Genetic and biochemical analyses of the tec operon suggest a route for evolution of chlorobenzene degradation genes

Research was conducted to examine the hypothesis that the genetic and biochemical analyses of the tec operon suggest a route for the evolution of chlorobenzene degradation genes. Southern blot analysis of BamHI-, Bg/II-, and double-digested PS12 total DNA revealed a single band which indicate that the tecA gene is present at only one locus. Biochemical characterization of TodF-like protein T1pF and a genetically refunctionalized TodE-like protein produced in Escherichia coli provided data consistent with the proposed relationships.