Cloning, characterization, and expression of a novel gene encoding a reversible 4-hydroxybenzoate decarboxylase from Clostridium hydroxybenzoicum

A novel gene, called ohb1, which encodes the oxygen-sensitive and biotin-, ATP-, thiamin-, pyridoxal phosphate-, and metal-ion-independent, reversible 4-hydroxybenzoate decarboxylase (4-HOB-DC) from the obligate anaerobe Clostridium hydroxybenzoicum JW/Z-1T was sequenced and expressed. The 1,440-bp open reading frame encodes 480 amino acids. The main characteristics of the heterologous enzyme Ohb1 expressed in Escherichia coli DH5alpha were the same as those for the native 4-HOB-DC.