A second gene (qutH) within the Aspergillus nidulans-quinic-acid utilisation gene cluster encodes a protein with a putative zinc-cluster motif.

A sequence of 3299 nt, contiguous with the previously sequenced quinate permease-encoding (qutD) gene and encompassing the dehydroshikimate dehydratase-encoding (qutC) gene, has been determined. Northern-blot analysis detected (i) a quinate-inducible mRNA of the expected size for the qutC gene, and (ii) a quinate-inducible mRNA of 1.45 kb divergently transcribed away from qutC towards qutD. Computer-aided sequence analysis identified an ORF of 1047 nt corresponding to the qutC gene encoding dehydroshikimate dehydratase. In addition, a genetically uncharacterized 1188-nt gene, designated qutH and containing a putative intron of 61 nt, was identified between qutC and qutD. The inferred protein sequence encoded by qutH contains a putative 'zinc cluster' motif and has a low (16%) but significant similarity with the DNA-directed DNA polymerase of hepatitis B virus. The results are interpreted as being consistent with the view that the qutH gene encodes a DNA-binding protein, possibly involved in the regulation of genes essential for the utilisation of protocatechuic acid.