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A 5.8-kb DNA fragment encoding the cryIC gene from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) subsp. aizawai HD229 was subcloned into the pMex7 vector for expression in Escherichia coli. In addition to the 135-kDa CryIC δ-endotoxin, this DNA fragment also encoded a 30-kDa polypeptide whose open reading frame (orfX) was located less than 200 bp upstream of cryIC . Nucleotide sequencing showed that orfX was truncated at the 5′ end, and full sequence was obtained from a second overlapping clone. Sequence analysis showed that orfX could encode a polypeptide closely related to the putative transposase from IS150. OrfX was flanked by a 17-bp imperfect inverted repeat, defining the length of the element as 998 bp. Southern blot analysis revealed that the novel insertion sequence was present in a single copy and located in an identical position immediately upstream of cryIC in plasmid DNA from both Bt subsp. aizawai and entomocidus.

Nucleoside monophosphate kinase (NMPK, EC 2.7.4.4, from bovine liver or yeast) has been used to prepare cytidine 5′-diphosphate (CDP). The enzyme catalyses the reversible (Keq ≅ 1) reaction of a pyrimidine nucleoside 5′-monophosphate and ATP to produce a nucleoside 5′-diphosphate and ADP. Equilibrium mixtures of CMP, CDP, ADP, and ATP were obtained from the reaction of CMP, ATP, and magnesium chloride with NMPK. The soluble enzyme could be recovered and reused but an enzyme activity half-life of only ca. 2 days was observed. Stabilization of enzyme activity by immobilization via covalent bonding to a carrier surface, and by gel entrapment, was examined. Immobilization yields were optimized by varying protein loading, pH, temperature, ionic strength, type of buffer, and concentration of enzyme substrates. The highest yields of immobilized NMPK activity were obtained by gel entrapment in a poly(acrylamide-co-N-acryloxysuccinimide) gel crosslinked with triethylenetetramine (PAN-500); NMPK immobilized using this method exhibited increased stability of enzyme activity compared to the unimmobilized enzyme.