escherichia coli K-12:4-hydroxybenzoate octaprenyltransferase. J Bacteriol. 1972 Apr;110(1):18–25. doi: 10.1128/jb.110.1.18-25.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Young I. G., McCann L. M., Stroobant P., Gibson F. Characterization and genetic analysis of mutant strains of Escherichia coli K-12 accumulating the biquinone precursors 2-octaprenyl-6-methoxy-1,4-benzoquinone and 2-octaprenyl-3-methyl-6-methoxy-1,4-benzoquinone. J Bacteriol. 1971 Mar;105(3):769–778. doi: 10.1128/jb.105.3.769-778.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Young I. G., Stroobant P., Macdonald C. G., Gibson F. Pathway for ubiquinone biosynthesis in Escherichia coli K-12: gene-enzyme relationships and intermediates. J Bacteriol. 1973 Apr;114(1):42–52. doi: 10.1128/jb.114.1.42-52.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES